The provincial budget was released Thursday by Ontario’s Conservative government.
Hastings-Lennox and Addington M.P.P. Daryl Kramp says it is their priority to protect healthcare, education and other “key public services.” He says the PCs are pointing Ontario is the right direction with this budget so that services can be provided to the people that need them. “We’re looking at spreading some pain and spreading some gain over a significant period of time instead of trying to solve everyone’s problems in the same year,” Kramp tells My Bancroft Now.
Kramp highlighted the fact that Ontario’s budget will be balanced in five years. “We do know we have some significant spending to do,” he says as the government continues to cut costs. Kramp says they are looking to save four to six cents on “many” government operations. He says they are currently averaging around eight cents.
Another highlight for Kramp is the $315 million that will be pumped into broadband and cellular service in rural areas over the next five years. “We’ve got to move it ahead,” he says of the “critical” need to increase broadband funding. “Should there be joint federal and provincial cooperation over that? absolutely,” he says. Kramp says he’s currently working with East Ontario’s Warden Network on a “magnificent project.” He didn’t give any details on the project, but says an announcement is coming “very shortly.”
The record $163.4 billion budget is almost $5 billion more than the last budget the Kathleen Wynne-led Liberals put forward.