Jobs and Economy - Green Party Five Point Plan for Ontario

8/6/2019 Jobs and Economy - Green Party Five Point Plan for Ontario

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2011


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A Five-Point Plan for Ontarios FutureEconomy 2

Creatingjobs for a twenty-first century economyOntario needs a bold vision to transform our economy,

drive prosperity and generate twenty-first century jobs.

Rising global energy prices, a high Canadian dollar and

increasing demand for declining resources require new

ideas and fresh thinking.

The Green Party has a sensible plan to tackle our

challenges and secure Ontarios future by not locking

us in the past. We envision a future where Ontario

builds on its diverse strengths to become a confident

leader in the emerging low-carbon global economy.

We will support our entrepreneurs, workers and

organizations to lead Ontario toward a prosperous

future one with strong communities and resilient local

economies. Our plan establishes a tax and regulatory

environment that fosters sustainable job creation.

Greens support innovation, creativity and job training

to drive meaningful, long-term employment

opportunities.

We are committed to the responsible management of our financial and natural capital. In order for our businessesto be profitable and create jobs in a global economy with constrained resources and high energy costs, we must use

resources and energy efficiently by reducing waste. Government must do the same.

Our economic plan provides the right market incentives to reward people and businesses for efficient and

sustainable practices. Our financial plan is focused on eliminating the provinces deficit so that our hard-earned tax

dollars are spent on important public services, not interest on debt.

The Green Partys Economic Plan has the following components:

1. Smart taxes, good jobs, and responsible financial management

2. Spport for entrepreners, innoaon, and the bilding of strong local economies

3. Inestments in people


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We will:

Lower income taxes on families and businesses to stimulate job creation .

Reward efficient use of resources and responsibly balance our finances with a revenue neutral tax on

waste, pollution, and carbon emissions.

Balance the budget by 2015, saving billions in debt and ensuring our tax dollars are spent on public

services instead of interest payments.

1. Smart taxes, good jobs, and responsible financial management


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We will lower income taxes on families and businesses to stimulate jobcreation.

Your Green MPPs will:

ower ersonal income taes y immeiately increasin te ersonal ta eemon y

ower small usiness ayroll taes y raisin te eemon level for te Emloyer ealt ta

from 4, to 8, in ayroll; tis eliminates te Emloyer ealt Ta for small usi-

nesses wit ayrolls less tan 8,, makin it easier for usinesses to create more jos

mlement ta creits to rovie incenves an rewars to el iniviuals an usinesses

ecome more enery efficient; suort researc, eveloment an investment in emerin

els an local economies; ean trainin an arencesi rorams; an suort effi-

cient transortaon an commun enets


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We will reward efficient use of resources and responsibly balance our

finances with a revenue neutral tax on waste, pollution, and carbon emissions.The Green Partys tax plan is designed to be revenue neutral so that tax cuts do not increase the budget deficit. All

personal and business tax cuts are oset by taxes on aste polluon and carbon eissions.

n addion e ill delay the governents proposed tax cut or large corporaons unl aer the budget is balanced.

This responsible approach achieves a balanced budget hile prioriing ore aggressive payroll tax cuts or sall

businesses to sulate ob creaon.

Our tax plan proposes sall increental steps toard a sarter tax syste that encourages sustainable ob groth

responsible steardship o financial and environental resources along ith the reducon o aste and inecien

cies.

A siple straight orard carbon tax odelled aer the popular rish olubia syste is the ost ecient and

cost eecve approach to reducing greenhouse gas eissions. Pung a sall price on carbon provides the aret

incenves to spur innovaon and entrepreneurialis to prepare our businesses to copete in a orld ith carbon

pricing.


mlement a er tonne caron ta to rovie maret incenves tat encourae te e-

cient use of resources an iscourae reenouse as emissions.

e ta will e ase on te ris olumia moel an aly to te urcase or use ofcaron ase fossil fuels witin te rovince.

Every ollar raise y te caron ta will e returne to iniviuals an usinesses

trou ta reucons. o art of te caron ta revenue will e use to fun overn-

ment senin.

million er year will e investe in refunale ta creits for seniors, low income

resients, an iniviuals livin in rural areas.

e ta will e alie at te wolesale level in te same way motor fuel taes are alie

an collecte natural as will e te only eceon, ein collecte at te retail level.

e ta rate face y iniviuals an ot small an lare usinesses will e te same.

e caron ta will aly to all urnin fossil fuel emissions, tree of wic in 28

coal, natural as, an refine etroleum roucts accounte for an esmate 5 of

Ontarios total reenouse as emissions. e ta will rise to 5tonne over me to maintain revenue as reenouse as emis-

sions ecline. n real terms, tis woul a 2.4 cents er litre to te rice of asoline.

ince te caron ta is ase on caron content, rice uctuaons in te retail rice of

asoline woul not affect te ta rate. Lowerin te caron content of fuel, owever,

woul reuce te ta rate, roviin an incenve for comanies to use less caron in-

tensive fuels.


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We will reward efficient use of resources and responsibly balance ourfinances with a revenue neutral tax on waste, pollution, and carbon emissions.

Our tax plan also seeks to encourage the efficient use

of natural resources, such as water and aggregates.

e will increase the extracon taxes on water used

for industrial purposes, such as oled water, and

raise the roales on aggregates. eenue will e

used to reward conseraon and stewardship aci

es.


Raise the water-taking tax for industrial pur-

poses, excluding farming and local food pro-

cessing, from $3.71 per million litres to $10

per million. This tax will encourage the con-

servaon of one of Ontarios most precious resources. Generated revenues will e used to fund programs an

tax credits to provide clean water and waste water management.

Raise the royalty fees for aggregate extracon to 0 cents per tonne from its current rate of 11. cents per

tonne. igher royalty fees will create incenves for ecient use of aggregates, make recycling more cost

compeve and egin to cover the full cost of extracon. nder the Green Party plan, fees paid to municipal

ies and other programs will remain unchanged. The total revenue will e used to fund programs and tax

credits for conservaon and sustainale land management.

Estalish a legislave commiee to study est pracces in order to reform and modernie Ontarios tax sys-

tem in ways that reduce income, usiness and property taxes while maintaining revenue with taxes on waste

polluon and unsustainale resource use.


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We will balance the budget by 2015, saving billions in debt and ensuring our tax

dollars are spent on public services instead of interest payments.Ontario currently faces a $16.7 billion deficit. Interest payments

on debt now exceed $10 billion per year and have become the

third largest expenditure category in the provincial budget.

We believe tackling the deficit should be a top priority. We

want our hard earned tax dollars to be spent on important pub-

lic services, not interest payments. We do not want to saddle

our children with todays debt.

Our deficit reducon plan is balanced and responsible. We are

not proposing tax cuts or spending programs that we cannotafford. We do not believe in taking a sledge hammer to govern-

ment, nor do we support its growth at unsustainable rates.

We will delay tax cuts for large corporaons unl the budget is balanced. We value the important work of Ontarios

civil servants and public sector employees, and we ask them parcularly those at the highest pay levels - to work

with the overnment to restrain wage increases unl the budget is balanced. We will provide incenves for public

employees to idenfy out-dated and ineffecve programs and procedures and find cost savings.

Under the reen Plan, a few years of spending restraint saves almost $30 billion in debt, reduces annual interest

payments by $ billion, and enables sustainable increases in expenditures and tax cuts aer the budget is balanced.


Support a budget that is balanced in 015, avoiding $9.8 billion dollars in additional debt, and saving $,94

per person.

Maintain expenditures for all ministries, except health, at 010-11 levels until after the budget is balanced.

Increase health care funding by % each year, with additional increases after the budget is balanced.

Partner with government employees to idenfy the least producve 1% of every ministry budget, and to iden-

fy out-dated or ineffecve programs throughout the public sector, in order to realie savings without ob

cuts.

xpect public servants in the highest salary categories to support a temporary wage freee unl the budget is

balanced.

Work with all public employees and public sector unions to restrain the growth of the wages and salaries un

the budget is balanced.

Revise the to reuire consideraon of local circumstances and governments ability to pay

when deciding public sector wage selements.

Delay planned tax cuts for large corporations until after the budget is balanced.


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3. Support

entrepreneurs, innovation and strong local economiesThe Green Party wants to unleash the full potential for entrepreneurs, workers, businesses and social innovators to

build strong local economies that foster vibrant communities. Innovation, economic diversification and home-grown

talent will drive prosperity in the twenty-first century.

Small- and medium-size businesses, in particular, are the backbone of our local economies. During the recent

recession, the small- and medium- size business sector was the only one to create jobs. The Green Party is

committed to removing barriers to success for small and medium size businesses by supporting tax and regulatory

reforms that will create even more local jobs.

A one-size-fits-all solution will not rebuild Ontarios economy. We need programs and policies that reflect the unique

needs and strengths of different regions of the province, including both rural and urban areas. We need to continue

developing and promoting local products for local markets and for exporting goods and services abroad. We will

provide tax incentives for: research and development with a focus on encouraging innovation in emerging industries;

the local design and manufacturing of value-added products; and creative and knowledge-enhanced services.

We support innovative policies that encourage local investment by facilitating the growth of community banks and

financial instruments, social enterprise, and private venture capital. We recognize and support the valuable

contribution that the non-profit sector, co-operatives and social enterprises have in enriching community economicdevelopment and building resilent local economies.

We believe that with the right market incentives in place, profitable enterprises big and small, domesc and

foreign owned can contribute to Ontarios economic success, prosperity and quality of life.

We will:

Support local businesses so they can connue to create jobs that support our communies.

Support innovaon that will power our economy in the coming decades, including clean technology and

knowledge-based services.

Improve high-speed internet access for all areas of Ontario.


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We will support local businesses so they can continue to create jobsthat support our communities.

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We will support innovation that will power our economy in the coming decades,including clean technology and knowledge-based services.

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We will improve high-speed internet access for all areas of Ontario.

To build a twenty-first century economy, Ontario needs

twenty-first century technology. The Green Party is

commied to ensuring that all regions o Ontario hae

access to cung-edge communicaons and inor-

maon technology. e beliee it is essenal or all our

all communies to not only be lined to each other,

but also to the global economy.

nternet access is an essenal tool. t enables eole,

businesses and organiaons to connect and communi-

cate beer, aster, and more chealy than eer beore.hether it is a armer mareng cros, an entrere-

neur liing in northern Ontario, an arst with a rural

studio, or a student enrolled in distance learning, nter-

net access is ital.

Ontarios dierse oulaon with contacts and con-

necons across the globe is well osioned to succeed

in an increasingly connected global economy. eer

communicaons tools will enable more ecient and

sustainable ways o doing business. A locally-based

global economy deends on a ast, widesread,

and decentralied nternet system

made accessible to all Ontarians.

et, too many rural and remote communies do not

hae reliable, affordable nternet access.


Proide $200 million in reundable tax credits

oer our years or eole liing in rural and re-

mote areas to hae affordable nternet access.

ocus on ensuring Ontarios communicaon systems are decentralied, affordable, and wide-

sread.

Authoried by the CO or the Green Party o Ontario


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Develop employment opportunities by updating and strengthening our educationsystem.nesng in the uture reuires inesng in eole. The recent recession has hit Ontario hard and the structural

changes in the economy hae le eeryone with or without jobs uncertain about the uture.

e need a orward-looing goernment that is able to ace the challenges o the uture. Ontario must hel eole

looing or wor deelo new sills and wor exerience, while guiding young eole into the careers and trades o

tomorrow. nesng in training and educaon will suort the economy, imroe eciency, and hel eole realie

their ull otenal.

Too many young eole hae oor job rosects when they finish high school, college or uniersity. outh unemloy-

ment in Ontario is rising. Meanwhile, the cost o ost-secondary educaon connues to increase, and student debt is

on the rise. The tyical student graduates with debts loads around $22,000. n many cases, students are orced tosee high-interest sources o credit to ay their tuion.

As a orward thining arty, the Green Party will not abandon our children to a uture o oor job rosects and high

debt loads. e must harness the great human otenal o the next generaon.


reee tuion or the 202-3 school year while maintaining uniersity and college budgets; in-

dex tuion increases to the rate o inaon rom 203-5

xand training and cerficaon rograms in job growth areas such as green building, bio-

medical technology, renewable energy and sustainable transortaon.


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We will freeze tuition for the 2012-13 school year while maintaining university andcollege budgets; index tuition increases to the rate of inflation from 2013-15.

The Green Party is commied to maing it easier or students to access and ay or ost-secondary educaon. Tuion

ees hae risen oer the last ew years between 4 and 8% annually, maing Ontario the most exensie roince in

Canada in which to study.

n addion to maing college and uniersity affordable, we are commied to enhancing their uality. y delaying tax

cuts or large cororaons unl 20, we can budget to reee tuion rates while maintaining inestments in colleges

and uniersies.


reee tuion or the 202-3 school year while maintaining uniersity and college budgets; index tuion

increases to the rate o inaon rom 203-5.

or with student organiaons and the ederal goernment to reise the tax credit system or uniersi-

ty tuion to mae it wor beer or students and their amilies.

We will expand training and certification programs in job growth areas such as greenbuilding, bio-medical technology, renewable energy and sustainable transportation.

ith declining birth rates and baby boomers rering, there will be a need or educated and silled worers within On-

tario. t is esmated that Ontario will be reuired to fill more than 30,000 silled worer osions by 2025. Ontario

must begin inesng in the job sectors o tomorrow.

y exanding training and cerficaon in silled trades, arenceshis, mentorshi rograms, and ost-secondary

educaon, Ontario can begin to deelo jobs that will ocus on leading-edge technologies and sustainable liing.

hether it be engineering, inormaon technologies, welding, or arm roducon, Ontario must strie to ensure it is

inesng in tomorrows jobs.

To do this, we must create innoae educaonal and training rograms that roide real-world hands-on exerience

and wor sills. e also suort job training or those le out o the wor-orce through structural changes in the

economy.

The Green Party will bring emloyers, worers, unions, trade associaons, roessional organiaons, guilds, colleges,

and uniersies together to build a comrehensie system o arenceshi, co-oerae, retraining, and mentor-

shi rograms or eery emloyment sector.


Proide $300 million oer our years in reundable tax credits or businesses that arciate in training

and cerficaon rograms in job growth areas such as green building, biomedical technology, renewable

energy and sustainable transortaon.

Proide $300 million oer our years in reundable tax credits or businesses that arciate in aren-

ceshi, co-oerae and mentorshi rograms.

Jobs and Economy - Green Party Five Point Plan for Ontario

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