TORONTO — Today, Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance, issued the following statement in response to the federal government’s 2021 Fall Economic Statement:
“I would like to thank Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, for working with us over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through their $1.7 billion investment to increase access to rapid testing supplies and an additional $2 billion to procure lifesaving COVID-19 therapeutics in the Fall Economic Statement, the federal government continues to demonstrate their willingness to stand side-by-side with us in this fight.
However, the pandemic continues to create serious economic and fiscal challenges that were not addressed in the federal government’s document. We have worked together on these issues before, and we need the federal government to come to the table again.
Our government has provided unprecedented support to small business throughout the pandemic, but more support is needed. Prior to their election, the federal government committed $1 billion to help provinces and territories implement a proof of vaccination program. We were disappointed to see that funding has now been cut to $300 million.
With successful proof of vaccination certificate programs in place, we are calling on the federal government to restore the missing $700 million and allow provinces and territories to provide that funding directly to small businesses.
Last year, our government negotiated the historic Safe Restart Agreement, which delivered $4 billion in federal and provincial supports to municipalities to protect public services, including transit and shelter space.
Ontario is providing more than $1.2 billion in additional financial support to municipalities above and beyond the Agreement, and we have called on the federal government and Minister Freeland to join us in ensuring our municipal partners can continue to deliver the vital public services both our people and our economy rely on.
Housing affordability remains a priority issue as rising costs put the dream of homeownership out of reach for too many families. That is why our government is prepared to act on housing affordability, including addressing foreign speculation in the province's real estate market and we are calling on the federal government to do the same.
We reiterate our call, and the unanimous call of all the provinces and territories, for greater federal health care funding through the Canada Health Transfer. COVID-19 has underscored the need for immediate federal action and now is the time to respond to this urgent request to increase the federal share of health funding through the Canada Health Transfer to 35 per cent.
Over the past two years, Canadians from all walks of life came together to fight this once-in-a-lifetime crisis. In that spirit, our government will continue to call on the federal government to join us, and our provincial partners, at the table. Together, we can build a stronger Ontario and a stronger Confederation, ready to face the challenges of a dynamically changing world.”
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