Toronto (March 28, 2018) – The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) welcomes the Ontario government’s continued commitment to rebuilding infrastructure and supporting apprenticeship programs. However, PCA recognizes the hard reality: taxpayers and businesses will eventually have to cover a $6.7 billion deficit, and $20 billion plus in new spending.
“The Liberal government has found many creative ways to spend money, but few to save it,” said Karen Renkema, Public Affairs Manager for the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA). “It’s only a matter of time before we all pay higher taxes to cover a budget that spends this big.”
Budget 2018 continues its focus on the apprenticeship system by investing in creative solutions that help apprentices and employers connect. It also provides additional funding for school renovations, and an increased investment of $547 million over 4 years for badly needed repairs and renovations to affordable housing.
“On a PCA priority – which is treating taxpayers fairly, this government fails miserably,” added Renkema. “The reality is that far more funding would be freed up for affordable housing repairs if the gov’t put a stop to labour monopolies that waste public infrastructure dollars.”
Several municipalities including Toronto, Hamilton, Sault Ste. Marie and the Region of Waterloo would have far more funding for needed infrastructure from affordable housing to transit expansion, if they were allowed to openly tender construction work. Research shows open tendering would save taxpayers between 20 to 30 percent on construction projects each year.
About the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA)
PCA is the voice of progressive unionized employers in Canada’s construction industry. PCA member companies employ more than 25,000 skilled construction workers across Canada, represented primarily by CLAC.
For further information, contact:
Danna O’Brien, Danna@obriencommunications.ca 416-500-0699