In all my years as an active organizer and volunteer for the NDP, I’ve been inundated with statements that our party is bad for business. That’s simply not true. It’s a myth the Liberals and Conservatives want you to believe while their policies only benefit those in their inner circles.
When we empower our communities, educate our population, and provide them with adequate infrastructure and health services everyone benefits. Especially employers.
Our Party has always supported local, community based development. That’s why our plan asks the wealthiest among us to pay a bit more, but gives small business owners and the rest of us a break. We’ll also be closing tax loopholes which corporations have taken advantage of under the Liberals, and we’ll return the corporate tax rate to where it was when the Premier took office, helping to fix the budget woes she herself created.
We know that times are just as hard for the business community as they are for workers. That’s why, we’re going to end the tax loophole that allows major corporations to masquerade as small businesses. It isn’t right, it isn’t fair, and leaves our local entrepreneurs at a competitive disadvantage.
We will also maintain the one third reduction in small business taxes.
Our Pharmacare plan takes the onus off of many entrepreneurs, and will help ensure our workforce is adequately taken care of. Businesses in Ontario stand to save between $800 million to $1.9 billion each year.
Andrea’s plan will also support infrastructure spending, that will directly benefit our local business community. We plan to invest $180 billion into infrastructure projects, and we’ll do in a financially stable way, without dangerous P3 agreements that leave our communities with less control and less quality.
Doug Ford’s plan is not a plan, and it’s definitely not a direction that voters deserve. It’s hard to tell how much it will cost Ontarians. Despite his claims of efficiencies, some estimates now put the combined toll of his cuts and spending promises at a figure that far outweighs anything the New Democrats have promised.
If you want a reasonable path forward, that lowers the deficit projections while bolstering small businesses and investing back into our communities than there is only one clear option at the ballot box.
Marc Benoit
ONDP Candidate
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry
