Experts from all sectors agree that today’s Ontario Budget will support families today and strengthen businesses for tomorrow:

Alex Lolua, Director of Government Relations, Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario:
This unprecedented investment in our infrastructure will not only help Ontario’s competitive position but will create jobs and sustain employment in the construction industry…The government is investing in our future at a time that the construction industry has the capacity to meet the demand. The creation of these construction jobs will allow the industry to be better prepared when the economy turns around. There is no better time to make these kinds of investments.

Len Crispino, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce:
It’s a very bold step... it’s smart for the time is because it is going to take the shackles off business. Currently business is paying about $5 billion dollars worth of PST. They will now free some of that up to be invested in machinery, in goods and supplies, which means that the cost of production will go down and if the cost of production goes down then the cost of those products being sold is going to go down and consumers will win in that fashion as well.

Richard Paton, President and CEO, Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association:
We are absolutely delighted with Premier McGuinty’s decision to harmonize the PST with the GST. This one action will lead to significant savings by manufacturers throughout the chemistry value chain. This will greatly enhance our competitiveness in Ontario, where we are currently the third largest exporter.

John Kourtoff, CEO, Trillium Power Wind Corporation:
Today’s Ontario budget is to be congratulated for keeping its focus on green jobs-now and well into the future.  Not only are such jobs the jobs of the future, they are the jobs that will make Ontario an even better place to live

Matt Price, Project Manager, Environmental Defence:
If we want to keep pace with the new energy economy that President Obama seems intent on creating in the U.S., we will need the types of investments we are seeing today from Premier McGuinty

Janice Skot, Royal Victoria Hospital President and CEO, Barrie:
RVH's wish has already been granted, which was the green light it received from the provincial government last month to begin construction on the Phase 1 Expansion Project. This will be the largest infrastructure project in our region, and during these extremely difficult times, will provide a tremendous boost to the local economy over the next three years of construction

Merv Hiller, President and CEO, Certified Management Accountants of Ontario:
Ontario has shown leadership in the short term direction taken to stabilize the economy, however, our success in implementing a viable long term strategy will determine whether the province maintains, loses or improves its competitive edge

Colleen Schenk, President, Ontario Public School Boards Association: Continued stability in our schools and continued growth in student success are deeply connected. OPSBA welcomes the provincial government’s commitment to multi-year funding that supports student success while assisting boards in long-term planning

Jenn Howarth, President, College Student Alliance:
Students applaud the provincial government for recognizing the needs and role of colleges in Ontario. We are thrilled to see significant infrastructure investments in the budget to enable institutions to tackle a backlog in deferred maintenance and to modernize facilities to educate current and future students

Tyler Charlebois, Director of Advocacy, College Student Alliance:
We are pleased to say that this is not only a budget but an action plan and we are encouraged to continue to work with the government to witness prosperity in Ontario