Statement from PC Economic Development, Employment & Infrastructure Critic Monte McNaughton On October Job Numbers

“The job numbers released today show minimally improved employment numbers for the month of October.  While we are happy to see improvement in Ontario’s economy, the Liberal’s recent jobs record is not one which gives us much confidence.

The Wynne Liberals claim that they continue to promote economic growth, but the Financial Accountability Officer’s report confirmed that Ontario’s labour market performance continues to be relatively weak, remaining 2.5 percentage points below its pre-recession level.  An additional 285,000 jobs are required in order to return Ontario’s employment to its pre-recession levels.  This is not good enough for the people of Ontario.

The Liberal Government should be implementing policies that make Ontario an affordable place for businesses to invest, and encourage job creation.  Instead, this government continues to implement policies that kill jobs and hurt competitiveness.

When our electricity rates were among the most competitive, Ontario was a manufacturing heavyweight and the economic powerhouse of Canada.  Now, our electricity rates are among the highest in North America. On-peak electricity rates have increased 77 per cent in the last 5 years, and as of November 1st, families and industry were hit with further unaffordable rate increases. It’s no wonder we have lost more than 350,000 manufacturing jobs, and jobs continue to flee Ontario.

We also continue to hear about more taxes on employers and the middle class.  The ORPP remains a huge new payroll tax that will force businesses to cut jobs, and will reduce the take-home pay of workers and their families. And let’s not forget about some of the other additional costs of living in Ontario: the proposed municipal land transfer tax, property taxes, and the burdensome and insensitive Liberal death tax.

This is evidence of a Liberal Government desperate for cash to pay for their scandal, waste and mismanagement – they have no shame increasing taxes on hard-working Ontario families and businesses, making it increasingly more difficult for them to get by.

Time and time again, this government has proven their inability to manage the Ontario economy and successfully encourage job creation.

Earlier this week the Financial Accountability Officer confirmed what the Ontario PC Caucus has been saying for nearly two years – the Liberal Government has a multi-billion dollar hole in their budget forecast.  The Financial Accountability Officer also confirmed that economic growth in 2015 is expected to be significantly slower than projected, and will result in up to $1 billion less in revenue than the Liberal Government expected.

None of this news is surprising, and the Wynne Liberals only have themselves to blame. It is clear the Wynne Liberals have no real plan to either balance the budget or grow our economy.”