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NDP Want To Regulate Gas Prices With OEB

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A promise to regulate the price you pay at the pump.

In a virtual call Friday, NDP leader Andrea Horwath stated that both the PC’s and Liberals want to have short term and unsustainable plans of cutting a portion of gas and fuel taxes.

Horwath is continuing the campaign on Zoom after announcing on Thursday that she had tested positive for COVID-19.

The plan, if her party forms government, would see the regulation happen through the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) on a weekly basis, instead of gas companies deciding the price for buyers, which rolls down to consumers filling up at the pumps.

The Ontario PC’s have vowed to bring in a pump reduction of 5.7 cents a litre for six months, beginning July 1st.

Del Duca’s Liberal plan is to reduce prices by 11 cents per litre on the gas and fuel tax (five cents respectively).

Horwath also addressed the ongoing water crisis in the north as well as the growing housing crisis.

She noted it’s been “a game of ping-pong” from recent provincial governments to the federal government, and back again on who’s responsible for improving living conditions for rural communities.

The NDP leader spoke about being able to provide a level living dignity to those living on First Nation’s communities as well as in the larger urban areas of Ontario’s north.

Advance polls are open this weekend with election day set for Thursday June 2nd.

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Lowering Your Grocery & Gas Bills; Who’s Offering What This Election

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It’s a vicious circle when the price of gas rises, so does the cost of food and products along with it.

Since there is less than two weeks left until election day on June 2nd, what have the political parties offered to do for Ontario residents to lower the price of groceries and gas?

Progressive Conservative

  • Nothing specifically noted to lower grocery costs in their platform.
  • Gas: proposing a six month relief of gas tax at 5.7 cents/L starting July 1st. (they note that there’s already a 4.73 per cent cut that’s already in place after cancelling the former Liberal’s cap & trade program).
  • Offering a new credit called Low-income Individuals and Families Tax (LIFT) Credit, that is supposed to help individuals and families to have more cash in their pockets in order to pay for groceries.

Liberals

  • Offering to remove the provincial tax (eight per cent) on prepared foods at grocery stores listed for under $20. ex: prepared roast chickens, fruit/veggie trays…etc.
    • The HST would be subsidized by a one per cent surtax on Ontario companies that earn more than a billion dollars, as well as introducing a new tax bracket for Ontarians that earn more than $500,000.
  • Offering to remove the 5.7 cents/L of the gas tax and 5.3 cents/L on the fuel tax.

NDP

  • While there’s no specific plan to cut taxes or add a specific credit, the party does want to create a provincial food strategy that supports local farmers and the agri-food industry via mentorship, financial advice and loan guarantees.
  • Wants to regulate the price of gas through the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), which would benefit drivers as well as businesses shipping products

Green Party

  • Offering to fund the start ups of “community-owned healthy food markets”.
  • Establish purchasing goals for the provincial government for Ontario produced foods.
  • Nothing specifically noted to lower grocery costs in their platform.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of ways that each political party would reduce your price at the pumps or at the grocery store, it is a starting point to aid in your decision making before heading to the polls on Thurs. June 2nd.

Advance polls are also open, view locations, dates and times here.

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NDP Candidate For The Riding Looks At Key Issues

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An educator from the Fort Frances area carries the NDP colours in the Kenora-Rainy River riding in the provincial election.

JoAnne Formanek Gustafson sees affordability, housing, and health care as key issues to the riding.

She says sees voters are looking for a change.

“And they are looking for the NDP for that,” states Formanek Gustafson.

“They see the plan we have as being on focussed on issues that have been caused over the last 25 years with the Liberals and the Conservatives.”

Formanek Gustafson suggests there are several issues in the riding that need to be addressed.

“Affordability is a big one. Costs are just through the roof here…not that’s a surprise to anybody to hear that. So housing and homes are a big issue for us…places that people can afford to rent, or to buy a home.”

She says she intends to put in a lot of miles to ensure her party’s message gets out across the riding.

Formanek Gustafson is challenging incumbent PC candidate Greg Rickford, Kelvin Boucher-Chicago of the New Blue Party, and Catherine Kiewning from the Green Party.

The Liberals still don’t have a candidate for the riding.

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NDP: Rx Birth Control To Be Covered By OHIP If Elected In June

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Another party platform outlined by the Andrea Horwath and the provincial NDP.

Party leader, Andrea Horwath, outlined that if elected to lead the province in June she would make changes within weeks that would allow OHIP to cover all prescription birth control.

In a written release, Horwath said “the change will remove any cost barriers that limit people’s ability to make free choices about their reproductive health…,”. Types of contraceptives that would be included are the emergency Plan B pill, oral contraceptives, patches, injection/shots, IUD’s (intrauterine devices), rings and implants.

Currently tubal ligations (getting tubes tied), vasectomies and some forms of prescription birth control are available through the province’s health care system, and are only for those 25 and under. There are some exceptions for those outside of that age limit.

The provincial election is scheduled for June 2nd.