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o in si de ha lt on .c om O ak vi ll e B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A pr il 5, 20 18 | ONTARIO Mixed reviews JOHN BKILA jbkila@burlingtonpost.com It's mixed reviews in Halton over the Ontario Liberals' 2018 budget, re­ leased March 28, with some approving of the wide­spread investments and others concerned with the deficit that spending is pro­ jected to leave behind. Provincial Finance Minister Charles Sousa un­veiled a $158.5-billion spending plan with a $6.7- billion deficit in the first year (2018-19) and no plan to balance the budget until 2024-25. "It's the budget we sort of expected - leading into an election; it's more about attracting votes than it is necessarily doing things in the interest of a good bud­ get," said Scott McCam- mon, president and CEO of the Milton Chamber of Commerce. "Part of it is that we could have had a budget surplus in the next fiscal year, and the province has decided to go into deficit spending again." McCammon admitted, generally, he would not say he was a fan of the 2018 bud­ get because it is one "pure­ ly looking at new spending initiatives at a time when we should still be exercis­ ing constraint," noting it's an election budget that has to survive the June 7 pro­ vincial election.Keith Hoey, president and CEO of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, said while the budget pro­ poses new spending for economic development, it does nothing to alleviate "the rising input costs or tangibly address low busi­ ness confidence. "In fact, the Ontario gov­ ernment has chosen to fol­ low the federal govern­ment's lead on changes to the tax code that will result in significant new taxes on Ontario's employer com­ munity," he continued, not­ ing the rising costs of doing in Halton over Ontario 2018 budget business in the province is hindering economicgrowth even though the government is making "smart investments" in skills development. "The Ontario budget not only fails to provide the off­sets our members need, it will leave some businesses, including small business­ es, paying more in taxes," Hoey said, adding the Bur­ lington chamber did sup­port the budget's invest­ ments in public transit and $500 million in broadband internet infrastructure. Oakville Chamber of Commerce president Drew Redden shared Hoey's con­cerns, but said his organi­ zation was excited over the announcement of a 10-year, $100-million Greater To­ ronto and Hamilton Area fund that will aim to help small- and medium-sized businesses. While some are criticiz­ ing the projected deficit laid out in the Liberal's budget, Oakville MPP Kev- in Flynn said he would re­ spond to critics by remind­ing them Ontario's econo­ my is strong - outperform­ ing the rest of Canada and every G7 country, its un­ employment rate is the lowest it has been in two de­cades, and this year the province will have a $600- million surplus. "This is not the time to make deep and irresponsi­ ble cuts to the services peo­ple in Oakville rely on and deserve," he said. "We need to invest in our people and in our families, and the 2018 Ontario bud­ get is our plan to make sure these investments are made and everyone has the chance to get ahead." Flynn noted the budget is making investments in health care, child care, mental health, and sup­ports for seniors, while en­ suring the creation of more job opportunities for peo­ ple in Oakville. • See BUDGET, p ag e 14 Mayor Rob Burton weighs in on provincial budget "The budget funds key needs of residents and their municipalities to assure that all members of our communities participate in Ontario's economic success," said Burton. "This government has listened to the needs of our community by providing nearly $21.9 million to support transit infrastructure in Oakville over the next ten years." "Local health care will benefit from the $27 .58 million coming to our local hospitals a s part of Ontario's increased investments in hospitals," he said. "Our growing senior population will be able to stay in their homes longer thanks to investments made to the new Seniors' Healthy Home program. It will provide a benefit of up to $ 7 5 0 annually for eligible households led by seniors 75 and older to help them live independently and offset the costs of maintaining their home. There will also be free prescription drugs for all seniors. "The province is investing in areas that will provide direct benefits to Oakville residents. Expanding mental health services, increasing funding for developmental services, and funding prevention of opioid addiction and overdoses will help us increase our livability." "So much of our community is made up of families raising children that free daycare for children from ages two and a half to kindergarten will be a welcomed benefit," continued Burton. 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