Canadian Legislative News

Ontario New Democratic Party Releases Platform with Transportation-Focused Elements 
 
In anticipation of the election in Ontario being held on June 7, 2018, the Ontario New Democratic Party, under leader Andrea Horwath, released its election platform on April 16, 2018, which proposes major spending in multiple different areas. The NDP plans to pay for its plans by running deficits, while also increasing the corporate tax rate from 11.5 percent to 13 percent, raising taxes on high-wage earners, and introducing a new three percent surcharge on luxury cars that cost more than $90,000.

Areas of interest to NAFA members are the following:

• Cover 50 percent of operating costs for municipal transit
• Invest over $180 billion in infrastructure over 10 years, specifically without P3 projects
• Require that 33 percent of goods and services bought by the government come from small and scaling Ontario businesses
• Look at legislative means of bringing stability and transparency to gas prices
• Work with the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council to create a single window for automotive and manufacturing investment

The platform was received with mixed reviews by political pundits, but many agree that it is very similar to what the Ontario Liberal party is offering. The Ontario Progressive Conservative party is expected to continue launching individual platform planks until it announces all of them together prior to the election.

NAFA's Canadian Counsel will update the membership on any changes to the platform and results come June 7, 2018.