Durham MPP Says Province Interfering In Durham’s Plans for Jobs and Investment

 NEWS

March 23, 2010

 QUEEN’S PARK – Durham MPP John O’Toole said today that the provincial government is interfering in the Durham Region’s initiatives that encourage jobs and investment. Durham planning officials have consulted with citizens, planning experts and other stakeholders for several years.

In Question Period today, the Durham MPP asked the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing why the province recently rejected the Durham Region Growth plan.

 “With its $24.7 billion Ontario deficit and a multi-billion dollar tax increase through the Harmonized Sales Tax, the McGuinty government is hardly in a position to give good advice to other levels of government,” Mr. O’Toole said.

 “The Durham Region is creating planning policies that encourage jobs and opportunities. The Durham Region growth plan has the support of Durham’s elected members of Regional Council,” Mr. O’Toole said. “The Province of Ontario should respect Durham’s planning decisions rather than using Big Brother tactics to impose its ideas from Queen’s Park.”

“It’s a question of who’s in charge of local planning?” Mr. O’Toole added. “Is it the elected councillors or Queen’s Park politicians and bureaucrats?”

 QUOTE:

• “With its $24.7 billion Ontario deficit and a multi-billion dollar tax increase through the Harmonized Sales Tax, the McGuinty government is hardly in a position to give good advice to other levels of government.” – John O’Toole, MPP – Durham

QUICK FACTS:

• The Durham Region Growth Plan calls for the employment forecast up to 2031 to be increased by an additional 25,000 jobs in Durham.

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 CONTACT:

For further information please contact:

John O’Toole, MPP – Durham (905) 697-1501 / 1-800-661-2433