Members of the provincial Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs spent the morning on Wednesday listening to pre-budget consultations here in Belleville.
The Banquet Centre was the location for the consultations, which began at 9 a.m. and the committee heard from 12 different speakers regarding their asks for the 2020 budget.
Conservation Ontario General Manager Kim Gavine said conservation authorities need to remain an integral part of flood management and it is good business sense to support their work.
She says this requires the collaboration between all levels of government, emergency management and conservation authorities because the cost of preventing flooding needs to be shared.
Gavine stated reinstating the funding for conservation authorities’ flood management will signal the province recognizes the seriousness of flooding.
She closed by stating conservation authorities protect 95% of Ontario’s population among some of the most densely populated areas.
Loyalist College President and CEO Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan asked the province to help them continue to modernize education and respond to labour market needs.
Vaughan also asked for $45 million over the next five years to enable colleges to create industry specific small business innovation centres across the province.
YMCA of Central East Ontario President and CEO David Allen asked the provincial government to support the need for social infrastructure and support the $22.5 million YMCA Centre for Life.
He stressed the importance of not only having people get involved so they can in fact know their neighbours, something that doesn’t often happen in this day in age according to Allen, but also to help build those healthy lifestyles that will carry on.
Allen told the committee the Centre for Life will be a client centred model that will improve social, economic and health outcomes for residents.
YMCA of Central East Ontario President and CEO David Allen makes a presentation to the Ontario Standing Committee of Finance and Economic Affairs was at The Banquet Centre in Belleville for pre-budget consultations on January 21, 2020. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
Northumberland Federation of Agriculture member Peter Archer asked the province to look at the severe issues farmers have had lately with conservation authorities.
He asked the Committee to create new definitions of wetlands and watercourses and said he supported the cuts made last year to conservation authorities.
He told the committee the Federation would like to limit the funding of conservation authorities so they are no longer above and beyond their core mandate or regulated areas, and see the government improve overall governance, oversight and accountability of conservation authorities.
Ontario Federation of All-Terrain Vehicle Clubs General Manager Denise Erickson presented to the committee and asked the province to create a set of rules for ATV trails province wide.
She detailed how rules and signage vary from municipality to municipality and that can be confusing for riders, along with the sometimes additional costs if riders wish to cross boundaries from one trail to another.
Erickson detailed the need for trail access and regulation by the Federation along with some new safety standards.
She said this could be as simple as an online course similar to the boating licence course and at a similar cost.
Community Advocacy and Legal Centre Executive Director and lawyer Michele Leering spoke in front of the committee seeking the reinstatement of funds for legal aid clinics.
She said the 70 clinics province wide were hit with 30% funding cuts last year, which accounted for $133 million.
Leering had three main points she made during her seven minute presentation.
In closing, she asked for the province to reinstate the funding which was cut in the 2019 provincial budget.
Quinte Labour Council Vice President Scott Marshall closed out the morning session.
Marshall strongly asked the provincial government to change course.
He said the province needs a government that governs for the many, not the few.
He said it is time that big corporations and the wealthy contribute their fair share to revenues and use those revenues to fund public services for everyone
Marshall asked for higher employment standards and for the government to undo the work they are doing to reverse universal healthcare.
