Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak and the NDP's Andrea Horwath are shown in a photo combination.
REUTERS, THE GLOBE AND MAIL and CANADIAN PRESS
Explainer
Compare the Ontario party platforms
Ann Hui
Globe and Mail Update
Published
Last updated
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Health
— Getty Images
Ontario Liberal Party
-Redesign the province's primary care and home-care system to provide new services such as doctor house calls, and telephone and online check-ins
-Provide health-care coordinators to facilitate care between specialists, family doctors, and hospitals
-Provide up to three million additional hours of care by investing in personal support workers
-Provide all Ontarians with an online “personalized cancer risk profile” that uses family and medical history to measure and screen for people at higher risks of cancer
-Keep Ontario’s surgical wait times at the shortest in the country
-Invest in new hospitals and renovate existing facilities
-Train more doctors, nurses and health professionals
Ontario PC
-Increase annual investments in health care by more than $6-billion by the end of its first term
-Create a dedicated website for patients to provide ratings and feedback of the health care system
-Set specific, measurable ER wait time guarantees that hospital CEO would be responsible for meeting, and make wait times available in real-time both online and through Telehealth
-Expand long-term care with 5,000 new beds
-Increase residency placements for medical students who are from Ontario, but who have pursued their training outside of Canada
-Eliminate the 14 Local Health Integration Networks and redirect those funds elsewhere in the health care system
-Reduce administration costs in health care, and reinvest those funds towards frontline care
Ontario New Democrats
-Cut ER wait times in half
-Cap CEO compensation in the health-care system to twice the premier’s salary
-Give the Ombudsman oversight of health spending
-Eliminate the Local Health Integration Networks, and replace with other local decision-making bodies
-Eliminate ambulance service fees
-Provide student debt forgiveness for doctors who choose to practise in underserved communities
-Fund an additional 50 healthcare clinics by 2015, designed to be open 24 hours a day
-Reduce the home care administrative budget by 20 per cent
-Invest $110-million in eliminating the wait for acute long-term care beds
-Spend $35-million to provide 1 million hours of additional home care and home services for seniors, such as shovelling the walks
Green Party of Ontario
-Re-prioritize funding to support doctors, nurses and other health workers for clinics that are integrated with public health
-Create electronic health records
-Give incentives to people who pursue healthy lifestyles
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Education
Ontario Liberal Party
-Create 250,000 new full-day kindergarten spots by 2014
-Create 60,000 new post-secondary spaces in the province, in part, by building three new undergraduate campuses
-Provide a 30 per cent postsecondary undergraduate tuition grand for students from middle-class families who remain in good standing in their program.
-Keep the cap on student debt at $7,300 per undergraduate year, and reduce loan repayments/provide an interest-free grace period for students who are unable to find work or who choose to work in the not-for-profit sector
Ontario PC
-Increase spending on K-12 education by $2-billion by the end of its first term
-Make all-day kindergarten available to all schools by 2014
-Create up to 60,000 new post-secondary spaces in the province
-End the existing foreign scholarship program, and redirect those funds elsewhere in the post-secondary education system
Ontario New Democrats
-Freeze tuition fees for the next four years and eliminate interest on student debt.
Green Party of Ontario
-Freeze tuitions at universities and colleges for the first year, and index increases to the rate of inflation from 2013 to 2015
-Add to investments in apprenticeships, co-op and mentorship programs
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Families
— Getty Images
Ontario Liberal Party
-Increase the Ontario Child Benefit from $1,100 to $1,310 by 2013
-Ensure that all schools offer after-school programs for kids aged 6-12
-Create a new ‘Family Caregiver Leave,’ to give Ontarians up to eight weeks away from work to care for loved ones who are suffering from serious injury or illness
-Double the children’s activity tax credit from $50 to $100 per child
Ontario PC
-Allow couples to share up to $50,000 of their income for tax purposes
-Lower income taxes by 5 per cent on the first $75,000 of taxable income
-Eliminate eco taxes from everyday household items such as lightbulbs, batteries and electronics such as iPods and laptops
-Double the caregiver tax credit for people caring for loved ones in their own home
Ontario New Democrats
-Increase the minimum wage to $11 this year, and index it in subsequent years to the cost of living
-Invest $125-million a year for two years in strained daycare programs
Green Party of Ontario
-Lower income taxes for families
-Improve high-speed internet access for all of Ontario
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Energy
TORONTO, ONT. - Dec. 17, 2009 - FOR FILES - The Toronto Hydro windmill on the grounds of the CNE at sunrise.— Peter Power/The Globe and Mail
Ontario Liberal Party
-Finish replacing coal plants with clean energy
-Continue with the Feed-In Tariff program, providing guaranteed rates for renewable energy
-Invest $80-million in infrastructure to support electric cars, in order to move towards a goal of having 5 per cent of all new cars be electric cars by 2020
Ontario PC
-Close all of Ontario’s coal-powered plants by 2014
-Focus on energy technologies such as natural gas, hydroelectric and nuclear
-End the Feed-in-tariff program
-Establish a consumer advocate at the Ontario Energy Board to represent Ontarians in the rate-setting process
-End the current government’s $7-billion deal with Samsung to build solar components at the company’s London plant
-End smart metres and time-of-use energy pricing
-Eliminate the Ontario Power Authority
-Remove the HST from home hydro bills, the cost of home heating, and the debt retirement charge from home hydro bills
Ontario New Democrats
-Halt plans to build any new nuclear plants and conduct environmental assessments on any other new electricity plans
-Continue to phase out coal energy, and maintain the current Feed-in tariff program for renewable energy
-Expand support for new energy-saving home retrofits
-Require the the Ontario Energy Board to set a weekly ceiling for gas prices
-Remove the HST from necessities such as electricity and home heating, and remove HST from gas prices by one percentage point each year
-Merge together the Ontario Power Authority, Hydro One, and the Independent Electricity System Operator to eliminate duplication or waste, and set a cap on CEO compensation for the resulting agency
-Extend the Northern Ontario Industrial Electricity program, to help protect northern jobs
-Allow large and mid-sized companies to be eligible for an industrial hydro rate
Green Party of Ontario
-Reinstate and expand the home energy savings program
-Turn waste heat from large buildings into electrical energy by increasing generation targets for combined heat and power
-Make it a requirement for residents to participate in local energy projects
-Negotiate with neighbouring provinces to purchase inexpensive hydroelectricity; increase hydro generation in Ontario
-Oppose the construction of new nuclear plants
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Environment
Farms dot the landscape below the limestone cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment in Halton Region.
Ontario Liberal Party
-Expand the Greenbelt
-Create a Great Lakes Protection Act and launch a fund to reduce water pollution and make beaches cleaner
Ontario PC
-Continue to support programs that protect the province’s water quality
-Invest $10-million in provincial parks, and increase funding to expand acquisition of land for the Bruce trail
-Dedicate 100% of revenue from hunting and fishing licences back to conservation
Ontario New Democrats
-Ensure that the costs for recycling and disposal is paid for by the companies who produce it
Green Party of Ontario
-Create a tax on waste, pollution and carbon emmission
-Expand training in areas such as green building, biomedical technology, renewable energy and sustainable transportation
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Jobs
Job seeks line up at a jobs fair.— For The Globe and Mail
Ontario Liberal Party
-Create a tax credit for businesses that hire skilled newcomers
-Double the premier’s trade missions to eight, to help businesses access new markets
-Make the Northern Ontario Heritage fund and Eastern Ontario Development funds permanent, as well as create a new Southwestern Ontario Economic Development Fund
-Move ahead with the Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act to develop innovations in clean water technology, with the goal of of creating clean water jobs
-Reduce small business tax rates to 4 per cent
Ontario PC
-Create a tax credit for employers who sponsor language training for newcomers to Ontario
-Introduce a small business “bill of rights,” guaranteeing small businesses a greater voice in new legislations and regulations
-Appoint a minister responsible for eliminating red tape for business owners
-Create a Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, to assist farmers and small business owners
-Reduce the basic corporate income tax rate from 11.5 per cent to 10 per cent by 2013
-Create 200,000 new apprenticeships over four years for skilled tradespeople
Ontario New Democrats
-Create a 10 per cent tax credit for companies that invest in buildings, machinery and equipment in the province, and for companies who provide training for staff to upgrade their skills
-Create a new 'Job Creation Tax Credit' that would reimburse employers 20 per cent of wages for a new hire's first year, up to $5,000 per employee.
-Reduce the small business tax rate to 4 per cent
-Raise corporate tax rate back to 14 per cent, where it was in June of last year before the implementation of the HST
-Make it law for government contracts to be rewarded to Ontario companies
-Reject the London Stock Exchange’s takeover of the Toronto Stock Exchange
-Amend Ontario’s mining act to make it law that resources mined in Ontario must also be processed in Ontario
Green Party of Ontario
-Lower income taxes on local businesses
-Reduce red tape for small and medium-sized businesses
-Provide support for clean technology and knowledge-based jobs
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Ontario budget
Ontario Liberal Party
-Balance Ontario's budget by 2017-18
Ontario PC
-Balance Ontario's budget by 2017-18
Ontario New Democrats
-Balance Ontario's budget by 2017
Green Party of Ontario
-Balance the Ontario budget by 2015
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Transportation
Under the original Transit City agreement, Metrolinx was to develop and own the crosstown light-rail line under Eglinton Avenue.— Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
Ontario Liberal Party
-Expand GO trains to provide full-day service on all routes
-Provide a money-back guarantee to GO customers who are delayed by more than 15 minutes
Ontario PC
-Invest over $35-billion in new infrastructure, with much of those funds directed toward transit and transportation
Ontario New Democrats
-Freeze transit fares at the current levels for the next four years. This would be done in exchange for agreeing to share the operational cost of transit equally with municipalities
-Invest $70-million a year over three years for "roads-and-bridges" infrastructure
-Create a law that requires drivers to stay at least one metre away from cyclists on the road, and create a province-wide cycling infrastructure fund for bike lanes and bike storage
Green Party of Ontario
-Provide incentives for ride-sharing
-Create more high-occupancy vehicle lanes
-Provide tax credits to public transit users
-Increase the incentives for low-emission, fuel-efficient and electric vehicles
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Government services
Generic images of people using the Ontario Government kiosks to renew or update provincial documents such as licenses, outdoor cards, health cards, etc.
Ontario Liberal Party
-Reduce the size of the public service by 1,500 employees by 2014
-Find $200-million in savings at major provincial agencies by 2014
-Waive transaction fees at Service Ontario locations if the wait takes more than 20 minutes
Ontario PC
-Find savings of two cents per dollar each year on government spending (this cost-cutting will not apply to health and education.)
-Reduce the size of cabinet by at least 20 per cent
-Reduce the size of the bureaucracy by not filling vacant positions (but protecting frontline health, education and public safety positions)
-Review public sector compensation and bring it in line with private sector standards
-Dock the pay of the entire cabinet if an important financial or regulatory goal is missed
-Create a “Truth in Government Act” to ensure that government information involving contracts, expenses and travel costs be made public
-Make it the law that the Ontario government cannot raise taxes without a clear mandate
-Extend the hours of government offices for services such as driver’s licence and health card renewal
Ontario New Democrats
-Cut government consultants
-Perform an expenditure management review to cut waste
Green Party of Ontario
-Post the details of all public contracts online and disclose public officials' expenses
-Streamline freedom of information requests
-Give residents a greater voice in public consultations in part by strengthening the Environmental Bill of Rights, and reforming the Ontario Municipal Board
-Strengthen conflict of interest rules for government officials
-Eliminate corporate and union donations to political parties
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Seniors
Ontario Liberal Party
-Create a ‘healthy home’ tax credit to provide seniors with up to $1,500 each year for renovations that will make their homes safer
-Work with municipalities to give seniors the option to defer property tax increases as long as they want to remain in their home. (Increases would be deferred until the home is sold)
-Invest in research into the prevention and treatment of Alzheimers and dementia
Ontario PC
-Expand long-term care with 5,000 new long-term care beds
Ontario New Democrats
-Develop an Ontario Retirement Plan for those who don't have a workplace pension
Green Party of Ontario
-Improve home care, transitional care, assisted living and long-term care
-Create the role of 'case managers' at family clinics to help coordinate seniors' needs
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
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Food
— JACQUES BOISSINOT/THE CANADIAN PRESS
Ontario Liberal Party
-Create a “Local Food Act” to promote and support local food initiatives
-Increase amount of local food purchased by schools and hospitals
-Create a health snack programs for elementary school children
Ontario PC
-Create a Buy Ontario food policy for government institutions like hospitals and schools
Ontario New Democrats
-Ban junk food advertisements that are aimed at children
-Create legislation that makes it mandatory for large chain restaurants to provide calorie information
Green Party of Ontario
-Create a healthy school food program
-Provide tax credits to farmers who donate to food security groups and invest in community programs to promote access to healthy food
-Create a Ontario Food and Farming Policy Council to coordinate planning between ministries and local stakeholders
-Reward farmers who provide environmental and community benefits
-Invest in rural infrastructure, research, and other areas that support farm incomes
-Implement regulations that recognizes differences in the sizes of various farm operations
-Eliminate tax penalties and zoning restrictions for farms
-Make income stabilization programs more accessible for family farms
Ontario Liberals platform | Ontario PC platform | Ontario NDP platform | Green Party platform
