Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli
News Release
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Report finds ONTC divestment would cost taxpayers at least $820 million
QUEEN’S PARK – Ontario’s Auditor General has turned the Liberal tale surrounding their planned fire sale of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission on its ear, Nipissing MPP and PC Finance Critic Vic Fedeli said today.
Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk today confirmed that the Liberals claim that they would save $265 million through divestment of Ontario Northland was absolutely false, and that it would in fact cost Ontario taxpayers at least $820 million.
This figure could go even higher with “the as-yet-unknown costs of environmental clean-up of ONTC properties and the government meeting its duty to consult with Aboriginal peoples” according to the Auditor.
“I have stated from day one there would be no savings from this, and today the Auditor has confirmed that,” said Fedeli, who initiated today’s special report from the Auditor General with a request he made at Committee in March.
Fedeli also noted the Liberal charm offensive seen over the past week in the North is a blatant attempt to distract from the Auditor’s findings, which also confirm the Liberals were considering selling the ONTC prior to the 2011 election.
“The Auditor told me today that the Liberals were given her findings two weeks ago. Days later, they announce a sudden “transformation”. There’s nothing honest or genuine about what the Liberals have said or are saying about Ontario Northland,” said Fedeli.
Just this morning, the Liberals moved to block Fedeli’s attempt to have new redacted Ontario Northland documents to the Estimates Committee.
“Kathleen Wynne pretends to be open and transparent, yet sends her attack dogs into Committee today to keep the public from seeing these documents. It’s sheer hypocrisy,” said Fedeli.
Fedeli says the bottom line is Ontarians can’t trust anything the Liberals say, and as the Gas Plant Scandal and today’s ONTC report have proven, they can be trusted even less with taxpayer dollars.
“We have a plan to kick start job creation and growth in the North, and Ontario Northland is the economic engine to help drive that,” said Fedeli.
“It’s time to change the team that leads this province.”
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Click HERE for our story on the orginal annoucement in 2012.
Click HERE for our story on the final Northlander passenger train.
