Yesterday the Ontario PC Caucus used Question Period to hammer the Liberal Government for their lack of economic development funding for North Bay and larger Northern Ontario.
The Auditor General announced in last week’s report that the Liberal Government had doled out $1.4 billion in grants, for most of which there was no application process. Instead, 80 per cent of the money went to companies that either didn’t apply or were told that their application was simply a formality.
“Within the $1.4 billion dollars given away by the Ministry there was noticeable lack of funding to forestry and mining projects. That means there was a noticeable lack of funding to Northern Ontario,” said Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown. “I guess the Premier or Minister didn’t want to “invite” northern companies to apply.”
Despite possessing a mandate to cover all of Ontario, the Ministry of Economic Development hasn’t funded a northern business project since 2008. When pressed by the Auditor General, the Ministry of Economic Development was unable to provide a list of all potential eligible northern candidates.
“What does this mean for Northern Ontario? It means last year Arclin closed its doors in North Bay. I would hardly call that economic development,” added PC Critic for Northern Development and Mines Norm Miller. “Will the Minister commit to fulfilling the mandate spelled out by the Premier to provide economic development funding to Northern Ontario?”
