The Construction Highlights of Ontario's 2022 Budget
How the latest Ontario budget impacts CLAC's construction members
Yesterday, Ontario’s PC Party released their 2022 budget, which will serve as the framework for their platform in the provincial election that will be called next week. The budget explains what the party has accomplished for the people of Ontario and focuses their plan to “Get It Done” on five key themes:
A Plan to Stay Open: A promise to hire more nurses, allowing more seniors to stay in their own homes, and producing more vaccines and PPE right here in Ontario. The budget plan invests $198.6 billion in key initiatives for Ontarians.
Rebuilding Ontario’s Economy: New manufacturing jobs with good pay, more support for small businesses, and a mining plan that will finally open the Ring of Fire.
Working for Workers: Encouraging apprenticeships, introducing more skilled trades jobs, allowing colleges to grant three-year degrees, and increasing the minimum wage.
Building Highways and Key Infrastructure: Finally building the Highway 413 and Brantford bypass, investing in the 401 East and Highway 7 expansions, and expanding GO service in London and Bowmanville.
Keeping Costs Down: Lowering gas taxes, getting rid of license plate stickers, and removing tolls on Highways 412 and 418.
Below you will find a breakdown of the budget as it relates to our construction members. As always, if you have questions about these or any other developments, please contact your CLAC representative.
Money in Your Pocket
The budget works to address affordability through several measures:
- Cutting the gasoline tax by 5.7 cents per litre and the fuel tax by 5.3 cents per litre for six months starting July 1, 2022.
- $300 on average in additional tax relief in 2022 for more than one million low-income workers through the proposed Low-income Individuals and Families Tax (LIFT) Credit enhancement.
- The budget also re-announced the elimination of license plate stickers. Over the past month, CLAC members who drive vehicles in Ontario received cheques for hundreds of dollars. While the tax changes are beneficial, the removal of the sticker fees reduces revenues by over $1 billion annually for an item that had not been controversial.
Skills Development Training Fund
The province is continuing to prioritize skills training through the streamlined Skills Development Fund, with an additional $15.8 million announced in the 2022 budget. CLAC has developed and launched a supervisor training program and a construction bootcamp training program with the support of the fund and hopes to scale these programs in the coming year. The funds provided to these skills development programs will help in training Ontarians for the many jobs that are available in certain strategic sectors and serve as a significant component of the province’s economic recovery focus.
The province also announced:
- An additional $114.4 million for the skilled trades strategy
- $6.9 million for the Investing in Women’s Futures program
- $268.5 million through Employment Ontario to strengthen skills training and employment programs
Ring of Fire Investment
The Ring of Fire led the province’s narrative for their plan to rebuild Ontario’s economy. Key investments included releasing Ontario’s first critical minerals strategy, committing close to $1 billion to support critical legacy infrastructure such as all-season roads, $12 million to extend the Ontario Junior Exploration Program, and $4 million to create a new critical minerals stream. CLAC members active in the Ring of Fire will be helping Ontario realize its potential as an economic driver.
Highway and Transit Investments in Infrastructure
Transit and transportation projects help keep goods and people moving through Ontario—and CLAC’s construction members help build them! The $22 billion investment in highway and transit infrastructure will result in thousands of construction jobs for CLAC, with end-state benefits for all Ontarians. These investments will support the province’s economic recovery while reducing gridlock and ensuring our economic resilience.