[KWPeace-groups] Urgent: Please contribute to Ontario Budget Consultations by Weds. Jan 31! Stop privatization, anti-climate, pro-corporate lobby etc.

[Tamara Lorincz]

Hello KW Peace!

I urge you to contribute to the Ontario Budget consultations and tell them your priorities as soon as possible, because the deadline is Weds. Jan 31!

This is important! It's very easy and take 2-minutes to submit your comments, just click on "make a submission" and write your priorities. https://www.ontario.ca/page/2024-budget-consultations

Please consider calling for greater investments in public healthcare and education, affordable housing, keeping the cap on post-secondary tuition (otherwise tuition will skyrocket), protecting the greenbelt and water, greening homes rebate, creating a caring, green economy for the earth, our children and future generations etc. Tell them to have the courage to raise taxes on the very wealthy and big businesses.

*The corporate, privatization and anti-environment lobby is very strong. They need to hear our voices for a green, care economy. Please share widely!

*Please retweet this: https://twitter.com/TamaraLorincz/status/1751842544101585278

I am copying my submission below. You are welcome to use any text, copy etc. Share your priorities for your tax-funded budget!

For more information or any problems, please contact:
Melissa Ouzas, Manager
Budget Secretariat
Frost Building North, 3rd floor
95 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1Z1
MOFconsultations at ontario.ca<mailto:MOFconsultations at ontario.ca>
Submission link: https://www.ontario.ca/page/2024-budget-consultations

Thanks,
Tamara


Recommendations for Ontario Budget Consultations 2024
Tamara Lorincz. I'm a PhD student at Wilfrid Laurier University, a part-time researcher for a national non-profit, and a community organizer.
I have three recommendations.

First, the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is NOT assisting students enough. Students at universities and colleges across the province are struggling financially. OSAP payments are too low and constantly delayed causing students to miss payment deadlines and have to pay penalties. OSAP payments are not high enough and more OSAP needs to be grant-based. Many students I know at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University cannot afford tuition along with rising rent and food costs. Many are using food banks. Students are the future of this province but they are burdened with debts and financial insecurity. OSAP needs to be overhauled again and the tuition freeze must be kept in place. Please don't lift the tuition freeze.

Second, I moved to Ontario six years ago with my husband and two children. We previously lived in the United Kingdom without a car because public transportation - integrated buses and trains - were so good. I am shocked by the sorry state of public transit between cities in this province. Ontario lacks fast and efficient inter-city public transit. Go Transit and VIA Rail are inadequate - they not frequent enough and not direct. For instance, it takes 2.5 hours on Go Transit bus to travel from Kitchener to Toronto. The loss of the Greyhound service has compounded the problem. Worse still, there is not one-kilometer of high-speed rail in this province. This is not a modern province on the move - this a province stuck in traffic. Public transportation is critical not only for the economy, but it is also critical for tourism and reducing greenhouse emissions and tackling the climate crisis. There needs to be more investments in good, green modern public transportation across Ontario now and not later.

Third, there are more and more people living on the streets all across the province. I collect and distribute donations monthly to the homeless encampment on Victoria Street in Kitchener and to A Better Tent City in Kitchener. I am so impressed with A Better Tent City. It is an incredibly inspiring model community of tiny houses for vulnerable unsheltered people where they get needed services and employment. It is one of most innovative housing solutions. People from across Canada and around the world have come to Kitchener to learn about A Better Tent City. This housing model needs to be funded through the municipalities and replicated across Ontario to give people dignity and hope. Housing is a human right.

Finally, the Province of Ontario is as strong as its weakest link - invest in students, support unsheltered people down and build a green, care economy and a modern mass public transportation system that connects communities.

*To do all this, have the courage to increase taxes on the very wealthy and big corporations.

SUMMARY SECTION:
1. Don't lift the tuition freeze & increase OSAP for post-secondary students
2. Invest in intercity mass public transit to get Ontario moving
3. Invest in affordable housing and tiny homes
4. Offer green home rebates
5. Conserve green space & support environmental & climate programs
6. Don't privatize health care, increase funding for public health care
7. Increase taxes on the very wealthy and big corporations to pay for social and environmental programs
8. Build a green, care economy
9. Support the arts & cultural programs too, we need a creative, dynamic economy! Ontario's music, theatre and arts programs are important.

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