The Ontario Green Party is promising to cancel the construction of a controversial spa planned for Ontario Place as well as Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass as part of its election platform.
CTV News Toronto has obtained a copy of the party’s fully costed platform before it is released to the public.
The Greens are the first of Ontario’s four major parties to release a full platform ahead of the Feb. 27 election.
As part of the platform, the party is also promising to cut taxes for low- and middle-income earners while making the “rich pay their fair share,” build more affordable and green housing, hire more healthcare workers, and give power to municipalities to find revenue pathways.
It also says that it would reverse a Ford government decision to shutter 10 supervised consumption sites.
“Many people feel like the system is rigged against them—and that’s because it is,” the party said in its platform.
“Ontario Greens will fight for fairness so you can live in a province with a future you can believe in, with a government that puts you first. You deserve a chance.”
The party accused PC Leader Doug Ford of abandoning the hard-working Ontarians in favour of billionaires. It claimed that since Ford became premier in 2018, life in the province has become more unaffordable.
“Entire generations have given up hope of ever being able to own a home or have a family doctor. Young people are leaving the province in the hundreds of thousands in search of a life they can afford,” the party said.
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner has previously called for the cancellation of Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, both of which had been key promises in Ford’s 2022 re-election bid. Early work for the Bradford Bypass has begun, while construction of Highway 413 is expected to start this year. However, if the Green Party forms a government, it vows to call off the two projects and prohibit any highway in the Greenbelt.
As for the Ontario Place redevelopment, which sees the province leasing the site to Therme Canada for 95 years, the Greens say they will not proceed with the deal and instead build a public park and waterfront project.
The Ontario Liberal and NDP parties have also previously said that they would rip up the deal with Therme Canada.
In addition to reopening safe consumption sites, the Green Party says it will expand the number of sites across the province with a priority on areas with high opioid deaths like the North. Many harm reduction advocates have slammed the government for banning supervised consumption sites, saying it will result in more deaths.
According to the latest Nanos survey, the Greens are in fourth place, with around five per cent of support among decided voters. The Greens, which held two seats in the last provincial legislature, are hoping to win more seats this election.
Other notable promises include phasing out fossil gas plants by 2035, creating dedicated truck lanes on Highway 407, stopping the practice of removing patients from rosters if they visit a walk-in clinic, increasing the minimum wage to $20, eliminating EQAO standardized testing, and reducing the voting age to 16.
Some of the major promises made by other parties so far include a Liberal pledge to spend $3.1 billion over four years to expand access to family doctors, a PC promise to build a tunnel underneath Highway 407, and an NDP promise to expand rent control to units built after 2018.
MORE: For a full list of the promises being made by Ontario’s other major parties follow this link.
Here’s a look at the other highlights of the Ontario Green Party’s election platform.
HOUSING
The Green Party says it plans to build two million homes within urban boundaries over the next decade and help new homeowners pay down their mortgage by offering zero-interest loans of $25K so they can add affordable rental units onto their primary residence.
The party says it will also remove development charges on homes, condos, and apartments built under 2,000 sq. ft. within urban boundaries and ending land transfer tax for first-time home buyers.
Other housing promises include:
-updating the law to expand zoning permissions to allow fourplexes and four storeys as-of-right within existing urban boundaries and sixplexes in cities with populations over 500,000; ending mandatory minimum parking requirements for all new developments;
-removing HST for affordable housing units delivered by non-profit providers; reducing multi-residential building property taxes; restricting short-term rentals to principal residences; and in cities with low vacancy rates;
-reinstating rental controls on all units to regulate increases year to year; returning to in-person Landlord and Tenant Board hearings; placing a moratorium on above-guideline increases.
-reversing boundary expansions by the Ford government; requiring minimum housing densities at transit stations and transit corridors
TARIFF ATTACK PLAN
The party says it will immediately create a tariff task force to negotiate with the U.S. on trade, create an investment tax credit, and develop a “buy Ontario” strategy. The Greens will also create a fund for businesses impacted by tariffs and work with other provinces to remove interprovincial trade barriers.
HEALTHCARE
The Greens are promising to recruit 3,500 more doctors in Ontario through medical school positions and more residence opportunities for international graduates, hoping to get every Ontarian a primary care provider within three to four years. They also plan to increase fast-tracked credential approvals for international healthcare workers.
The party pledges to pay healthcare workers fairly by harmonizing wages across the system.
Other healthcare promises include stopping the charging of doctors and removal of patients from rosters if they visit a walk-in clinic, creating a centralized intake and referral system in order to reduce backlog in surgeries, imaging, and diagnostic tests, and partnering with Ottawa to implement the universal pharmacare program.
MUNICIPALITIES
The Green Party says it will grant autonomy to municipalities to allow them to implement revenue tools to fund critical infrastructure needs and services; upload costs for community housing, shelters and transit funding that the party says were unfairly downloaded onto municipalities; and assess the use of City Charters to empower major cities and prevent inappropriate provincial government interference.
TAXES
The party plans to cut taxes for low- and middle-income earners under $65,000 and households making under $100,000. It will make fossil fuel companies pay municipalities for the right to use their land and infrastructure. The Green Party is also promising to stop handing out hydro rebate cheques to the rich and redirect that money to help low- and middle-income earners pay their bills.
“The richest need to pay their fair share. By asking those who have a little more to pay a little more, we can cut income taxes for people who are lower- and middle-income earners,” the party said. “We can also build affordable housing, improve public transit, and open more affordable childcare spaces.”
The Greens would also introduce anti-gouging and collusion laws to stop grocery companies from gouging people on their bills.
MINIMUM WAGE
If the Green Party forms a government, it says it will increase the minimum wage to $20 and index it to inflation each year, implement 10 legislated paid sick days, and prohibit employers from requiring a sick note from a medical practitioner when an employee is ill.
In addition, the party says it plans to expand the Employment Standards Act to protect gig workers, ensuring they will get a minimum wage for all hours of work. Gig workers will also be classified as employees with full employment rights and full access to benefits under a Green Party government. It adds that it will make gig work count towards permanent residency applications.
TRANSIT AND HIGHWAYS
Under a Green Party government, GO service will be expanded, with trains leaving every 15 minutes during peak periods and 30 minutes during off-peak. The Greens also vow to establish an intercity electric bus service to connect communities across the province.
The Green Party promises to remove Highway 407 tolls for transport trucks and create dedicated truck lanes on the highway to reduce congestion on other roads.
They also plan to make electric vehicles (EVs) affordable, offering a clean vehicle rebate, and expand the EV charging network across the province.
CLEAN ENERGY, GREENBELT, ENVIRONMENT
The Greens say they will prohibit highways in the Greenbelt and will cancel the planned Highway 413 and Bradford Bypass.
They will expand the Greenbelt to include a “Bluebelt” of protected waterways and reverse the previous government’s rule that stripped powers from conservation authorities.
“Unfortunately, Doug Ford’s approach of destroying wetlands with wasteful projects like Highway 413, and his attack on Conservation Authorities, is increasing the risk of your home flooding in the next big storm,” the party said.
“In addition to protecting wetlands, we’ll make it easier for families to flood-proof their basements with zero-interest loans, and support cities to spruce up their roads, bridges and buildings to be ready for the next torrential downpour.”
The Greens say they will phase out fossil gas plants by 2035 and maintain existing nuclear generation at Bruce and Darlington.
They will add water bottles, coffee cups, and other unnecessary packaging to the list of banned single-use plastics and expand deposit return to non-alcoholic beverage containers.
The Green Party also pledges to end taxpayer subsidies for fossil fuel companies, raise the price of large industrial emissions for big industrial polluters, and pass legislation to charge fossil fuel companies for using public land.
The Greens say they will provide free heat pumps for households with incomes under $100,000 and zero-interest loans for households with over $100,000 and remove HST on heat pumps, heat pump hot water heaters, solar panels, EV chargers, and energy retrofits.
PROTECTING ANIMALS
The Green Party says it will ensure the remaining animals at Marineland are humanely relocated, ban dog training and trial areas, implement new Ontario puppy mill regulations, end cosmetic surgery on companion animals, and ban fur farming and roadside zoos that exploit exotic animals.
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES
The Greens plan to build 48,000 long-term care spaces by 2029 and phase out for-profit care. They will also remove the rules that force residents into long-term care homes far away from their communities.
The party says random inspections will increase, and homes with infractions will face legislated consequences. To improve resident care, the Greens are promising to “pay fairly” to retain staff and legislate staffing to include a minimum of one nurse practitioner for every 120 residents.
SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE
The Green Party says it will immediately increase per-student funding to make up for the $3.1 billion cuts by the previous government and cap classes at 24 for Grades 4 to 8 and at 26 for kindergarten. The party also promises to stop standardized EQAO testing.
The Greens vow to work with the federal government to ensure continued funding for universal access to $10-a-day childcare. It will also cancel a planned $85.5 million cut to municipal daycares.
To address the shortage of early childhood educators, the Greens say they will immediately increase wages for child care workers by implementing a publicly funded wage grid.
MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION CRISIS
The Greens say mental health and addiction care will be covered for all under OHIP if elected. They plan to reopen safe consumption and treatment sites closed by the Ford government and expand the number of sites.
They will invest in creating and expanding 24/7 mobile crisis response teams and building 60,000 new supportive housing spaces.
OTHER PROMISES
BAIL: The Green Party says it will reform the bail system to ensure that 80 per cent of the people in jail awaiting trial have access to fast trials and prevent prison overcrowding. It did not elaborate on what changes will be implemented.
ELECTION: Municipalities will be allowed the option to use a ranked ballot voting system for elections if the Green Party wins. A group will also be formed to create recommendations on modernizing the province’s electoral system. The Green Party also plans to reduce the voting age to 16.
ODSP: The party plans to double ODSP rates as a first step to implementing a basic income, tying future increases to inflation.
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: The Greens say they will fast-track the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and make the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a statutory holiday in Ontario.
POST-SECONDARY: The party promises to convert OSAP loans to grants for low- and middle-income students and eliminate interest charges on student debt; increase per-student university and college funding by 20 per cent.
