OFL Submission on Ontario Budget 2020

This week, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) President Patty Coates participated in the Ontario Minister of Finance's fall budget consultation, and she outlined the priorities that workers want to see in Ontario Budget 2020:

1. Worker and community safety must be the priority. Our collective goal must be to create a provincial budget and economic recovery plan that restarts Ontario safely for everyone, eliminating potential new waves of COVID-19.

2. Workers, unions, and health and safety committees must have a meaningful voice in decisions at every level of policymaking: workplace, community, provincial, and federal. The reality is that it is workers whose lives and wellbeing are at risk; we need a provincial budget and economic recovery plan that draws from their experiences, knowledge, and strength.

3. Investment in infrastructure and public services will be critical in reopening the economy. Among general uncertainty, weak consumer demand, and high levels of indebtedness, business investment alone will be insufficient. Only strong public investment can lead the recovery, boosting incomes and economic activity that will then stimulate business investment.

4. The Ontario as we knew it left far too many behind. Prior to COVID-19, many Ontarians fell through the cracks of our social safety net. This pandemic has highlighted the need to immediately address the continued marginalization of vulnerable communities.

Read the full OFL submission here.