10,000 signatures reached
To: Finance Minister Bethlenfalvy and Premier Ford
Invest in Ontarians
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While people across Ontario are struggling to afford groceries, find housing, and access healthcare and other basic services, your government is hiding away $22.6 billion – and cutting funding to public services.
The reality is that our public services are crumbling, and austerity and spending cuts are only making them fall apart faster.
Thanks to a report from the Financial Accountability Office, we now know that you could be doing so much more to invest in Ontarians. We, the undersigned, urge you to create a transparent plan to put the $22.6 billion set aside as "excess funds" towards desperately-needed public services and support.
Why is this important?
The Ford government is sitting on $22.6 billion of so-called “excess funds” – money stashed away from the public purse that they have no plan to spend any time soon. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy claims the FAO’s report doesn’t reflect new government spending. [1] But if the province’s growing budget surpluses haven’t been allocated to any public programs, where is this money going?
There are so many ways that $22.6 billion could make a difference. Ford and Bethlenfalvy could use it to: fund our public health care system, build more housing, increase disability support funding, support public transit infrastructure, or invest in our education system.
And that's just to name a few.
A massive petition from thousands of us across the province – demanding that Finance Minister Bethlenfalvy and Premier Ford stop stashing away billions of dollars and instead invest in public services for Ontarians – can ensure these “excess funds” are put to good use. Will you add your name today?
[1] https://globalnews.ca/news/9762549/ontario-government-22-billion-excess-funds-fao/