Statement From Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara In Response To 2007 Federal Budget

    TORONTO, March 19 /CNW/ - Today's federal budget appears to make some
considerable progress in addressing fairness in Ontario.
    It is a step forward in addressing our long-standing position that our
province deserves to be treated fairly. I believe that Canadians across the
country will benefit from the leadership that Premier McGuinty has shown.
    The strong stand that he took on behalf of Ontarians - and the support
we've received from Ontarians across the province - helped us achieve what we
have today. But there is more that needs to be done.
    Ontario welcomes the proposed federal Working Income Tax Benefit, which
will support people with low incomes. And we are pleased to see Ottawa's
proposal on the Capital Cost Allowance as a way of helping hard-hit
manufacturers.
    I am also pleased to say that, with the measures announced today, we can
put the Canada-Ontario Agreement behind us and move forward in a positive
manner.
    However, I am disappointed that Ontarians will still have to wait until
2014 for fairness on federal health transfers. That is simply too long for
patients and others who are waiting for surgery.
    I was also hoping for a clearer commitment on federal funding for
infrastructure. We're interested in seeing the details of the merit-based
approach to these investments, and what that means to Ontario.
    We'll be looking more closely at the federal budget in the coming days,
and I will have more to say about what this means in terms of our Budget when
I table it this Thursday.
    We are proud of the progress we've achieved in our bid for fairness from
the federal government on behalf of the people of Ontario.

    Disponible en français

                 For more information visit www.fin.gov.on.ca

For further information: Mike Arbour, Minister's Office, (416) 325-4138;
Scott Blodgett, Ministry of Finance, (416) 325-0324