Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Times are tough for a lot of people right now, which is why AMAPCEO, the union representing more than 16,500 professionals working in the public interest across Ontario, is disappointed to see the 2024 provincial budget fall far short of what people need.
“People are struggling to pay the bills, access the health care they need, find affordable places to live...” said AMAPCEO President & CEO Dave Bulmer. “If this government was serious about making life better, they’d invest in quality public services and build a more prosperous province for all.”
Instead, the 2024 provincial budget presented today continues Ontario down its dark path, with the lowest program spending per person of any province in Canada. As Randy Robinson, the Ontario director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, points out, the effects of this are all too real.
Adding insult to injury, the government knows this isn’t the responsible way forward.
“This government is ignoring experts’ reasonable solutions that would fix the many problems people face right now,” Bulmer said. “Those voices include experienced AMAPCEO members.”
Bulmer pointed to health care as just one example. “Instead of listening to doctors, nurses, and health policy analysts, the government is pouring public money into private services that cost more and deliver less.”
In its pre-budget submission, AMAPCEO put forward several recommendations on how to improve public services and the future of the province. This included an end to the so-called “hiring freeze” in the public service, which has worsened government efficiency, and for greater transparency in private contracting. The union has long called for the province to do as the federal government does and proactively disclose details of all contracts over $10,000.