The $30 million Place des arts facility slated for downtown Sudbury is another step closer to reality, after last week's provincial budget included $3.25 million for the project.
Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault said the money is an example of the investments the province is making in the local economy.
"First off, congratulations to the committee who has been doing everything that they're supposed to do, the right way of lobbying government to get this program in place," Thibeault said. "The $3.25 million that has been committed in the budget is fantastic news for them. I know they were asking for $8.25 million from the provincial government. They have a $5 million ask in to the NOHFC, and so that's going through its process.
"But it is good news that the remaining dollars that they would have to find is now committed by this provincial government."
Along with the school of architecture, he said it's the latest example of the province helping to create a cultural hub in the city.
"Think about how our downtown core has evolved with the School of Architecture, and now we have the Place des arts coming closer and closer to coming into full existence," Thibeault said. "It's creating jobs, it's investing in our community and it's absolutely great news."
He also defended his party's plan to provide free prescriptions for residents under age 25. It follows a similar pledge made recently by the New Democrats. Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas said it sounds like a watered-down version of her party's plan, which offers coverage to all Ontarians.
The plan does nothing for the one in three workers in Ontario who don't have a drug plan, she added. But the NDP plan allows anyone with a health care to benefit.
“It looks like something that was a little bit rushed," Gélinas said. "In the grand scheme of things, most families get their children the drugs they need. It's the grownups, the parents who do without. None of that changes, because their pharmacare is solely for children."
But Thibeault said the Liberal proposal has been costed out – $465 million – and was in the planning stages for a long time.
"The one thing I love about the opposition is that everyone tries to take credit for everything,” he said. “This isn't something that's written on the back of a napkin. This is something that our premier and Health Minister (Eric) Hoskins have been constantly advocating about for years and years and years, making sure that we can come up with a program that's going to be addressing over 4,400 drugs.
“It allows us to put a crack in the door to work with our federal government and with all out provincial partners about getting a universal pharmacare program right across the country."
While the NDP's plan is universal, Thibeault said it only covers 125 medications. The Liberal plan covers costly drugs for young people battling serious conditions.
"I think it's important to mention it will be providing coverage for life-saving and life-altering cancer and rare disease therapies for everyone 24 and under," he said.
"We think about how this is going to help young adults just starting out, going to college, or young families that sometimes have to worry about how they're going to pay for medication for their children.
"Our program is more diverse and is going to be helping four million families."
There's also money for more four-laning of Highway 69, he said, as well as $100 million for a dementia strategy.
"It's not something that's getting talked about a lot, but it's important in Northeastern Ontario where we see a higher prevalence of dementia."
