Liberal MP applauds Trudeau's first budget

 In a news release this week, Sudbury Liberal MP Paul Lefebvre said he was “proud” of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's first budget, one he said aims to grow the middle class and revitalize the Canadian economy.

“Budget 2016 offers immediate help to those who need it most, and lays the groundwork for sustained, inclusive economic growth that will benefit Canada’s middle class and those working hard to join it,” Lefebvre is quoted as saying in the release.

“I’m particularly proud that we have fulfilled our promises to seniors, students, our First Nations and to cities in need of support to rebuild crumbling infrastructure. This is an excellent budget for Northern Ontario.”

Specifically for Northern Ontario, Lefebvre said the budget:

-- Supports the mineral exploration efforts of junior mining companies by extending the 15 per cent Mineral Exploration Tax Credit for an additional year, until March 31, 2017.

-- An indigenous component in the proposed social infrastructure investments totalling $1.2 billion over five years including housing in Indigenous and northern communities and early learning and child care.

-- An indigenous component in the proposed green infrastructure investments, totalling $2.2 billion over five years, including water and waste water treatment and waste management.

-- Expanding Nutrition North Canada to all northern isolated communities in Ontario by providing $64.5 million over five years, starting in 2016-17, and $13.8 million per year ongoing.

-- An investment of $25 million over 5 years to support economic development for the Métis Nation.

-- Extend EI benefits by five weeks to all eligible claimants and to provide up to an additional 20 weeks of EI benefits to long-term tenured workers in several economic regions, including Sudbury.

As well, regional economic development agencies, including FedNor, will share in $150 million in new funding, the release said, “to support projects to renovate, expand, and improve existing community and cultural infrastructure in all regions of the country to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017.

“All of this new investment in Northern Ontario is on top of national programs designed to support the middle class, seniors, students and to help cities cope with growing infrastructure needs,” the release said.

That include $11.9 billion to build roads, bridges, improve public transit, improve water and wastewater facilities and refurbish affordable housing. The funding includes:

-- $3.4 billion over the next five years for social infrastructure, including affordable housing, seniors housing, community centres and childcare centres.

-- $3.4 billion over the next three years for public transit.
-- $5 billion over the next five years for green infrastructure including investing in clean water infrastructure and electric vehicle charging stations.

-- $2 billion for labs and buildings on college and university campuses.

-- $184 million more this year for training to help Canadians transition and update their skills.

-- $95 million a year more in science.

The budget also commits more than $1 billion over the next five years for investments in research and commercialization of new technologies, the release said.

“Budget 2016 puts people first and delivers the help that Sudburians and all Canadians need now, not in a decade from now,” Lefebvre said in the release. “It is an essential step to restore prosperity to the middle class.”

For more got to: www.budget.gc.ca