Canada’s Economic Action Plan is working

June 18, 2013 · 0 Comments

Peter Van Loan, York-Simcoe MPP
There was more good news for the Canadian economy recently. In the first few months of this year, our economy grew by 2.5% – the strongest growth record in nearly two years. This on top of the more than 900,000 jobs that have been created since the recession, and it is the 7th straight quarter that our economy has grown.
This is evidence that the Economic Action Plan is working. Even more importantly a strong, growing economy brings benefits to the residents of York-Simcoe.
The success we have seen have been as a result of the hard work of Canadians and the measures that our government has introduced to support job creators and help Canadians get back to work.
The Economic Action Plan is a low tax plan for jobs and growth. Our Conservative government has reduced taxes to leave more money in the hands of families. Today, the typical family pays $3,300 less in tax each year thanks to our tax reductions, such as the lowering of the GST from 7% down to 5%. More money in the hands of families means more for your priorities – and more for economic growth in the local community.
We introduced a $1,000 credit for businesses for each new hire they make. This job creation tax credit has already helped more than 300,000 small businesses. We are constantly consulting with job creators to find ways to make it easier for them to hire hard working Canadians.
This tax credit has helped encourage the growth of small businesses in York-Simcoe and put many residents back to work.
One of the next steps in our plan to help Canadians who want to work get back to work is the introduction of the Canada Job Grant. This grant will help train people with the skills for jobs that actually exist. Canadians want to work and employers want to hire them, but too often their skill set does not match the jobs available.
The Canada Job Grant, if approved, would see an employer provide up to $5,000 in training for a skilled job vacancy they need filled. These funds would be matched by both the province and the federal government, for up to $15,000 in funding. This job grant proposal will see residents of York-Simcoe benefiting directly, by being trained for jobs that exist. We will see those who are looking for a new or better job, whether it is a young person coming out of school or an experienced worker benefiting from this job grant. Skilled trades are an important part of our economic recovery and I understand how important well-paying, long term jobs are to the residents of York-Simcoe.
I sat down with those involved in the trades and with training skilled workers in the riding recently. They made clear to me the importance of taking skills training funds and out of the hands of government bureaucrats and instead putting it in the hands of employers who want to hire and those who want to work.
But, as I attend events throughout the riding, I hear from residents our low tax measures are the most important benefit for them, economically. We are working hard to make it easier for hard-working Canadians to pay their bills and put some money aside for things like buying a new car, a new house of sending their kids to school. This is helping the economy to continue to see improvement.
The greatest fear residents share with me is a concern the taxes will go up – raised by other levels of government or if an opposition party becomes the government.
Budget 2013 is focused on delivering real results for the residents of York-Simcoe. We will continue to keep taxes low, eliminating the hidden 18% tariff on things like baby clothes and sports equipment. We will also be continuing the Children’s Arts and Fitness Tax Credit. We are helping to make it easier for families to pay for the things they need and help their children to get involved in programs important in learning and growing.
We in Canada have enjoyed solid economic growth, but we are not immune to the global economic challenges that still continue to threaten our economy. This is why it is important that our government remain focused on the economy. With the success that Canada has seen since we formed government it is clear that our plan for jobs, growth and long term prosperity is the right plan. Coupled with the hard work of Canadians like the residents of York-Simcoe our government will continue to deliver results on the economy and jobs growth. We are delivering change for the better.