TOURISM GETS $100M BUDGET BOOST, WITH 44 MORE CASES TODAY

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — The buck(s) doesn’t stop at Queen’s Park.

Nor should it now.

Ontario’s budget this afternoon put billions of dollars in to play to stimulate the spring and summer economies, while promising to “protect lives and livelihoods.”

All of it as Simcoe saw 44 more cases today and Muskoka none.

The “protecting people’s health and our economy” budget is about “health care and jobs creation,” Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said in the legislature.

He said in a release that the budget brings “total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health and $23.3 billion to protect our economy.

Business groups should be happy, especially those in Muskoka who depend on the tourism and hospitality industries, which will see $100 million invested in them.

“Ontario’s COVID-19 action plan support now totals $51 billion,” he said.

Highlights they tout are:

  • More than $1 billion available for vaccinations and $2.3 billion for testing and contact tracing.
  • $1.4 billion for personal protective equipment, including more than 315 million masks and more than 1.2 billion gloves.
  • $5.1 billion to support hospitals since the pandemic began, creating more than 3,100 additional hospital beds. This includes $1.8 billion in 2021–22 to continue providing care for COVID-19 patients, address surgical backlogs and keep pace with patient needs.
  • $933 million over four years, for a total of $2.6 billion, to support building 30,000 new long-term care beds.
  • Ontario is also investing $246 million over the next four years to improve living conditions in existing homes, including ensuring that homes have air conditioning for residents, so loved ones can live in comfort and with safety, dignity and respect.
  • For LTC residents an additional $650 million in 2021-22, bringing the total resources invested since the beginning of the pandemic to protect the most vulnerable to over $2 billion.
  • $4.9 billion over four years to increase the average direct daily care to four hours a day in
    long-term care and hiring more than 27,000 new positions, including 9,000 personal support workers (PSWs) and nurses.
  • (But it did not give PSWs fulltime pay raises. They will continue to receive temporary raises till June when they will be reviewed.)
  • (Or offer any money for paid sick leave, which the Ford government opposes.”
  • To help the thousands of people struggling with mental health and addictions issues, Ontario is providing additional funding of $175 million in 2021–22 as part of a historic investment of $3.8 billion over 10 years, to provide more and better care for everyone who needs it.
  • $100 millions for a tourism industry that will allow money for people to explore Ontario;
  • A new tax credit to help workers retrain;
  • Businesses that got the $10,000 to $20,000 grants will see it happen again — and without need to re-apply;
  • Parents will see their child benefit double.

He said the government will “spare no money to defeat COVID.”

The cost is a $33.1 billion deficit projection; and a total debt of $440 billion.

See these budget links for more details here.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy says his budget is all about health care and job creation.

Meanwhile, the health unit says the 44 new cases today brings to 113 the number this week.

And one previous Gravenhurst case was moved to another health unit.

Ontario reported 1,571 cases today and 10 deaths.

Toronto had 459 of those, Peel 309 and York 143.

North Bay-Parry Sound was reported as -1, Peterborough 9, Sudbury 27 and Thunder Bay 47.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

SMDHU officials said today they have made an attempt to reach everyone on their wait list at least once. If you are on our wait list and have not received a call please do one of the following:

  • • Adults turning 75 years of age or older (born in 1946 or earlier) go directly to the Province’s booking system here https://ontario.ca/bookvaccine
  • Or if you are within the other Phase 1 eligibility groups you may pre-register on our website http://ow.ly/JQUy50E7aol and they say you will be contacted with a code to book your appointment.
  • There have been 5 deaths in Simcoe this month.
  • 306 UK cases have been detected, 9 from Brazil, 1 from South Africa and 763 cases have screened VOC positive and await confirmation.
  • 73,263 vaccines have been administered, including 2,355 yesterday.
  • 17,600 have received both, mostly Pfizers.
  • More than 3,700 AstraZeneca vaccines have gone to those 60-64 years at four Family Health Teams.
  • 1,300+ Moderna doses have also been administered.
  • There were 265 new cases last week and 301 the week before.
March 24 health unit highlights Wednesday.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • The province topped 70,000 vaccines yesterday for the first time with a 72,451, bringing its total to 1,676,150. Also, 9.3 per cent of Ontarians have had at least one dose; and 302,664 have had both doses.
  • American small businesses can borrow up to $500,000 US.
  • Some U.S. states opening LTCs to family visitations.
  • WHO says global deaths back on rise after decline.

 

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