Premier Doug Ford's delivered his throne speech Tuesday, when he indicated his government will need to reign in spending in the coming years to deal with an economic downturn..“Unprecedented spending throughout the pandemic has created new fiscal challenges here in Ontario and across Canada that will require prudent economic management in the months and years to come,” the speech said..“Taken together, these looming fiscal and economic challenges cannot be understated or ignored. They must be confronted head on. And there are no easy solutions.”.Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell delivered Ford’s throne speech on Tuesday, which marks the start of a new legislative session after a 10 week break following the June 2 election..In his speech, Ford said there was a global "growing sense of uncertainty" due to COVID-19, high inflation, supply chain issues, and the war in Ukraine..Ford noted Ontario must be prepared to respond to a near-term economic slowdown. He pledged to chart a path forward by growing the economy, not through "painful tax hikes or spending cuts.”.“Your government will continue to do what has served this province’s economy so well: cut red tape, keep taxes low, foster an environment that attracts global capital and make targeted investments that strengthen Ontario’s competitive advantage,” the speech said..Ford also addressed the province's shortage of healthcare workers, which led to several hospitals temporarily closing emergency departments over the weekend. He said the Progressive Conservative government is working with health-system stakeholders to tackle the issue..Ford, who has governed since 2019, highlighted the Progressive Conservative's accomplishments in healthcare. These include adding thousands of hospital beds and nurses, investing in home and community care, introducing a grant to attract health professionals to rural and remote areas, and planning to build 30,000 new long-term care beds..“More can still be done. Your government is actively engaging with health-system partners to identify urgent, actionable solutions and will implement whatever measures are needed to help ease immediate pressures, while also ensuring the province is ready to stay open during any winter surge," the speech said..Ford also discussed the incoming bill that would give the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa more power. He suggested those powers would help get more housing built quicker..“For urban populations, these new powers will be especially relevant as the province works with its municipal partners to expand the footprint of transit-oriented communities so more people can live, work and play near the convenience of public transit,” the speech said.
