As Ontario continues to manage the challenges created by COVID‑19, the government has developed a plan that puts the health and safety of people first. That’s why it is providing $15.2 billion in supports over three years to protect individuals, families and workers across the province.

 

Protecting people’s health

Ontario has a plan with built-in flexibility to respond to emerging health needs. By investing in the six-pillar Fall Preparedness Plan for Health, Long-Term Care and Education, Ontario will continue ramping up COVID‑19 testing, case and contact management, prepare for future waves while accelerating efforts to reduce surgical backlogs, increase procedures and MRI hours, and expand hospital capacity, creating 2,250 new beds and addressing urgent upgrades to improve patient care.

 

Protecting loved ones

Ontario seniors have been the most vulnerable to the COVID‑19 pandemic. Ontario will be the leader among Canadian provinces in protecting our seniors by increasing the average daily direct care to four hours a day per resident. This will help ensure resident needs are being met and that residents have a higher quality of life.

Ontario is investing $1.75 billion to increase long-term care capacity and access for residents by building 30,000 long-term care beds. This includes introducing a new and innovative Accelerated Build Pilot Program that will enable the faster construction of four new long-term care homes and add up to 1,280 beds to the sector.

 
 

The COVID‑19 pandemic has changed the way we live, work and do business. With the total support for people and employers now projected at $13.5 billion, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover will help individuals, families and workers who need it most to navigate the second wave of COVID‑19 and beyond.

 

Supporting students and parents

The government is supporting students, parents and learners by once again offering one-time payments to parents, improving online learning, expanding broadband and making a substantial investment of $13 billion over 10 years in capital grants to build and renew schools across the province. Ontario is also leading the nation in school funding for COVID‑19 by making $1.3 billion in resources available to school boards.

 

More supports for seniors

Ontario is proposing new tax relief to help seniors live safely at home longer through the new Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit for the 2021 taxation year, providing a 25 per cent credit on eligible renovations of up to $10,000. Investing $16 million over two years in the Ontario Community Support Program will help vulnerable populations receive deliveries of food, medicines and other essential items.

 

More supports for youth

Ontario is doubling investment in the Black Youth Action Plan through an additional $60 million over three years starting in 2020–21 to support Black youth in achieving social and economic success.

The Province is also helping students acquire the skills they need to succeed in the workforce by making postsecondary education more affordable. After a historic 10 per cent reduction in tuition fees for Ontario students at every publicly funded college and university in all funding-eligible programs in the 2019–20 school year, the Province has frozen tuition fees for the 2020–21 school year.

 

Supporting job creators

To help support businesses impacted by public health measures in regions where the Province has determined it’s necessary to move to modified Stage 2 public health restrictions, or, going forward, in areas categorized as Control or Lockdown, the government is making $300 million in funding available to eligible businesses with costs associated with municipal property taxes and energy bills.

 
 

Ontario’s 2020 Budget begins to build the foundation for a strong economic recovery fueled by growth. The government’s plan includes $4.8 billion to address critical areas to support a strong long-term recovery that helps workers, employers and communities get back on their feet, while building the foundation for recovery and growth.

 

A comprehensive plan to address Ontario’s job-killing electricity prices

The Province’s comprehensive plan will bring more jobs to Ontario. Through an additional government investment of $1.3 billion over three years, Ontario will address the job-killing high costs of electricity, saving medium-size and larger industrial and commercial employers about 14 and 16 per cent respectively, on average, on their electricity bills.

 

Reducing and eliminating taxes on jobs

The government is building upon the strong pre-pandemic economic foundation to create a more attractive business environment for new investment and job creation that will support long-term growth. The government is proposing tax measures that would provide real relief for employers and giving municipalities the flexibility to target property tax relief to small businesses.

 

Retraining and skilled trades

Ontario is helping job seekers by committing $180.5 million over three years to help workers affected by the pandemic retrain and upgrade their skills. This includes modernizing Ontario’s skilled trades and apprenticeship system, supporting workers to acquire in-demand skills through dedicated investments by Employment Ontario, expanding micro-credentials, and redesigning the Second Career program to prioritize workers affected by the pandemic.

 

Building critical infrastructure to create jobs

Strategic infrastructure investments put people to work by building public transit, highways, roads and bridges that connect people to places, and broadband infrastructure that connects people virtually. Ontario will invest almost $143 billion over 10 years building key infrastructure projects faster to improve the quality of life in communities across the province, create more jobs, and attract investment.

 

Modernizing government

The government is working to make Ontario’s programs and frontline services more reliable, convenient and accessible, like making ServiceOntario’s customer experience better and making it easier for the people of Ontario to take advantage of more than 40 services available online 24/7, such as renewing a driver’s licence, health card, birth certificate and driver or vehicle record. Since the onset of the COVID‑19 pandemic, the government has moved quickly to adapt and update programs and services that the people of Ontario rely on.