Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario’s Liberal Party has unveiled their new platform, promising $65 billion in spending over the next four years, alongside more than $28 billion in efficiencies aimed at boosting the province’s economy and addressing long-standing issues in key sectors.
Leader Bonnie Crombie says her plan will not involve any new taxes or tax increases.
Speaking to reporters, Crombie criticized the current state of Ontario’s education system, claiming it had been “failed” under Doug Ford’s leadership over the past seven years. “Our school system used to be the envy of the world, from elementary to post-secondary. Today, we see overcrowded classrooms, crumbling schools, and portables spilling into our communities,” Crombie said.
The Liberal platform includes building 90 new schools, reducing student-to-teacher ratios, and shortening teachers’ college programs to just one year in an effort to alleviate Ontario’s teacher shortage. Crombie also mentioned the potential lifting of a school closure moratorium, contingent upon the need for new schools in other areas.
“If it makes more sense to close a school and build a new one elsewhere, we will consider that option,” she said.
There is also a suite of policies designed to lower costs and make homeownership more accessible. Among their proposals are the elimination of the Ontario Land Transfer Tax for first-time homebuyers, seniors downsizing, and non-profit homebuilders. They also promise to scrap development charges on new homes, potentially cutting up to $170,000 from the cost of a new family-sized home.
“Restoring the dream of homeownership is central to our plan,” said Crombie. The Liberals also pledge to introduce the Better Communities Fund, a new initiative to help municipalities cover the costs of infrastructure for new housing developments, and to create more co-op and rental apartments. Key to this plan is the removal of extra taxes like Community Benefits Charges, which have been criticized for increasing the cost of new housing.
Liberals also aim to introduce fair, phased-in rent control and address a significant backlog at the Landlord-Tenant Board, where 53,000 cases are waiting to be resolved. The creation of the Rental Emergency Support for Tenants (REST) Fund is another feature of their housing proposal, offering short-term, interest-free loans to tenants facing financial crises to prevent evictions and homelessness.
As part of their housing strategy, the Liberals propose modernizing building codes, creating a provincial catalogue of pre-approved housing designs, and speeding up the conversion of underutilized commercial spaces into housing, especially near transit hubs and arterial roads. “We can and must do more to address the housing crisis, and that includes learning from best practices adopted in other provinces like British Columbia,” Crombie said.
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