Ontario's Liberals have released an election platform that promises big spending initiatives, including billions more on education and health.
Ontario voters will choose a new government Oct. 10.
In their 43-page document, the Liberals promise to spend $14.7 billion more on new programs.
On the health-care front, the Liberals are promising more doctors and nurses and new hospitals. In a news release they say they will begin "by tackling shorter wait times in emergency rooms, and further expanding access to family physicians."
About $700 million will be spent over three years to improve seniors support services, including enhancing home care and community support services.
More than $2 billion will be spend on public education alone over the next five years, similar to the $2.44 billion promised by the opposition Conservatives earlier this week.
Other initiatives include the promise of full-day junior and senior kindergarten for the province's four- and five-year-olds.
But the Liberal platform retains the controversial health tax and the $2.6 billion it brings in every year. The health tax will continue as a revenue source past 2009.
The tax has become a sticking point for Dalton McGuinty's Liberals, whom many voters have accused of breaking an election promise in the last campaign not to raise taxes.
McGuinty and his finance minister have always said the health tax will be reviewed in 2009. On Thursday, the Liberal leader said the review will still happen, but the tax won't necessarily be eliminated.
"The purpose of the review is to formally require the government to take a look at our finances and in particular to look at whether we can afford to eliminate the premium. … We'll take a look at it, but right now, based on the very best projections we have now, we need every single penny of that premium."
The Liberals are, however, promising other tax changes, including offering a break on the sales tax on bicycles and bicycle helmets and eliminating the tax on a company's assets.
As well, tax credits for seniors earning under $50,000 will be doubled to help them pay their property taxes.
Other home ownership initiatives include expanding the new home tax credit to cover all first-time home buyers, even if they are buying an older home.
Another new program will see $45 million aimed at a new dental care program for the working poor.
On education, the Liberals are promising an additional $19 million to expand the Pathways to Education programs, which help young people from at-risk communities stay in school and move on to post-secondary programs.
"We've been working to lay the groundwork for a publicly funded system that is the envy of the world,"McGuinty said in a statement.
The homework assistance project will also see its funding tripled, to $42 million, under the Liberal platform. About half of this money will be used to increase the time teachers are available to answer student questions online. The remainder will be given to school boards to expand face-to-face tutoring for students of all ages.
The Liberals say a further $50 million will also be made available to provide tax credits to parents who enrol kids in organized activities such as ballet and football.
The Liberals make a total of 71 promises in their election platform.
NDP Leader Howard Hampton said voters should be cautious. "Why should working families believe him this time," he asked in a statement.
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Ontario Votes 2007 »
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District Profiles
More Ontario Votes Headlines »
- McGuinty wins massive majority, Tory loses seat
- Dalton McGuinty won a second majority government for the Liberals in Ontario on Wednesday night, a triumph for a party that earlier expressed fears of a drop to minority status.
- Ontario rejects electoral reform in referendum
- Ontario voters have rejected a proposed electoral reform that would have seen some provincial legislators chosen based on a party's share of the popular vote, results showed Thursday.
- Ontario voter turnout a record low
- The percentage of eligible voters casting ballots in Wednesday's Ontario election hit an all-time low despite changes introduced in an effort to boost turnout.
- Ont. Green party scores 8 per cent of vote
- No Green party candidates made it to the Ontario legislature in Wednesday's election, but that defeat was sweetened by a swell in their share of the popular vote, which more than doubled.
- McGuinty only leader not facing leadership questions
- Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty won re-election in Ottawa South and NDP Leader Howard Hampton again won his northern Ontario riding of Kenora-Rainy River. PC Leader John Tory was defeated.
