Tuesday's provincial budget has left residents cautiously hopeful for the future.

Expected announcements include $1 billion for job-creating infrastructure programs, (including $100 million for social housing with the rest earmarked for transit, roads, bridges and waterworks), anti-poverty measures, (including $32 million over three years for more nutritious snacks in schools and community centres and $135 million over the same period for free dental care for the working poor), and increased funding for Ontario 211 – a telephone hotline that helps the province’s most vulnerable people access 60,000 different social service programs.

“There is a continuing need for our government to fund initiatives that reduce the amount of people being classified in poverty,” says Maj. Neil Evenden of the Midland Salvation Army, noting the announcement of funding for job creation programs and social housing are especially important to this community.

“Housing issues are huge in Midland. There are too many non-affordable and not enough affordable housing here, so any funds to help with that are positive,” he says. He admits however, that until he gets all the details he is unsure of how it will impact the community.

“The numbers sound huge until you realize that means $10 per person when you break it down to how much people really going to see.”

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan additionally announced new investments in skills training in the face of continued job losses in the manufacturing sector.

Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop welcomed the promise of more money for training, but tempered his enthusiasm with concerns over policies governing Ontario’s apprenticeship programs.

He said employers willing to train new workers in the trades are hampered by rules that require an “unfairly” high ratio of journeymen to apprentices.

“That has got to change,” he said. “By the time you have a third apprentice, you need five journeymen. It should be a one-to-one ratio.”

Dunlop, who has urged the government to create a ministry for the skilled trades, said the current policy discourages employers from hiring new blood.

“You can train more people at Georgian College, but you cannot get them a job where they can get their (required training) time,” he said. “They won’t be able to get the apprenticeship they need until they sign up with a company, and that won’t happen until the ratios change.”

Dunlop was also awaiting word on how Ontario intended to deal with federal funds earmarked for a variety of shared-funding programs ranging from policing to infrastructure.

 “I don’t think they’ll give any credit to the feds,” he said.

Communities suffering economic hardships through the loss of major employers deserve a slice of a $357-million pie that Ottawa has set aside for the provinces, through a so-called community development trust, he added.

“Orillia and Midland should qualify,” he added.

In terms of the $1 billion for job-creating infrastructure programs, Evenden says it could go a long way to helping keep businesses within a community.

“The manufacturing community really needs help, and in Midland, with our medium-sized business, we have jobs in those business that help the whole community. Anything (the government) can do in reducing business taxes so that it makes it more profitable to stay here is something that is beneficial to the entire community in the long run.”

Job-hunter Steve Plumb has been searching for employment for the past four months, and tells The Mirror he sees the government’s investment in job creation programs and skills training to be steps in the right direction.

“It’s definitely a positive,” he says. “My skills are not as high as I would want them to be, and while going back to school could be an option, it’s just not going to pay the bills today, so being able to get the skills I need is important.”

The provincial government’s announcement of $135 million over three years for free dental care for the working poor is another important addition to the budget, says Evenden.

“Dental care is huge for those who don’t have private health care. I’ve been surprised that hasn’t been in it in the past,” he says. “Having kids with proper teeth is huge for self-esteem, and if you have to make the choice between feeding them and fixing their teeth, you know which one is going to be used. I think it’s probably one of the best measures.”

While increased funding for Ontario 211 and $32 million over three years for more nutritious snacks in schools and community centres is definitely a good idea, Evenden says he is not sure that it will impact Midland.

“I am not aware of any feeding programs in (area) schools, but there are lots of kids in places who go to school hungry and making sure they have food (so they can learn properly) is a good thing.”
While he admits there are definitely some good items on this year’s budget, he is reserving his final opinion until he can see all of the details.

“There are always good things in every budget, and there are always bad things. (When I see the rest of the details) that’s when we will find out whether I am very pleased or just mildly pleased.”