In the final days of 2024 as MPP for Niagara West, I look back on a year of significant growth, progress and change across the province and in our region.
Ontario’s economy continued to grow in 2024, despite high interest rates and turbulent global conditions, including the election of a new American President, and a lack of leadership from the federal government. While inflation has moderated and the Bank of Canada has begun lowering its policy interest rates, these rates nevertheless remain at elevated levels and are a challenge for economic growth in the near term.
Ontario’s government is continuing to invest in key public services without raising taxes or fees and aiming to keep costs down for people and businesses.
With the threat of imposed tariffs by the incoming Trump administration and political uncertainty in Ottawa, Premier Ford has taken the lead in fighting for the best interests of our families, workers and job creators. As the Premier has repeatedly said, ‘We are going to use every tool in our toolbox to defend Ontarians and Canadians.’
Much is at stake, and we cannot risk the record investment and growth our province has attracted over the past year. In the 2024 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Building Ontario for You, delivered in October, our government pledged to take a fiscally responsible approach by investing in the economy and building the critical infrastructure our growing communities need, reducing gridlock and making life more affordable by providing immediate relief to individuals and families, while reducing the debt burden for future generations.
Significant investments in Niagara include the redevelopment of West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby and construction of the Niagara South Hospital in Niagara Falls – adding 561 new beds to the region.
The Ontario government is investing $1 billion to refurbish both the Sir Adam Beck Complex in Niagara Falls and DeCew Generating Stations in St. Catharines, securing up to 1,700 megawatts of clean electricity, the equivalent to powering 1.7 million homes, helping to meet increasing demand from electrification.
The province is also twinning the Garden City Skyway, a significant transportation infrastructure project that includes construction of a new four-lane, 2.2-kilometre bridge across the Welland Canal, reducing gridlock, connecting more people to jobs and providing a crucial link between Ontario’s international border crossings and the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Significant business investments in Niagara include the start of construction of Asahi Kasei’s $1.7 billion manufacturing facility in Port Colborne, as well as a $200 million investment by Jungbunzlauer Canada to expand its existing facility in Port Colborne and a substantial investment by Airbus Helicopters Canada to increase manufacturing capacity in Fort Erie.
I was able to announce the completion of three fibre-optic broadband infrastructure projects in Niagara, bringing high-speed Internet access to 5,406 previously underserved homes and businesses across the region, including in Pelham.
Ontario is also supporting the growing number of aging seniors in Niagara West by increasing funding to expand services and activities at a number of local Seniors Active Living Centres. In Niagara West, the funding supports seniors programming at the Livingston Activity Centre in Grimsby, Lincoln Community Centre in Beamsville and Meridian Community Centre in Fonthill.
The province is also supporting local seniors with the redevelopment of the 256-bed Linhaven Long-Term Care Home in St. Catharines, nearing completion, and construction of a new 256-bed Extendicare Long-Term Care Home in Niagara West, located adjacent to the St. Catharines Site of Niagara Health.
The Ontario government is investing $2,136,524 to connect more people to interprofessional primary care teams and family doctors in Niagara through the Niagara Ontario Health Team, as well as supporting the expansion of hospice care, adding new beds to McNally House in Grimsby and Hospice Niagara at Foyer Richelieu in Welland.
Through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the province is supporting the Fonthill Branch of the Lincoln Pelham Public Library with a grant of $200,000 to provide new accessible shelving, as well as $112,000 in funding to support a horse therapy program for local at-risk children and vulnerable youth at Horse Sense for Kids in Fenwick.
The Ontario government is investing over $4.7 million through the Skills Development Fund in three Niagara-based projects that will provide free training to 2,318 youth, apprentices and jobseekers that will prepare them for in-demand careers in the skilled trades.
As I look back on this past year, I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me to represent you at Queen’s Park. As your Member of Provincial Parliament, and in my new role as Associate Minister of Energy – Intensive Industries, I am working hard to ensure Niagara West has a strong local voice at the provincial capital.
I look forward to hosting my annual New Year’s Levée, Saturday, January 11, at Branch 613 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Fonthill. This is a great opportunity to ring in the New Year together and for constituents to share their local priorities and concerns.
From me and my wife, Keri, along with our children, Sullivan and Florence, and on behalf of my colleagues at the Legislature of Ontario, I wish you the best as we look forward to a New Year.
Sam Oosterhoff represents the Niagara West riding at Queen's Park.
