WYNNE NOT CONTEMPLATING SALES TAX HIKE TO FUND INFRASTRUCTURE
Aug 15, 2017
By Bob Komsic
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Premier Kathleen Wynne rejects a proposal from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, which proposes the provincial portion of the HST should be raised by 1%.
(File photo)
But Wynne says residents already pay 8% in provincial sales tax and that she would not raise it any higher.
”That’s not something that I’ll consider. We’re right now trying to help people get ahead. People are having a hard time making ends meet, so this is not something that we would consider.”
The premier points to her government’s previously announced plan to spend $190-billion on infrastructure the next 13 years.
While acknowledging the plan, AMO still expects municipalities will struggle with infrastructure funding the next decade.
The association says raising the provincial sales tax by 1% would generate another $2.5-billion which should go directly toward infrastructure and distributed among municipalities.
Wynne says she’s open to discussions with AMO to look at funding options other than provincial sales taxation.