NDP’s 2014 Platform- What’s the Plan for Food and Farming?

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Author: Jamelia Williams

Posted: May 27, 2014

Categories: GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Ontario / Ontario Food Policy / Policy News / Vote ON Food and Farming 2014

With just less than 3 weeks until the Provincial election is set to take place, last week, the New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Andrea Horwath, released their 2014 platform. In it, five (5) main goals have been outlined, under which specific plans are being proposed.

Here are the five main goals including some of their plans:

1. Respect your tax dollars and invest responsibly-

Save $600 million with a Minister of Savings and Accountability
Stop corporate tax giveaways and close tax loopholes
Toughen up rules on government partisan advertising
Appoint a Financial Accountability Office to stop waste before it happens

2. Reward job creators and get Ontario moving again-

Reward businesses that create jobs with a Job Creation Tax Credit
Cut the Small Business Tax Gradually to 3%
Prioritize high impact transit projects
Commit to widen 60 km of highways across Ontario every year

3. Take HST off hydro and make life more affordable –

Take the HST off home hydro bills
Reduce auto insurance by 15%
Freeze post-secondary tuition and make student loans interest-free
Prevent unfair price increases for natural gas consumers

4. Cut ER wait times in half and make healthcare a priority

Open new 24-hour Family Health Clinics
Support families caring for the ill or elderly with a Caregiver Tax Credit
Eliminate the waitlist for acute long-term care beds
Hire more nurse practitioners to treat and discharge
patients in ERs

5. Keep schools open and foster healthy communities

Bring back physical education teachers and keep children healthy and active
Create an “Open Schools” fund to prevent school closures and extend after-hour programs
Invest in student nutrition programs so children begin with a healthy start
Conduct an Environmental Assessment of pipeline projects that impact our communities

Two of these plans that are directly related to food and farming have been highlighted:

1. Bring back physical education teachers and keep children healthy and active –

The platform states that the party plans to invest in physical education and health initiatives. This includes “hiring up to 1,000 new health and physical education teachers by the end of their mandate.”

And,

2. Student nutrition programs investment-

As it pertains to student nutrition, the NDP has also stated that their plan will invest an “additional $15 million per year in student nutrition and local food initiatives, with the aim of promoting healthy eating and provide nutritious breakfasts and lunches.”

For a comprehensive look at the NDP’s platform, you can visit the NDP’s website.

Does this platform coincide with your vision for the future of healthy and local food and farming in Ontario? Let us know your thoughts.

For a summary of the other Parties’ Platforms: Ontario Progressive Conservatives, Green Party of Ontario, Ontario Liberal Party