THUNDER BAY – Ontario PC Labour Critic Randy Hillier says, “Dalton McGuinty just doesn’t understand our economy. One would have thought that being placed on Credit Watch by Moody’s would have been an indication to the Premier that we need to create more jobs in the New Year, not start the first day of 2012 by implementing a job-killing tax hike on the backs of small business.” Hillier criticized Premier McGuinty today for refusing to postpone the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Bill 119). Bill 119 will spike WSIB premiums for employers and cost job-creators across the province on average an additional $11,000 per year. On January 1st, 2012, the McGuinty Liberals will proclaim Bill 119 into law; the legislation will ensnare the entire construction sector into the web & costly chaos of the WSIB regardless of whether their employees ever work on the jobsite.
“The Ontario PCs and Industry groups have detailed for years now that this is an atrocious plan that will unduly raise WSIB premiums and layoffs will be the consequence.” said Hillier. “It had appeared that McGuinty had heeded our recommendation as he put off proclaiming the legislation for over two years. But now he has chosen to sneak in this tax increase on New Years day hoping the public and media won’t notice.”
The PCs charge, “While the McGuinty Liberals are trying to spin this WSIB tax hike as a means to increase workplace safety, the reality is these businesses already have private insurance yet will legally be forced to double up their costs and also pay into WSIB”.
“The Premier has no concern or concept of creating jobs in this province, but he does an exceptional job passing intrusive legislation that kills jobs,” said Hillier. “These small business owners in the construction industry will be forced to pay insurance premiums for secretaries and office managers as if they were on the jobsite themselves, simply because McGuinty needs more of their money to fund the WSIB’s $14 Billion unfunded liability and it’s wasteful ways.”