Given by Tina Agrell, Chair, AWH, Jan.27,2020:
It has been said that a budget is a theological document, it shows what you believe in. In a speech to the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference January 20, 2020 the Premier said “We need to ensure everyone, no matter where they live in Ontario, has access to a good job, the opportunity to start their own business, start a family, and the chance to build a better life for themselves and a better future for Ontario.”
Women in Halton wholeheartedly share that belief and so there are a few things we would ask the Provincial Government to consider.
Apply a gender lens – We would ask you to conduct a Gender Based Analysis of Ontario budgets to ensure that women will have their interests protected.
Pay Equity – We would ask you to introduce proactive pay equity legislation for provincially-regulated workers. Women’s participation in the paid labour force doesn’t just benefit women—it helps the whole economy. A study by the Royal Bank of Canada estimates that the GDP could grow by 21 per cent if women had pay equity.
Access to education and training – To achieve the goals of greater gender equity in the labour market, women need access to affordable, high quality post-secondary education.
Young women are less likely to obtain degrees in high-demand fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which can offer better career and income opportunities. Specific funding and apprenticeships would help eliminate barriers in these fields. We would ask you to create a plan that facilitates the education and training of women.
Reliable and affordable childcare – would allow women to contribute to productivity in the province. But according to Statistics Canada, Ontario has the highest cost of full-time childcare in Canada. Affordable, quality day care is still the stuff of dreams. We would ask you to work on the implementation of a Provincial Early Learning and Childcare Framework
Comprehensive gender violence strategy and action plan – Ontarians spend millions a year coping with the terrible price of violence against women. We would ask you to ensure that no one fleeing domestic violence is left without a place to turn by growing and maintaining Ontario’s network of shelters and transition houses.
Affordable housing – The Investment in Affordable Housing for Ontario program was designed to provide over $800 million in funding to improve access to affordable housing over six years. But the program will end March 31, 2020 although the need is still there. What will replace the program? We would ask you to design a Provincial Housing Strategy, perhaps offering incentives to private investors, to introduce innovative projects that develop affordable housing.
Investing in the future – to safeguard Ontario in years to come we would ask you to ensure the uninterrupted education of our children and for our grandchildren we would ask you to focus on the development of environmental protection and the creation of jobs in a green economy.
Our governments have consistently placed priority on tax cuts or eliminating the deficit. Keeping taxes low means making choices that impact the most vulnerable members of Ontario’s population. And invariably that means women.
This year there is a projected surplus of almost 1 per cent of GDP between what we collect in revenues and what we spend. According to the Centre for Policy Alternatives, 1 per cent of GDP could fund a provincial childcare program, an affordable housing strategy, a post-secondary granting strategy and still leave more for any other initiatives.
More than 50% of voters in Ontario are women. Our dreams of a decent, egalitarian society are reasonable —and with a little work, they are practical.
Advancement of Women Halton 