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More provincial infrastructure money over the next decade could help fuel regional road revamps, says Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti.

“Obviously, four-laning of Highway 17 and improved highway infrastructure is something that I have strongly advocated for,” Orazietti said Thursday from Toronto, not long after the Ontario Liberals announced in their budget $29 billion over the next 10 years on public transit and transit infrastructure, split between projects in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area ($15 billion) and the rest of the province ($13.9 billion).

“So I'm certainly pleased to see this funding is in the budget."

The Natural Resources minister cautioned, however, increased federal participation has to happen.

"(Ottawa) has been funding the Trans-Canada Highway at well below historic levels,” Orazietti said. The Ontario Liberals tabled a $130.4-billion budget Thursday afternoon, containing few surprises thanks to leaks, ongoing for weeks. Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp., CEO Tom Dodds said increased infrastructure funding could bode well for a community “trying for ages” to get a port and whose rail lines play a significant role.

In 2010, some $30 million in provincial/federal infrastructure dollars were tapped to rehabilitate the once-threatened Huron Central Railway.

"Similarly, the Algoma Central Railway, the CN line, has similar challenges from an infrastructure standpoint,” Dodds said.

CN announced in January it was cutting passenger service from Sault Ste. Marie to Hearst, blaming the federal government for cutting a subsidy necessary to keep the service running. Last month, Ottawa agreed to extend a $ 2.2-million subsidy for one year so that CN rail would continue to provide service.

"So, now we'll presumably have the infrastructure support that would help us with that, as well," Dodds said.

"In addition, anything that assists the community to be more competitive in its ability to get goods to the market ( is welcome). Being in Northern Ontario, that's one of our challenges is that we don't have a big local market. We have to export to grow the community. I'm encouraged by that." Orazietti especially praised a bid to create a new provincially based pension plan, which, with its aging population, would be a boon to the Sault.

"It's clear the provinces want enhanced retirement security for their citizens, and I don't think that's any different in Sault Ste. Marie,” he told The Sault Star. Ottawa has not expressed any plan to expand the CPP.

“I know that citizens of our community want the ability to retire with security and dignity,” Orazietti said.

“That's very important to us and the federal government is not listening to what the provinces are saying with regard to CPP enhancement."

The Liberals say this year's $11.3-billion deficit is lower than had been projected, but is likely to swell by another $1 billion next year. The province still says it intends to balance its budget by 2017-18. The Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program to assist the region’s industrial electricity consumers with $360 million over three years is to be extended. The program, Orazietti said, reduces electricity costs by as much as 25 Percent for such major employers as Essar Steel Algoma, Tenaris Tubes and Flakeboard Company Ltd.

The minimum wage will rise from $10.25 to $11 on June 1, and future increases will be tied to inflation. Front-line childcare workers see a $1 per hour jump in 2015 and another $1 in 2016, while personal support workers, who provide in-home care to the elderly and the ill, will see a $1.50 per hour raise in 2014-15, another $1.50 in 2015-16 and another $1 in 2016-17. The base wage for PSWs would be $16.50 an hour by 2017. Thousands of unionized personal support workers, employed by Red Cross Care Partners, walked off the job across Ontario late last year.

"They have raised these issues around their working conditions and salaries, mainly their compensation,” Orazietti said.

"As most people know, they have very modest wages at present. We've recognized that and those dollars will be allocated to that." Sault Area Hospital applauds the PSW wage increase.

"We certainly want to see our patients be able to move back out into the community, either in their own homes or in assisted living,” said hospital spokesperson Mario Paluzzi Thursday afternoon following the budget announcement. “Certainly, PSWs play a role in that and anybody in the health-care system We're happy to see that they feel like they're fulfilled and they're happy doing what they're doing. It helps the whole system." Smokers will also cough up more for cigarettes. The cost of a carton is going up by $3.25 cents.

"(Smoking-relate illness) is the No. 1 preventable cost in our health-care system and we need to ensure we're making investments that we need to make, as well,” Orazietti said. The government is also willing to provide $1 billion toward infrastructure development in the Ring of Fire mineral deposit, provided the federal Conservatives match that figure.

"We do need the federal government to come to the table,” Orazietti said.

Some $11 billion will be spent over 10 years to build new elementary and secondary schools in densely populated areas and the province also plans to spend $32 million to expand school breakfast and lunch programs. Dodds said such investment will help the bottom line - a few years down the road.

"(It’s) one thing I don't think people would look at, at least in the short-term economic development perspective, but I think is really critical to the long-term future of the community and the province, is that focus on primary education,” he said.

"That seems like a real stretch, but those core competencies and developing and focussing I've often said the best dollar spent on economic development is the dollar spent at the earliest age of a child's education." Premier Kathleen Wynne has told New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath she has a week to decide whether or not to support the minority government, or let it fall.

"Obviously, I won't presuppose what they may do on a vote on the budget or abstaining on a vote on the budget,” Orazietti said.

Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Mike Mantha was meeting with his NDP caucus Thursday night and could not be reached for comment. Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak has said his party won't support the Liberals. Orazietti said the budget contains elements that should be attractive to the New Democrats.

“I'm optimistic the significant level of supports that are being provided for seniors, for children in our community, the infrastructure investments and the continuation of strong support for our public services  I believe with a thorough (analysis) of the key elements of the budget, I think this is a budget that should be supported by all members of the Ontario legislature."

Source-On Request