Editorial
By David Zimmer MPP(Willowdale)

Today's seniors - our parents and our grandparents - are the people who helped build Ontario into a province we can all be proud of. They've earned the right to dignity and a decent standard of living.

This is why our government has introduced plans in the 2008 budget for a new property tax grant, to help low and moderate income senior homeowners offset their municipal property taxes.

Under the new program, seniors would receive as much as $250 in 2009 and up to $500 in 2010.

This, combined with the existing property and sales tax credit to seniors, means low and moderate seniors could see up to $1,075 in total tax relief in 2009, and up to $1,325 in 2010.

The qualifications are simple. You must be age 65 or older, and own your home. Single seniors with an income of less than $50,000 are eligible for the grant, as are senior couples with an income of less than $60,000.

This program will assist more than 550,000 senior households beginning in 2009 and up to 600,000 when it is fully implemented in 2010.

Of course, seniors face many other challenges. In addition to the new property tax rebate, the 2008 Ontario Budget includes several new initiatives to help seniors across the province.

We are increasing the staffing levels in Ontario’s long term care facilities, hiring of 2,000 more nurses and 2,500 more personal support care workers over the next three years. We’ve also committed $278 million over the next three years to address the program needs in long-term care homes.

Our government has committed an additional $180 million over the next three years to make continuous improvements in emergency-department wait times and patient satisfaction, and an additional $64 million over the next three years to provide approximately 12,400 additional general surgeries. This number will grow to approximately 30,000 additional surgeries in 2010-11

We are investing more than $700 million over the next three years to provide additional community services such as home care, supportive housing and other community supports.

And we are investing $154 million over the next three years to build upon the province's cancer screening program to increase early detection and treatment of breast, cervical and colorectal cancers.

These are some of the initiatives our government is putting in place so our parents and our grandparents benefit from an improved health care system, long term care support and support with finances.

There are those right now who believe the only solution to Ontario's challenges is to call for more cuts to pay for broader tax breaks alone. I believe that's short sighted.

I'm proud that the McGuinty government is committed to providing seniors the treatment, the care, the dignity they deserve.

Investing in seniors, along with other services, is an important part of a stronger Ontario.

To learn more about what’s in the 2008 Ontario Budget, visit www.ontariobudget.ca or contact my office at 416-733-7878.