Six areas of interest have been outlined by the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce in the leadup to the provincial election, with energy and the Far North Act at the forefront of their platform.
The Chamber is encouraging greater use of nuclear energy to meet the needs of Ontario businesses over the next four years, in addition to the use of renewables such as wind, solar and bioenergy to reduce reliance on the provincial government subsidies and encourage investment in energy conservation technologies.
An increase in the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit for small businesses and an education campaign to encourage a switch to renewables and conservation-based technologies round out the energy requests from the Chamber.
With regard to the Far North Act, the Chamber urges respect and responsibility towards the First Nations communities involved, and additionally asks the province to identify the parameters for a land protection target of 50 per cent. The act's oversight should fall to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, and First Nations communities and businesses should be incorporated into the Far North land use strategy.
Infrastructure is also cited as an important component, with the Chamber suggesting funding is needed for municipalities with stable or declining populations so they can “meet the fixed costs of their infrastructure.”
Highway upgrades are needed along Hwys. 17, 144 and 11, and an increase in the gas tax refund from two cents per litre to four cents per litre is also needed, the document states.
Other highlights of the Chamber platform include the Northern Growth Plan, which the Chamber believes must be “reviewed, assessed and updated on a periodic basis,” as well as the shortage of skilled, which the Chamber believes can be addressed by tapping into the immigrant, First Nation and student populations.The Chamber is additionally calling for adjustments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in the form of full funding of 100 per cent, with an amortized funding period that will ensure the control of premium rates, and a review every five years. The platform calls for better screening and classification of companies at the outset.
More details from the document are available at www.sudburychamber.ca.
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