AngusCharlie_NDPThe federal NDP have some big plans to reinvigorate Norther Ontario’s economy.

Speaking from the official platform launch in Sudbury, Timmins-James Bay MP, Charlie Angus says they’ll be pledging hundred of millions of dollars to revive the forestry sector and bring back sustainable jobs.

“Under Stephen Harper, we lost 13,000 jobs in Northern Ontario over the past year alone. An NDP government will invest in strengthening our northern econ omy and creating good sustainable jobs in our communities. A strong NDP Team will make sure Northern concerns are heard in Ottawa.”

With a plan geared specifically to Northern Ontario, an NDP government will:

  • · Upgrade FedNor to a full standalone regional economic agency and increase its funding by $12.6 million;
  • ·Unlock the potential of the “Ring of Fire” deposits by investing $1 billion in strategic infrastructure over the next 20 years;
  • · Support the growing agriculture sector in the north by investing in rural economies;
  • · Fix the Nutrition North food subsidy program by immediately including the 25 fly-in communities in Northern Ontario that have been unfairly excluded, and
  • · Improve critical First Nations infrastructure such as schools, drinking water facilities, roads and other essential services, starting with new investments of $447 million over four years.

“A safe community is one where the roads and bridges are sound, railways are properly inspected and maintained, and where you can drink water out of the tap. That’s what we want for all of Northern Ontario.”