The ROI asked him to:
-
Commit to a process for preparing a comprehensive, integrated regional economic
development policy framework – one that enables place-based development. Dr.
David Freshwater provides the economic rationale for this in his “Growth
Beyond Cities” Rural Ontario Foresight Paper.
-
Invest to promote growth in small towns where there is under-utilized public
infrastructure and thereby encourage good jobs that build the local tax base –
achieved while avoiding duplicating new investment in similar infrastructure
elsewhere.
-
Direct investment toward rural workforce skills shortages which are limiting
business growth and can be addressed by:
• developing a new funding
formula for schools that keeps education accessible – it is not acceptable that
rural high school completion rates fall below urban areas;
• supporting programs which
support youth transitions from post-secondary to local job markets;
• building up satellite
community college programs to focus on regional training needs;
• contributing to attainable
housing programs; and,
• targeting the provincial
nominee program to more effectively integrate newcomers to Canada coming to
small towns bringing needed skill sets and credentials.
-
Scale up broadband investment. The Ontario government has committed to digital
service delivery and recognizes that broadband is necessary for education,
business and health innovation. The current funding approach is not sufficient
and is leaving many behind. Ontario must scale up investment and we must set
our sights much higher than 5 MBPs
-
Recognize that rural health outcomes are poorer than in urban centres and
embrace the argument of how these are a symptom of a much greater inequity in
the broader social determinants of health (such as income/education/social
isolation/inadequate housing). This divide is costly to the provincial system
but can be remedied in part with a strengthened approach to government services
such as education, accessible health care, infrastructure investment and
high-speed internet.
“This is the first time the
Institute’s presence has been requested at a pre-budget consultation,” says
Rural Ontario Institute chief executive officer, Rob Black.
