Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today on behalf of my constituents in Newmarket—Aurora to speak on economic action plan 2013. This is an excellent plan that continues our government's responsible focus on creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. I join so many others across the country in congratulating the Minister of Finance for tabling such a comprehensive document, created by a government that continues to listen, act and deliver results.
Since the depth of the global economic recession, the Canadian economy has created over 950,000 net new jobs, the best record among advanced economies. Economic action plan 2013 builds on this strong foundation by taking action in areas that my constituents have been asking for, as have all Canadians. It is focused on long-term growth and prosperity by connecting Canadians with available jobs, funding infrastructure and supporting Canada's manufacturing and small business sectors. It also stays on track to balance the budget by 2015. It increases federal transfer support to high records and keeps federal taxes at their lowest level in 50 years.
My constituents and local business community are especially pleased with the new Canada job grant, which will transform the way that Canadians receive skills training. We know that training in Canada is not sufficiently aligned to the skills employers need or to the jobs that are actually available. I have had businesses in my riding call to say how desperate they are for workers and ask what I can do to help. I am pleased that for the first time the Canada job grant will put skills training choices where they belong, in the hands of employers with unfilled jobs and Canadians who want to work.
Under the Canada job grant, individuals may qualify for up to $15,000 to learn new skills to accept a new or better job. How significant is this? The Canadian Chamber of Commerce said, “The measures announced in today's budget” are a significant step forward in “the federal government's attack on Canada's skills challenge”.
The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada said:
The government delivered a responsible budget for uncertain times. We welcome this skills training initiative. In creating the Job Grant fund, the federal government has shown leadership in addressing the growing skills gap. We encourage provinces to support it. All should benefit — employers, workers and governments.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation said that it applauds
the government's plans to overhaul job training and keep a lid on spending....
It's good to see Ottawa getting training money directly in the hands of young workers so they can land a good-paying job.
Economic action plan 2013 also introduces the new building Canada plan. This new infrastructure plan involves $70 billion in federal infrastructure funding over 10 years, the largest federal investment in job creating infrastructure in Canadian history. This landmark plan responds to the number one request that I heard from my constituents during my pre-budget consultations, to invest in infrastructure. It also responds to my mayor's requests for stable predictable funding while reducing the burden for local major infrastructure from the property tax rolls.
The building Canada plan has a number of important components. The first is the new community improvement fund. This fund will provide $32.2 billion over 10 years in base funding for Canadian municipalities. It will index the gas tax fund and increase the GST rebate to municipalities, which can be used to build roads, public transit, recreational facilities and other community infrastructure. The gas tax fund indexing alone represents another $74,000 into Newmarket—Aurora coffers each and every year. This is on top of the $3.7 million in the federal gas tax fund that they now receive annually.
The second component of the building Canada plan is the new building Canada fund. There will be $14 billion of the fund that will support major economic infrastructure projects that have a national and regional significance. The $10 billion provincial-territorial infrastructure portion will support projects of national, regional and local significance in communities across the country. This will include highways, public transit, drinking water, waster water, connectivity and broadband, and innovation
The $10 billion provincial-territorial infrastructure portion will support projects of national, regional and local significance in communities across the country. This will include highways, public transit, drinking water, waste water, connectivity and broadband and innovation.
The third significant component of the new building Canada plan is the renewed P3 Canada fund: $1.25 billion will be invested and leveraged to find innovative ways to build infrastructure projects faster and to provide better value for Canadian taxpayers. Under P3 arrangements, governments continue to own the infrastructure assets, while the private sector plays a larger role in their design, construction, operation and maintenance. In doing so, the private sector assumes a greater share of project risks.
The building Canada plan also allocates $6 billion in existing infrastructure funding and $17 billion to build, operate and maintain federal public infrastructure. This $70 billion in federal funding over 10 years to building or maintaining Canada's infrastructure is welcome news to my constituents.
What are Canadians saying about our building Canada plan? The Federation of Canadian Municipalities says, “Today's budget delivers significant gains for Canada's cities and communities”.
The Canadian Urban Transit Association lauded the federal government's building Canada plan as a major step for planning and developing public transit in Canadian communities, saying:
We're really pleased to see this kind of commitment for public transit infrastructure...Never before has a federal government invested so much in public transit...This budget provides a solid framework to ensure that this will continue.
The significant support for Canada's manufacturing and small business sectors is also very exciting. Economic action plan 2013 takes action in three ways to support Canada's manufacturers. It provides tax relief for new manufacturing equipment through the extension of the temporary accelerated capital allowance. It builds equipment for the Canadian armed forces. It helps Canada's manufacturers to compete through a new advanced manufacturing fund for southern Ontario, the continuation of the strategic aerospace and defence initiative, investments in forestry industry transformation and a renewed automotive innovation fund.
The automotive help in particular in this budget, combined with the skills training funding, will assist key parts of Newmarket—Aurora's industrial base to become more competitive, thereby helping to keep our local economies strong.
Economic action plan 2013 maintains our government's commitment to balancing the budget by 2015. It builds on our past efforts by announcing an additional $1.7 billion in ongoing savings from areas such as reduced travel costs through the use of technology, standardized government information systems and enhanced integrity of the tax system by closing tax loopholes to ensure that everyone pays their fair share.
We are also continuing to keep taxes low for families, seniors and businesses which is very welcome news for my constituents in Newmarket—Aurora. Since 2006, we have reduced taxes over 150 times and the average family of four is paying $3,200 less in federal taxes each and every year.
Seniors are also benefiting from our low tax plan, paying on average $2,200 less in taxes each year. I have had many residents thank me for our actions to keep more money in the pockets of people.
There are so many other ways that economic action plan helps everyday Canadians that I cannot possibly mention them all. From enhanced tax relief for families raising children or who use home care services, to supporting and honouring our veterans by doubling the current funeral service reimbursement, economic action plan 2013 helps Canadians in my riding of Newmarket—Aurora as well as those across the country.
I urge all my colleagues to support this excellent budget.
