Media Release
Business Advocate Supports Auditor General’s Recommendations for Fiscal Accountability
December 6, 2018(Toronto, December 6, 2018) – Today, Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released the following statement in response to the Auditor General’s 2018 Annual Report.
“The Auditor General’s latest annual report underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of Ontario’s public finances. We are pleased to see that, for the first time in three years, the Auditor General concluded that the Province presented its financial statements fairly and without material errors following changes introduced by the newly elected government.
“However, the report also noted that the level of Ontario’s public debt continues to be a serious concern. The OCC agrees that the Province should develop a long-term debt reduction plan that communicates long-term targets to legislators and the public.
“The Auditor General’s value-for-money audits revealed several opportunities for improving the cost-effectiveness of government programs and services. Recommended reforms will strengthen Ontario’s long-term fiscal sustainability and support economic prosperity.
“Nuclear energy is critical to our long-term energy security, and Ontario Power Generation (OPG)’s refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station will contribute to a supply of clean, affordable electricity. The OCC supports the Auditor General’s recommendations that OPG continue to reassess project risks on a regular basis, regularly report progress in a transparent manner, and collaborate with other stakeholders to increase the supply of skilled tradespeople needed to complete the refurbishment. These steps will help to ensure the project is delivered on-time and on-budget.
“Additionally, we agree with the Auditor General’s assessment of the challenges related to transit governance in the GTHA. In our latest report, Moving Forward: Towards a Strategic Approach to Ontario’s Transportation Needs (Part 1), the OCC called on the Province to unlock Metrolinx’s potential by clarifying the agency’s span of authority – an objective the Ontario Government aims to achieve through the changes proposed to the Metrolinx Act, 2006 under Bill 57. We strongly urge the government to take a rigorous, evidence-based approach to building the transit infrastructure that Ontario needs.
“As Ontario’s business advocate, we look forward to continuing to work with the Government of Ontario to enhance fiscal accountability and strengthen economic prosperity across our province.”
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For more information please contact:
Ceara Copps – Edwards
Communications Advisor
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
647-243-3562
cearacoppsedwards@occ.ca
About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan voice of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.