Ontario Competes | Campaign Trail & Advocacy Updates – 2025 Ontario Election

Latest Campaign Updates

Progressive Conservative Party (PCs) – Leader: Hon. Doug Ford

• Congestion and taxes: The PCs plan includes removing tolls from Highway 407 East, banning congestion pricing on roads, and maintaining the provincial gas tax cut of 5.7 cents per litre. The PCs will introduce a Defence Security Investment Tax Credit to attract investment in critical technologies like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity while supporting job creation.
• Transportation: The PCs have proposed the construction of GO 2.0, an expanded GO train service in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, in partnership with the federal government, CPKC, and CN. The project would introduce new GO lines, expand two-way, all-day service for Milton and Kitchener, and build new stations while improving connections across the region. The party has also committed to reducing congestion and enhance passenger rail service, by exploring a freight rail bypass along Highway 407. The PCs plan to build a tunnel expressway under Highway 401 to ease gridlock, boost economic competitiveness, and create jobs. Part of a $15 billion infrastructure investment, the project will include vehicle and transit lanes stretching from Brampton and Mississauga to Markham and Scarborough. The PCs have pledged to prioritize the construction of a new interchange at Banwell Road and E.C. Row Expressway, as well as a new interchange at Highway 401 and the Lauzon Parkway extension that will support trade between the U.S. and Canada in Windsor and Essex.
• Tariffs and trade: In response to U.S. tariff threats, the PCs propose counter-tariffs and removing American-made alcohol from provincial shelves. They also announced they would ban Chinese components from future energy projects to secure Ontario’s grid and protect critical infrastructure. The plan includes expanding nuclear energy at Bruce Power, refurbishing hydroelectric stations, and building Canada’s first small modular reactors. It also commits to the largest battery storage procurement in Canadian history and new energy transmission infrastructure. The PCs plan on launching a $50 million Ontario Together Trade Fund to support businesses in expanding interprovincial markets, developing new opportunities, and strengthening supply chains. The PCs plan to abolish internal trade barriers, expand labour mobility, and support cross-provincial infrastructure like pipelines and railways. The party is also introducing a One-Project, One-Process approach to mining development to improve efficiency, streamline permitting, and accelerate approvals with clear service standards and timelines. This includes strict enforcement of regulatory deadlines under the Mining Act and assigning dedicated project managers to help navigate the system and ensure government accountability.
• Support for workers and businesses: The PCs plan to insulate businesses and workers from the impact of tariffs with measures including:

• • $1B in skills development funding for autoworkers transitioning to new trades.
  • $100M for employment support for workers vulnerable to trade disputes.
  • $10B in tax deferrals for businesses.
  • $3B in payroll tax relief for small businesses.
  • $120M in LCBO wholesale discounts for bars and restaurants.
  • $40M to help communities impacted by tariffs.
  • $300M to expand the Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit.
  • $600M for the Invest Ontario Fund to attract investments in key sectors.
  • $705 million in support to train thousands more students for in-demand roles in critical sectors.
  • Leveraging $30B in annual procurement to prioritize Ontario-made products.
• Border Safety: The PCs have outlined the party’s plan to strengthen Ontario’s border security and includes a $50 million investment in new OPP helicopters, expanded patrols, and increased enforcement efforts. The PCs have also advocated for stricter drug trafficking penalties, enhanced financial crime monitoring, and increased inspections of shipping containers from high-risk sources like China.
• Healthcare: The PCs have announced they will invest $1.8 billion to ensure everyone has access to a family doctor and primary care by 2029. They are expanding medical training, opening new medical schools, and addressing healthcare staffing shortages. Additionally, they are investing $50 billion in over 50 hospital construction and expansion projects across the province.

For more information on the PCs election priorities, please visit their official party platform

New Democratic Party (NDP) – Leader: Marit Stiles

• Education: The NDP plan to invest in Ontario’s schools includes addressing the repair backlog with an additional $830 million per year, hiring more teachers and support staff to reduce class sizes, and implementing a universal School Food Program using fresh, locally sourced food.
• Healthcare: The NDP unveiled the Family Health Guarantee to ensure every Ontarian has access to a family doctor. The plan includes recruiting 3,500 new doctors, hiring 350 physicians in Northern Ontario, reducing red tape, fast-tracking solutions within 100 days, and integrating 13,000 internationally trained doctors. The NDP pledge $4.05 billion over four years to fix public healthcare and provide real solutions. The party committed to legislating safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios to address Ontario’s healthcare crisis. The NDP plans to hire at least 15,000 nurses over three years, consult with nurses on staffing needs, and reduce reliance on costly private nursing agencies. Stiles pledged to strengthen public healthcare by ensuring hospitals are properly staffed so patients receive the care they deserve. The NDPs pledged to open a fully staffed, full-service hospital in Welland with a 24/7 emergency department and to restore services at the Port Colborne and Fort Erie Urgent Care Centres. The commitment aims to improve healthcare access across Niagara.
• Affordable housing: The NDP proposes increasing the availability of affordable housing units, strengthening tenant protections by reinstating real rent control, and building over 300,000 permanently affordable homes. They also plan to limit short-term rentals like Airbnbs.
• Taxes & Affordability: The NDP are advocating for a the Monthly Grocery Rebate to help families manage rising food costs. The rebate, based on household income and grocery price increases, aims to provide stable relief. The NDP also plans to crack down on price gouging by requiring big retailers to disclose significant price hikes and enforcing competition laws. The party plans to freeze taxes for 98% of Ontarians, for low- and -middle income earners, and make sure that the wealthiest 2% pay higher.
• Homeless encampments: The NDP plan includes creating 60,000 supportive housing units, uploading shelter funding to the province, and doubling social assistance rates.
• WSIB: The party has committed to ensure fair compensation for injured workers. The NDP plan includes lifelong compensation for work-related disabilities, restoring loss-of-earnings benefits to 85-90%, expanding healthcare coverage, and recognizing workplace disease clusters.
• Tariff threats and trade: The NDP Party has committed to protecting jobs by partnering with employers and unions, supporting trade-exposed industries like auto manufacturing, and promoting Ontario-made goods through a Buy Ontario campaign. The party proposes to address tariffs with a united approach and advocate for income assistance programs. Lastly, they plan to establish a Premier’s Task Force, invest in retraining, expand export markets, accelerate infrastructure projects, and support farmers by removing caps on risk management programs.

For more information on the NDP’s election priorities, please visit their official party platform

Ontario Liberal Party (OLP) – Leader: Bonnie Crombie

• Taxes and small businesses: The Liberals proposed the More for You Tax Cut, which includes eliminating HST on home heating and hydro bills, and cutting the small business tax rate from 3.2% to 1.6%, saving small business owners up to $18,000 a year. Liberals plan to slash taxes, saving thousands of dollars annually by permanently cutting income taxes for Ontario workers and eliminating sales tax (HST) on home heating and hydro bills.
• Housing: The Liberals’ More Homes You Can Afford plan aims to make housing more affordable by eliminating the provincial Land Transfer Tax for first-time homebuyers and removing Development Charges on middle-class housing, replacing them with the Better Communities Fund.
• Healthcare: The Liberals plan to improve healthcare by educating, attracting, and retaining 3,100 family doctors, expanding access through the Ontario Health Team network, and modernizing family medicine with electronic systems. They also advocate for extended evening and weekend appointments, expanded mental health services, and implementing pharmacare to cover essential medications. They will also double residency spaces, and accelerating accreditation for foreign-trained doctors
• Tariff threats and trade: The Liberals have proposed a plan to create more jobs and boost wages by launching a Fight Tariffs Fund, offering businesses low-interest loans to protect and grow jobs. The party will prioritize infrastructure investments in essential projects like hospitals, schools, roads, and transit while ensuring taxpayer money is spent wisely by excluding certain foreign companies from procurement. Additionally, they will work with other provinces to remove trade barriers and strengthen Canada’s economy through a unified approach.
• Transportation: The Liberals have pledged to expand the ION LRT by 17 km, accelerate hospital redevelopments at St. Mary’s and Grand River to add 500 beds and a new ER, and deliver all-day two-way GO Transit between Kitchener and Toronto. Crombie emphasized investing in public healthcare and transit as key priorities to support residents and ensure better access to essential services.

For more information on the Liberal’s election priorities, please visit their official party platform

Green Party of Ontario (GPO) – Leader: Mike Schreiner

• Agriculture and food: The Greens’ Grow Ontario Plan commits $150M to remove the cap on business risk management programs, protect farmland, invest in food processing, and establish an agri-tech fund. They also propose updating procurement rules to prioritize Ontario-grown products.
• Housing: The Greens advocate for removing development charges and the land transfer tax on homes under 2,000 sq. ft. within existing neighborhoods, supporting as-of-right construction of fourplexes and midrise buildings on transit corridors, and proposing an Affordable Communities Fund to assist municipalities with housing infrastructure.
• Tariff threats and trade: The Greens propose a tariff taskforce to defend Ontario businesses, an investment tax credit, a Protect Ontario Fund for industries hit by tariffs, a “Buy Ontario” procurement strategy, and efforts to diversify trade and reduce interprovincial barriers.
• Taxes: The Greens pledged to cut income taxes for individuals earning under $65,000 annually, saving them up to $1,700, while increasing taxes on the highest earners. The Greens’ proposal aims to ease financial burdens for lower-income individuals while ensuring wealthier Ontarians contribute more to public services.
• Affordable housing & ODSP: The party unveiled a plan to end legislated poverty by doubling Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW) rates, eliminating unfair clawbacks, and building 310,000 affordable homes. The plan ties future ODSP and OW increases to inflation and includes 60,000 supportive housing units with wraparound services to address the province’s growing affordability crisis.

For more information on the Green’s election priorities, please visit their official party platform

OCC Advocacy

News Releases

Ontario Election: OCC Calls on All Parties to Prioritize Solutions to Substance-Use Crisis

Canada’s Provincial Chambers Unite to Urge Premiers to Dismantle Internal Trade Barriers

Competitiveness Must Be the Priority This Election: Ontario Chamber

Media

Explore the media coverage that’s shaping the conversation around our Ontario Competes campaign. Our senior leadership team is engaging with top news outlets, providing in-depth analysis and sharing strategic insights into the election landscape, campaign priorities, and key milestones driving our momentum. These include Toronto Star, CBC London, The Logic, CBC Radio Canada, Toronto Star (Opinion)

2025 Election Priorities: A 4-point Action Plan to Support Business Competitiveness

Through consultation with our members across Ontario, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has developed Ontario Competes, a platform outlining our strategic priorities for the 2025 provincial election campaign. The goal is to provide Ontario with a strategy to strengthen its competitiveness through measures that support resilience and growth.

As Ontario’s indispensable partner of business, OCC is closely monitoring campaign developments and advocating for policies that support:

• A competitive business and trade environment
• Qualified people, diverse talent
• Healthy and sustainable communities
• Growth-enabling infrastructure

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By staying informed and engaged, Ontario’s business community can play a key role in shaping the province’s economic future. Stay tuned for updates!