Ontario's secret $650M mega spa deal sparks outcry: prioritizing luxury over essential services
TORONTO, Dec. 4, 2023 /CNW/ - The Province of Ontario has signed a secret 95-year lease with Austrian Company Therme to build a private mega spa on prime public waterfront land at Ontario Place in Toronto. The project will cost Ontarians hundreds of millions and destroy an internationally significant landscape.
The government's commitment to this project includes a $650M investment in a 2,000-car underground parking garage and infrastructure upgrades. Rather than channeling funds into this extravagant venture, which stands to benefit a privileged few, the $650M could pay for essential services such as:
7000 nurses1 Ontario is suffering from nursing shortages and burn out in the health care system. "Nurses and health-care professionals are speaking out in our own words to share the bleak realities we face as we hold together a system starved of resources by this government," https://nursestalktruth.ca
3250 affordable housing units2 Ontario's Housing Action Plan target is 1.5M new homes by 2031, with affordable housing a lynchpin to solving the housing crisis. In their 2023 Hunger Report, Feed Ontario states, "22% of food bank visitors have housing costs that exceed their monthly income."
800 long-term care beds3 The Ford government pledged to build 30,000 long-term care beds by 20284. The number of persons aged 85 and older has doubled since 2001, reaching 861,000 in 2021. https://www.carp.ca/our-advocacy/ltc/
Hard-working Ontarians are struggling to pay for essentials. Resources are lacking in almost every realm. The lack of local health care, long-term care, housing, and other services affects our communities across the province.
"The government's current path with Ontario Place is a clear indication of where its priorities lie ? and sadly, it's not with the everyday needs of Ontarians," said Emmy Egulu, Ontario Place for All Steering Committee member. "The Government is setting a dangerous precedent that will impact communities across the province, allowing private companies to take control of public assets through backroom deals and get massive subsidies from our tax dollars."
The Government of Ontario will be voting on crucial legislation to force this project through in the coming week. For more information, visit Ontario Place for All where Ontarians can also contact their MPPs directly to share their thoughts on this issue: www.ontarioplaceforall.com/takeaction
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1 https://rnao.ca |
2 https://r-hauz.ca |
3 https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/northern-heights-building-costs-soar-up-31-per-cent-since-2021-7115699 |
SOURCE Ontario Place for All
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