Record Number of People Engaged to Help Shape the 2017 Budget
Record Number of People Engaged to Help Shape the 2017 Budget
Ontario Wraps Up Pre-Budget Consultations
February 28, 2017 8:20 A.M.
This year, more than 81,400 people participated in consultations to help shape policies and programs that will be part of the 2017 Ontario Budget - breaking a previous record set last year.
Through 13 weeks of engagement, people participated in a number of ways including:
• 12 in-person pre-budget consultations held in 11 cities across Ontario, including Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Mississauga, Hamilton, London and Windsor, with more than 480 attendees, including more than 380 speakers
• Four telephone town halls, which included more than 70,000 participants
• More than 680 written submissions mailed or e-mailed to the government
• Budget Talks, an innovative online consultation, resulting in more than 10,300 registered users, which includes more than 400 project idea submissions, and 19,229 votes for ideas people would like to see implemented in the Budget
Engaging the people of Ontario in the budget process is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
QUOTES
" It’s important we hear directly from people about their priorities as we develop the 2017 Budget. Thank you to all those who participated – whether they came to an in-person consultation, submitted an idea online, voted for an idea, called into a telephone town hall or shared their perspective in writing – we are glad you want to be a part of this process. I would also like to thank my colleagues from all parties for their commitment and for sharing what they heard in their consultations."
- Charles Sousa
Minister of Finance
" Pre-budget consultations are important to me because they provide an opportunity for us to hear from people about what is important to them. This year we heard from thousands of people about their priorities for Ontario—in-person, through written testimony, presentations at legislative committees, online through Budget Talks, and during our telephone town halls. Using this valuable feedback, we will be able to deliver a strong 2017 Budget that reflects the priorities of Ontarians."
- Yvan Baker
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance
QUICK FACTS
• Through Budget Talks, the government will provide $3 million to fund up to eight proposals as part of the 2017 Budget, making Ontario the first province to commit to funding ideas from the public as part of its budget process.
• The results of the public vote and ideas selected for implementation will be announced as part of the 2017 Budget.
LEARN MORE
• Read the 2016 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review
• Learn more about Ontario’s financial cycle
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Jjessica Martin 2/28/2017 |
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