Leardi gives his thoughts on Ontario budget

Essex MPP Anthony Leardi (centre) reviews a copy of the 2025 Ontario budget while sitting in the provincial Legislature.

The 2025 Ontario budget has recently been revealed and the Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the area is touting it as a good budget for the region and province.

Essex MPP Anthony Leardi believes his government’s budget is a positive one with some components that are key for this area. Taxes are being lowered for the wine, beer and spirits industry, something Leardi said is “hypertaxed.”

That industry still has to pay their share of taxes, but Leardi said the tax burden is less.

“We’re lowering the taxes so they can be more competitive with their U.S. counterparts,” said Leardi. “That’s good for the wine industry and the craft beer industry in Essex County.”

Leardi said he put out a survey a few months ago and the most popular reply was not having new taxes. According to the Essex MPP, Premier Doug Ford and his governments have not introduced new taxes since 2018.

“We are not introducing any new taxes again in this budget,” he said.

A nurse practitioner-led clinic in Kingsville has rostered 1,200 people and Leardi said his goal is to have another 1,200 people rostered at another Essex County clinic.

Tariffs and trade with the United States was a big issue during the provincial election campaign earlier this year and Leardi said $9 billion in taxes is being deferred to help counterbalance that. He said businesses such as manufacturing and other industries may face a “cash crunch” due to tariffs, so the province is delaying the taxes.

“We’re not forgiving the taxes,” said Leardi. “We are deferring them for six months. We’re making sure businesses have the cash they need to get through this very disruptive tariff tit-for-tat.”

Intra-provincial free trade is also being welcomed in Ontario, the PC MPP stated.

“Doug Ford is tearing all of those barriers down,” said Leardi. “Just ask for it.”

More and more people are being connected with primary care, he added, and there is also funding for “surgical centres.” He said those centres can deal with various procedures, citing cataract surgeries as an example.

“You don’t have to go to the hospital,” he said. “They’ll book you and get you done in weeks. You don’t have to wait months.”

Everything covered by OHIP ten years ago is still covered today, he maintained.

“If anyone tells you healthcare is being privatized, they are dead wrong,” said Leardi. “Everything covered by OHIP is still covered and more.”

According to Leardi, the same holds true for education as he stated people who state there are cuts are “flat wrong.”“They are totally wrong.”

Overall, Leardi believed his party’s budget is good for Ontarians.

“We’re lowering taxes and we’re helping businesses,” he said. “This trade dispute with (U.S. President) Donald Trump is going to cause disruptions. The Ontario government is ready for it. We have a strong mandate from the voters.” Leardi gives his thoughts on Ontario budget

By Ron Giofu