New services that make life better for everyone
Public services make life better for all Ontarians. They help families stay on track. They help communities grow. And they help businesses succeed.
A strong network of public services has allowed Ontario to lead the country for decades. But Liberal and Conservative governments have eroded those services — with cuts, with privatization, or by failing to keep up with demand or inflation. Now, services you’ve come to count on aren’t there when you need them.
Andrea Horwath and the NDP understand the difference that quality public services can make. That’s why we aren’t just going to undo the damage of 20 years of cuts and neglect. We’re going to move Ontario forward with bold new universal programs that meet the needs of a changing, modern province: dental care, prescription drug care and affordable child care.
“We thank the NDP for your leadership... and setting the bar high with this comprehensive forward-looking Ontario Benefits plan. It is setting a gold standard in terms of policy thinking on access to oral health care.”
— Association of Ontario Health CentresOur changes for the better
Dental care for everyone
One in three working people don’t have a workplace benefits plan. Too many people go without basic dental care because they can’t afford to see a dentist.
Nobody should have to live in pain, or suffer permanent damage because they couldn’t afford dental care. And nobody should have to rack up credit card bills just to get essential care for themselves or their kids.
That’s why Andrea Horwath is committed to dental care for everyone — delivering lower costs, less worry and better health for Ontarians.
Ontario Benefits
With our plan, every worker will have workplace benefits for themself and their family. That includes people in part-time or casual jobs, in a plan that follows you, job to job.
We’ll begin by setting a minimum standard of dental coverage, ensuring people have access to essential care.
We’ll require every employer to provide dental benefits to workers and their families that meet a minimum standard of coverage.
Ontario Public Dental
Andrea Horwath and the NDP will extend public dental coverage to every senior without retiree benefits, and to every person on social assistance, ensuring that over 2 million more Ontarians are eligible for public dental coverage.
We will expand public dental services at those locations with capital investments of at least $25 million to build new dental suites and operate mobile dental buses, especially in rural, remote and Northern communities.
Pharmacare for everyone
No one should ever go without the medication they need because of the cost.
But for 2.2 million Ontarians, a prescription comes with a price tag — because they have no drug coverage at all.
Andrea Horwath and the NDP will make Ontario the first province with universal pharmacare by 2020 — so every Ontarian can get the medication they need. It will mean lower costs, less worrying and better health for everyone. And unlike the Liberal government’s plan, nobody will be excluded.
$12-a-day child care
Nothing’s more important than knowing your children have the best, safest care possible. But the cost of child care is priced far out of reach for too many Ontario parents.
Andrea Horwath and the NDP will make sure every family can access affordable, high-quality, not-for-profit child care, based on three key principles:
- Child care must be affordable for everyone
- Public child care dollars should go to not-for-profit and public providers — funds shouldn’t pad the profits of private companies
- Early childhood educators deserve a fair wage that respects the vital work they do
If your household income is under $40,000, you won’t have to pay for public, licensed, not-for-profit child care. And if your household earns more, your fees will be based on ability to pay — with the average cost coming to $12 per day.
Over a first term, we will expand the number of not-for-profit, licensed, affordable child care spaces in Ontario by 202,000 spaces — a 51% increase, adding more than 10% every year.
This is what we're fighting for
Together, we can change Ontario for the better. Are you in?
