https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/northern-ontario-budget-reaction-march-24-2021-1.5962537

COVID budget doesn't have a lot of specifics for the north, analyst says

'I'm a bit surprised there's no mention yet, again, of the Ring of Fire,' says David Tabachnick

Nipissing University political science professor David Tabachnick. (Erik White/CBC )

There aren't many specifics for northern Ontario in today's provincial budget, says a professor of political science at Nipissing University.

David Tabachnick says the north will benefit from the $1 billion for the COVID 19 vaccination campaign and the $1.8 billion hospitals are getting to cope with any surge in COVID patients and to handle the backlog of surgeries, but he doesn't see a lot in the budget design for the north itself.

"We will, of course, benefit from the spending on things like municipalities and small business grants. But for the north itself, there is not a heck of a lot, frankly," he said.

"There is a little bit of money for further mining exploration for junior mining companies, but I'm a bit surprised there's no mention yet, again, of the Ring of Fire and the development of that very expensive project, which could potentially bring a lot to the north."

Tabachnick notes there is mention of a $2.8 million broadband expansion program, because the region is under-served by broadband, "although some new technology, satellite technologies, may make this fibre optic technology out of date."

There's also an extra $50 million for the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, as well as money for tourism.

"I think that will definitely benefit the north. And we have a lot of outfitters and tourist operators that desperately need that money," Tabachnick said, adding that a tax credit to travel in Ontario may help bring people to the north to spend their money on tourism, when it is safe to do so.

For those hoping to see funding for Ontario Northland, the news is underwhelming.

There was "merely an investment of $5 million to explore the issue further," he said.

"That's basically all we get around passenger rail. And it's a bit disappointing here, especially in North Bay where I am, the return of passenger rail to northeastern Ontario was one of the things MPP Vic Fideli ran on. I'm not going to count on it before the next election, frankly."

The next election is scheduled for June 2, 2022.

Will this budget help Ontario's Conservatives get re-elected? 

"I would have to say that the good grades the government got initially for the COVID response has sort of come back down, looking at the polls," Tabachnick said.

"It certainly won't help them if they're trying to impress their fiscally conservative base, because this is a massive spending budget with a very large deficit. And the idea that they won't get back to balance or surplus until almost 10 years later is a bit unusual for a Conservative party. But, of course, it makes perfect sense in our context."

Tabachnick predicts the Conservatives will wait until the next budget, "to see something a little more substantial, a little more targeted and designed to get them re-elected."