WATERLOO – A new report from the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) shows that the Ford government withheld $5.5 billion in promised spending, shortchanging health care and supports for children with autism. NDP finance critic Catherine Fife released the following statement:
“Instead of withholding $1.3 billion that he promised to spend on health care, Ford should be doing everything in his power to get through Ontario’s 21 million backlogged medical procedures and surgeries. Ford is forcing millions of Ontarians to wait in pain, while their health deteriorates, for procedures like heart bypass surgeries or knee replacements because he refuses to spend the money.
When it comes to the autism program, families are already forced to wait years to access supports that don’t even meet the needs of their child. Today’s report reveals a gut-wrenching and devastating fact to every family watching their child’s developmental potential slip away as they wait for help — Ford is only spending around half of what he promised, so their children will have to wait even longer.
Ontarians need their government to keep investing in the services they rely on as we recover from the pandemic. Life is getting harder in Ontario under Doug Ford, and today’s FAO report shows Ford isn’t interested in helping everyday families.”