Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic expressed his approval of the province’s emphasis on job creation, business assistance, and tariff relief in the recent Fall Economic Outlook.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy shared the updated financial figures on Thursday, revealing that the province’s deficit has surged to $16.9 billion due to economic uncertainties stemming from U. S. trade actions and broader global economic challenges.
The mini-budget included previously announced strategies aimed at addressing the trade dispute, such as almost $9 billion in aid for the province’s auto and steel industries impacted by tariffs, along with the “Ontario Competitiveness Tax Cut,” a new provincial tax relief plan worth $8 billion intended to encourage business investments.
“We welcome the province’s continued focus on helping workers and businesses respond to tariff pressures,” said Vrbanovic in a statement.
“These supports can help local employers manage uncertainty, pursue new opportunities and, most importantly, keep people working.”
Vrbanovic pointed out that Kitchener is one of Canada’s most trade-dependent areas, with 15 percent of its workforce employed in manufacturing.
He mentioned that this additional support from the province aligns with Kitchener’s own efforts towards providing tariff relief and supporting local initiatives.
“As Kitchener continues to grow, we need strong, predictable and long-term provincial investment in municipal infrastructure so we can keep pace with that growth.”
Vrbanovic also expressed his satisfaction with transportation projects initiated by the province, including ongoing work on the new Highway 7 connecting Kitchener and Guelph (which involves replacing the Frederick Street bridge) and enhancements to the Kitchener GO Line.
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