The Progressive Conservatives are promising to increase Ontario Disability Support Program payments by five per cent annually — even though the change was not mentioned in the recent budget.
In a surprise move Monday, Conservative Leader Doug Ford said if re-elected on June 2, his government would raise ODSP rates by the largest amount since Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty more than a decade ago.
The $425-million pledge was not accounted for in Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s April 28 budget.
Ford said in a statement from North Bay that the Tories would then tie rates to inflation, guaranteeing annual increases.
ODSP currently pays up to $1,169 per month at a time when the inflation rate has soared to 6.7 per cent, the highest level since 1991.
“With the cost of living going up, we want to give vulnerable people across Ontario more support so they can pay for life’s essentials,” he said, attacking Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca and former premier Kathleen Wynne.
“While the Del Duca-Wynne Liberals froze ODSP rates, we’re going to increase them every year tied to inflation,” added the Tory chief.
“The other parties would rather talk about rising costs than delivering real relief. Instead of talk, the Ontario PCs are putting a few extra dollars back in their pockets
Even though the word “supports” was cited 40 times in Bethlenfalvy’s 241-page budgetwhich forecast spending a record $198.6 billion and boasts an inflated $19.9 billion deficit, there was nothing in the document about bolstering ODSP.
Tory campaign spokesperson Ivana Yelich confirmed it was not in the budget, adding Ford “has always said he’ll listen to the people.”
“As he travels across the province, he’s heard that the cost of living is going up and that ODSP should increase to help with this. As a result, this is a new commitment,” said Yelich.
Indeed Ford’s government has come under fire for not doing more to help vulnerable Ontarians in the budget beyond a tax cut for people earning less than $50,000 a year.
On the day the budget was tabled, dozens of protesters rallied outside the legislature calling for increased support.
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