Green jobs, nurses and addictions, the greens present their plan for the North

Flanked by Nipissing MLA candidate Sean McClocklin and Timiskaming-Cochrane Kris Rivard, Mike Schreiner announced the party’s key commitments to Northern Ontario.

We need to create jobs in a new green economySchreiner said from the outset, referring to jobs in the extraction of minerals needed for the energy transition and the construction of wooden buildings.

The party wants to increase access to critical minerals in a way that is sustainable, circular and in accordance with the principles of self-determination of indigenous peoples.

The Greens also want Investing $1.8 billion to give 60,000 people across the province the skills and experience to work in the green economy through one year of free university tuition and one year of guaranteed work when they graduate.

Indigenous health, housing and the opioid crisis

With regard to health, the green party wants to rely on nurse practitioners to bridge access to health care in the region.

The Greens’ plan calls for investing $51 million over 10 years to increase the number of nurse practitioner clinics by 50%.

The platform also includes a desire to rebalance the health care funding formula to encourage the arrival of more doctors in Northern Ontario.

The Greens also want to double the doctor recruitment and retention program, so that 230 doctors are recruited in the region.

In regards to the opioid crisis ravaging the area, the Green Party’s plan calls for building 4,000 addiction support units and 6,000 community rental units in the area.

Mike Schreiner also recalled the existence of the Green Party’s plan to fight the opioid crisis, which includes the decriminalization of all drugs.

The Green Party’s plan also includes the creation of 14,000 affordable housing units in Indigenous communities.

Support for the University of Sudbury project

Mike Schreiner affirmed that his party supports the University project by and for Francophones in Sudbury.

He also opened the door to the transfer of French courses from Laurentian University to the University of Sudbury, but this aspect of the file is not found in the official document of the plan for Northern Ontario of the Green Party. .

Furthermore, the plan for the north of the province includes the return of the position of independent French language services commissioner, which was abolished by the Ford government.

The Green Party also wants to improve services in French in health care.

Protection and access to the North

On the environment file, the Greens plan includes $1 billion for natural territory protection initiatives.

These funds are intended to finance initiatives to protect protected territories of First Nations as well as their initiatives to solve climate change.

The party wants to protect 25% of the territory and waterways of the province by 2025 and 30% by 2030.

The party’s plan also includes the creation of national marine conservation areas in the Great Lakes, James Bay and Hudson Bay in collaboration with Aboriginal people.

With respect to access to Northern Ontario, the Green Party is also committed to bringing back and funding the Northlander train service.