TORONTO, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has released a special edition 2016 calendar today, featuring the CTF’s iconic Porky the Waste Hater mascot on a tour of some of the Ontario government’s most memorable examples of waste from the past few years.
“This past year it seemed like there was a new spending scandal every day. So what better way to track wasteful spending in 2016 than with a special calendar, featuring 12 ways that the Ontario government has frittered away tax dollars,” said Christine Van Geyn, Ontario Director of the CTF. “To borrow from Robbie Burns: ‘Should old Ontario waste be forgot, and never brought to mind?’ Of courses not – government waste should be top of mind all year.”
The calendar features a wasteful walk down Ontario memory lane:
JANUARY: This year Ontario’s debt will reach a new milestone of $300 billion in debt, making Ontario the most indebted province in Canada, and the largest sub-national borrower in the world.
APRIL: Ontario has paid $37 billion more for electricity as a result of the Global Adjustment required by the Ontario government’s green policies, and has paid $9.2 billion over market rate for green electricity.
JUNE:The Ontario government paid $2.5 million in taxpayer money in 2015 directly to teachers unions. Premier Wynne claims the money was to cover “bargaining costs,” but required no receipts.
SEPTEMBER: The Ontario government launched the new Social Assistance Management System before it was ready, leading to chaos. The program has cost taxpayers $290 million – $90 million over budget – and has made a total of $89 million “potential overpayments.”
NOVEMBER: Despite spending $400 million in taxpayer money, the government’s Phase 2 MARS building cannot find enough tenants. Empty portions of the prime real estate host foosball and ping pong tables in some of the most expensive real estate in Toronto.
Calendars are available to the public via a free download through a direct link HERE, or can be mailed (shipping and handling is extra). Media can get a complimentary glossy hard copy by contacting Christine Van Geyn at cvangeyn@taxpayer.com
