Compendium of Policy Resolutions 2021-2024 1 Table of Contents COMPETITIVENESS .......................................................................................................................... 6 A. Balanced Species at Risk Policy Needed to Provide Jobs and Economic Opportunity .................................... 6 B. Improving the Process for Establishing Regulations That Impact Business ....................................................... 8 C. Support Ontario’s Steel Industry and its Supply Chain Clusters ........................................................................... 9 D. Supporting Ontario to Become a Leader in Global Mining Innovation ............................................................ 11 E. Changes to Alcohol Retail in Ontario Need to Support Local Industry and Jobs in the Wine and Grape Sector .................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 F. Ensuring Access to Export Markets for SMEs ....................................................................................................... 15 G. Fair Business Practices to Ensure Ontario Stays Competitive ............................................................................ 16 H. Keeping Ontario's Small Business Support Services Strong ................................................................................ 18 I. Reducing Permitting Delays in Mining Exploration ............................................................................................... 20 J. Support for free market opportunities to address high electricity prices ............................................................. 22 K. Addressing the Challenges of Ontario’s Largest Economic Sector: Small Business ........................................ 23 L. Creating Northern Ontario Economic Hubs, Technology Clusters, and the Innovation Ecosystem ........... 25 M. In the Spirit of Business ............................................................................................................................................. 28 N. Support Ontario’s Forestry Industry by Establishing an Ontario Commercial Loan Guarantee Program . 30 O. Support Ontario’s Growing Cannabis Industry ..................................................................................................... 32 P. Make the Ring of Fire a Provincial Priority ............................................................................................................. 35 Q. Establish a Business Energy Audit Program .......................................................................................................... 38 R. Building Ontario Back Through a New Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Strategy ............................ 39 S. Making Ontario a Leader in Circular Economy ...................................................................................................... 42 T. Supporting Smaller (local) Vendors: Embed community benefits clauses into public contracts and remove irrelevant disqualifiers ....................................................................................................................................................... 44 U. The Case for Levelling the Field ............................................................................................................................... 46 V. Vaccine Manufacturing in Ontario ........................................................................................................................... 48 FISCAL/TAXATION ......................................................................................................................... 50 A. Getting Ontario Back to Fiscal Balance ................................................................................................................... 50 B. Protect Public Sector Services by Monitoring the Public Sector’s Total Compensation Premium ............... 52 C. Achieving Property Tax Fairness Across Ontario .................................................................................................. 53 D. Regional Approach to Provincial Procurement Reform....................................................................................... 55 E. Increasing Mine Stimulus Through the Ontario Flow-Through Share Tax ...................................................... 57 F. Raise tax credits for Ontario charities to a competitive level ................................................................................ 60 2 G. Review transfers of responsibilities between the provincial and municipal governments to improve efficiency, service delivery, and cost .............................................................................................................................. 62 INFRASTRUCTURE/TRANSPORTATION ................................................................................... 64 A. Encouraging Municipal Government Collaboration to Address Transit Needs and Gaps ............................ 64 B. Enhancing Highway Connectivity ............................................................................................................................. 66 C. Improve Ontario’s Transportation System with Better Quality Roadways ........................................................ 67 D. Investing in Northern Ontario’s Highway Infrastructure .................................................................................... 69 E. Empower all Municipalities to Build and Maintain Essential Infrastructure ..................................................... 72 F. Regional Transportation Fare Integration ................................................................................................................ 74 G. Support for Metrolinx Big Move and ‘Next Wave’ Priority Projects ................................................................. 76 H. An Economic Connection ......................................................................................................................................... 78 I. Provincial Transportation Network Connectedness Enhancement – Ensuring that an alternate highway option is always available from Sudbury to Toronto (Specifically the missing piece between Highway 11 and the Bradford Bypass) ........................................................................................................................................................ 80 J. Reducing Traffic Congestion on Ontario Highways Due to Vehicular Accidents ............................................ 82 K. Developing Infrastructure for the Expansion of Electric Vehicle Market in Ontario .................................... 85 L. Enbridge Line 5 and Ontario Energy Supplies ....................................................................................................... 87 M. Leveraging digital infrastructure to spur economic recovery ............................................................................... 89 N. Lowering our Carbon Footprint through Energy-Smart Building ...................................................................... 92 HOUSING ........................................................................................................................................... 94 A. Taking a Principled Approach to Growth and the Planning Process ................................................................. 94 B. Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act ......................................................................................................................... 96 C. Addressing Housing Shortage by Updating the Approvals Process ................................................................... 98 D. Addressing the Low-Income Housing Crisis ........................................................................................................ 100 E. Resolving Ontario’s Housing Crisis to Support Economic Growth ................................................................. 101 F. Maximizing Growth in Built Areas ......................................................................................................................... 103 G. Permitting Municipalities to Use Building Permit Reserves to Encourage Affordable Housing Development ................................................................................................................................................................... 105 H. Supporting Ontario’s Construction Sector by Streamlining the Approvals Process ...................................... 107 SKILLS ................................................................................................................................................ 109 A. Addressing Local Labour Market Needs through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.................... 109 B. Address the Growing Labour Force Disconnect by Creating a Stronger Business/Commerce Curriculum 111 3 C. Improve Workforce Competitiveness for Rural Communities and Small Urban Centres by Creating a Flexible Apprenticeship Program ................................................................................................................................. 113 D. Addressing Ontario’s Skills Gap at the Secondary School Level ...................................................................... 115 E. Keeping the Best Pieces of the Ontario College of Trades in the Wind Down .............................................. 117 F. Strengthen Connectivity Between