2019 was a whirlwind year for the Member of Provincial Parliament for Bay of Quinte riding.
Todd Smith started the year as the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade in the Progressive Conservative
government at Queen’s Park and about halfway through switched to become the Minister of Children, Community, and Social Services.
With the recent release by Statistics Canada on job creation that showed Ontario leading the way in new jobs Smith says the measures his government took to cut red tape for business was now paying dividends.
As far as social and children’s services are concerned Smith admits there was push back from organizations and citizens alike when changes were made, especially to programs serving autistic children.
“But we backed up and listened and modified our approach. Consultation with stakeholders is key and I’ve made sure to do that with any of my responsibilities in government. But to be sure we had to make some changes and significant change always upsets some. A lot of the programs just weren’t sustainable financially as they were being run. We inherited a bad financial situation in the province.”
The Bay of Quinte MPP’s biggest accomplishment in his riding was the cancellation of the 9 turbine White Pines wind farm in Prince Edward County.
“Those turbines should have never been there. We were paying way to high a price for unreliable energy we didn’t need and all along Prince Edward County council stood as an unwilling host for that wind farm. I know there are some that support the turbines but for me it was a satisfying feeling to see them come down and most in the county would agree.”
Smith was also pleased to be alongside Hastings-Lennox and Addington MPP Daryl Kramp recently to announce $5 million in bridge financing to keep Quinte Health Care from running a large budget deficit.
“We will keep plugging away and try to get the hospital’s funding formula changed so organizations like QHC receive the funding they need year in and year out.”
