Ontario budget will have auto insurance relief: Charles Sousa
Auto insurance weary Ontario motorists will see some relief in the budget later this month, Finance Minister Charles Sousa says.
By: Richard J. Brennan Provincial Politics, Published on Fri Apr 05 2013
Finance Minister Charles Sousa says Ontario motorists weary of high auto insurance rates can expect relief in the provincial budget later this month.
“I am looking at the auto insurance issue and I will be making a decision as to how I will be introducing it. It is essential that we take the steps necessary to reduce those premiums. It will be addressed in one way or another,” Sousa told reporters at Queen’s Park Friday.
But whether its will be the 15 per cent cut to premiums the New Democrats have demanded of the minority Liberal government remains to be seen.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has made it clear that if a cut is not there in some shape or form she will vote against the budget along with the Tories and spark a spring election.
“The budget needs to contain some real concrete relief on auto insurance premiums. Not conversation. Not vague plans. Real reductions. The government brought in changes that have saved industry $2 billion a year. Its time to pass those savings to drivers,” Horwath told the Star.
“The NDP has brought forward certain initiatives that they would like us to address and I have committed to do that,” said Sousa, who has yet to announce a date for his 2013-15 budget.
Sousa said he has heard from the auto insurance industry during his budget deliberations, adding that it, too, acknowledges that premiums are excessive compared to other provinces.