NDP accuse Liberals of falling down on vow of lower insurance rates

As the province gets ready for the first budget vote, the NDP is accusing the Liberals of allowing the car insurance industry to jack up its rates before the province forces them to go down.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath stood alongside Brampton resident Susan Wright, who says her rate is going up by 30 per cent. Wright maintains she hasn't been in any accidents and didn't change her car.

She says when she asked her insurance company, they told here there will be across-the-board increases.

Horwath says drivers of Ontario are being abandoned by the Liberal government, pointing to how a promised reduction in rates won't amount to much if, in fact, everyone is getting a rate hike.

The Liberals have promised to cut car insurance rates by an average of 15 per cent. It was an NDP budget-ask.

Despite her anger, Horwath says she still plans to support the minority Liberal budget, giving the province time to get their car insurance promise in place.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa says he's committed to lowering rates, pointing out that rates have gone down, on average.