The Ontario government has made significant progress in creating a globally competitive environment to attract new investments to the province, and in reducing red tape for businesses.

  • the province has created 655,700 new jobs (net) since October 2003, and 446,100 new jobs (net) since the recessionary low in June 2009
  • Ontario’s economic diversity — Ontario’s industries include everything from agriculture and advanced manufacturing to financial services, mining and information communications technologies — strengthens the province’s resilience
  • in 2013, Ontario was number one in North America for total foreign investment capital. That same year, Ontario was also the fourth leading jurisdiction in North America for total inward foreign direct investment projects
  • Ontario is making Open Government one of its top priorities, and there are now more than 177 data sets available and more being prepared. Access to high-value data helps businesses grow and spurs innovation

Infographic: jobs and economy

Graphic: Ontario has one of Canada’s most educated work forces. In 2013, 66% of adults (aged 25 to 64) in Ontario had a postsecondary education credential. In 2013, 95,700 jobs were created in Ontario. $295M: the amount the government is investing in the Youth Jobs Strategy over 2 years. 10,706 youth already have jobs as a result of the Youth Jobs Strategy. Cisco Canada: up to 3,700 jobs created and 1,300 jobs retained over 10 years. Ford: 2,800 jobs retained. Southwestern Ontario Development Fund: 12,000 jobs created and retained. Eastern Ontario Development Fund: 15,500 jobs created and retained. Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation: 4,203 jobs created and retained since 2003.

Ontario’s economy

Did you know?

Ontario’s GDP rose by 1.3 per cent in 2013 and all private-sector forecasters expect modest growth to continue. [Source: 2013 Fall Economic Statement].

Ontario’s combined federal-provincial corporate income tax (CIT) rate is lower than the combined federal/state CIT rate in every US state.

Growing the economy and supporting job creation across Ontario is the government’s number one priority. A growing economy is the means by which we expand opportunity and build security, and it supports continued investments in people’s health and education.

Graphic: In 2013, 95,700 jobs were created in Ontario.

The Ontario government’s investments in infrastructure, health care and education are supporting economic growth as employers and workers adapt and seize opportunities in the new global economy.

The Ontario government understands that its role in building a prosperous economy is to ensure that we have a competitive tax system, a smart and dynamic business climate, a skilled and healthy workforce and modern infrastructure.

By strategically partnering with businesses looking to expand, we are creating jobs today and supporting investments in productivity that secure future jobs. Despite recent challenges, Ontario’s manufacturing sector is adapting to global economic challenges and increased competition. Manufacturing will continue to be a significant part of the province’s economy, generating employment in the years to come.

To build on the strengths of our people and strategic partnerships, the Ontario government has a jobs plan that focuses on six straightforward priorities, all with the common goal of building a stronger economy with more and better jobs all across the province.

Last year, Ontario created new 95,700 jobs — that is nearly 43 per cent of all new jobs across Canada in 2013.

Plan for jobs and growth

The Ontario government’s six-point plan for jobs is a clear set of priorities to build on our strengths and create jobs for today and tomorrow.

  • Supporting key industries — we are supporting key industries so they can become more competitive and more productive. We are working with companies and communities to create the conditions our key industries need to succeed and thrive.
  • Supporting small businesses — we are supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs with a competitive tax environment and by providing them access to venture capital and help them in finding new markets overseas.
  • Talent and skills — we are investing in our best resource: people. We maintain our highly skilled and adaptable work force by investing in education, from full-day kindergarten to post-secondary. We want Ontario to be the first in North America when it comes to talent, training, retraining and skills development.
  • Youth Jobs Strategy — We are addressing youth unemployment through our comprehensive Youth Jobs Strategy.
  • A building and infrastructure program — we are investing in public infrastructure, building new schools, hospitals and a seamless and integrated transportation network across the province.
  • Balancing the budget — we are on track to balance the budget by 2017–18.

Supporting key industries

We are committed to working with businesses to create the conditions they need to succeed, and to create lasting partnerships.

The general corporate income tax rate went down from 14 per cent to 12 per cent in 2010, and to 11.5 per cent in 2011. The manufacturing and processing corporate income tax rate fell from 12 per cent to 10 per cent and the small business corporate income tax rate fell from 5.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent in 2010.

Ontario’s combined federal-provincial general corporate income tax rate is now almost 13 percentage points lower than the average combined federal-state corporate income tax rate in the United States. It’s also competitive with the average corporate income tax rate of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries.

When the HST input tax credits for large businesses are fully phased in, about $4.7 billion a year in embedded taxes paid by businesses will be removed. It’s also reducing paperwork costs for businesses by more than $500 million a year. These savings can be used to help businesses grow and create jobs.

Ontario is on track to save businesses more than $9 billion per year when you combine:

  • corporate income tax rate reductions for large and small businesses
  • the HST, which removes embedded sales taxes paid by businesses
  • elimination of the capital tax

As a result of these and other tax changes, the marginal effective tax rate on new business investment in Ontario has been cut in half since 2009, providing a strong incentive for businesses to invest in Ontario.

Capital investments made by businesses continue to support Ontario’s economic growth.

Investments in machinery and equipment have increased by 14.1 per cent since the recession.

Supporting small businesses

As of January 1, 2014, the Employer Health Tax (EHT) exemption increased from $400,000 to $450,000 of Ontario payroll, saving eligible employers up to $975 per year. This means that over 60,000 private-sector employers in Ontario pay less EHT, including more than 12,000 employers that no longer pay the tax. Private-sector employers with annual Ontario payrolls over $5 million, including groups of associated employers, are no longer eligible for the exemption. Registered charities, including those with payrolls over $5 million, continue to be eligible for the exemption.

Cutting red tape

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has recognized Ontario’s success in cutting red tape by repeatedly ranking it among the top jurisdictions in Canada to do business. Since 2008, under the Open for Business initiative, Ontario has cut 80,000 regulatory requirements and introduced tools to add transparency and predictability to the regulation-making process, saving businesses more than 150,000 hours of administrative work.

Through Ontario’s new burden reduction strategy, the government will continue to reduce red tape for businesses and stakeholders by over $100 million by 2016–17.

The government has proposed legislation to create a better business climate by supporting the reduction of burdens for business and helping drive regional economic growth by supporting the development of clusters. The Better Business Climate Act, 2014, if passed, would require the Minister to annually publish a report with respect to actions taken by the Government of Ontario to reduce burdens.

Progress by sector

Graphic: Ford - 2,800 jobs retained.

Auto

  • hundreds of thousands of jobs are supported by the automotive sector across Ontario, from assembly and parts manufacturing to producers of electronics, plastics and metals
  • Ontario has been North America’s leading automaker for nine of the past 10 years, and is renowned for its best-in-class manufacturing expertise and innovation
  • our province is home to five of the top light vehicle makers (Toyota, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and Honda) — a unique status within NAFTA
  • during the worst recession in a generation, we committed $4.8 billion to support the restructuring of GM and Chrysler, an investment that supported Ontario’s entire auto industry. Since the recessionary low of 2009, Ontario’s automotive sector has recovered over 14,984 jobs (as of December 2013). The Ontario government contributed $70.9 million to Ford to help finance the re-tooling of a plant in Oakville in 2013, and to retain this assembly plant and approximately 2,800 jobs into the next decade

Aerospace

  • Ontario is home to 14 of the top 25 global aerospace companies and over 200 firms support this $5.3-billion industry, which employs 17,000 people
  • over 80 per cent of all finished products in aerospace are exported
  • Ontario accounts for 30 per cent or $462 million of all aerospace R&D in Canada, and Ontario-made aerospace parts are used on virtually every passenger aircraft in the world
  • in 2013, the government announced $26 million in support to Centennial College for a new aerospace training facility. At capacity this facility at Downsview Park will be able to accommodate over 900 students, up from the current 380 capacity at their current campus
  • in February 2014, Airbus Helicopters, a top global helicopter manufacturer, chose its Fort Erie, Ontario, factory as the best location at which to expand production and invest in advanced manufacturing, further cementing Ontario’s reputation as an aerospace leader. This investment will create approximately 40 new high-skill manufacturing jobs

Defence

  • with $6.6 billion in defence sales, Ontario accounts for over half of Canada’s defence industry. The sector contributes to over 37,000 jobs in Ontario, including companies working in the aerospace and defence-related ICT sectors
  • 12 of the top 25 global defence companies have operations in Ontario. The province has three significant defence clusters:
    • London, which specializes in military land vehicles
    • Ottawa, which specializes in defence-related ICT
    • Toronto, which is home to several aerospace and defence ICT companies
  • General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada (GDLS Canada) of London recently won a contract to supply armoured vehicles, along with support vehicles, training and in-service support, to Saudi Arabia. The sale — valued at $10 billion — is the largest ever export sale in Canada’s history, and will support over three thousand jobs at GDLS’s London facility and other companies

Chemicals

  • Ontario’s industrial chemicals sector represents about 45 per cent of the Canadian industry, with annual shipments of $16.2 billion, including $10.5 billion in exports
  • Sarnia-Lambton is Canada’s largest chemical and allied manufacturing cluster
  • 29,000 Ontarians work in the province’s chemicals industry, and seven of the world’s top 10 companies have operations here
  • recent investments for Ontario’s chemistry sector include:
    • NOVA Chemicals’ $250-million upgrade of its ethylene cracker, which will capitalize on Marcellus shale gas. In December 2013, NOVA announced a $300-million investment to expand its polyethylene production capacity in the Sarnia-Lambton area. Polyethylene is used to manufacture packaging films, trash, garment, grocery and shopping bags, molded housewares, toys; plastic containers, pipe; drums, gasoline tanks, coatings and many others
    • Cytec Industries is investing over $150 million to expand its phosphine manufacturing capacity in Niagara Falls. Its new factory is scheduled to be operational in spring 2014.
    • BioAmber is investing $120 million in Sarnia as the location for its first North American bio-succinic acid plant (succinic acid is a key base chemical with applications in personal care products, resins and coatings, plastics, polyester and polyurethanes). Commercial production is scheduled to begin in 2015

Clean-tech

  • with 925 MW installed as of September 2013, Ontario is a leading North American jurisdiction in solar energy capacity. Ontario has 3,000 clean-tech firms and employs 65,000 people in the clean-tech sector, generating annual revenues of more than $8 billion
  • Toronto-based XPV Capital has raised $250 million, including an investment from the Northleaf Venture Catalyst Fund, for its second venture capital fund focusing on water technologies. XPV is one of the largest water technologies in the world
  • ArcTern Ventures (formerly the MaRS Cleantech Fund) is a $30-million privately backed venture capital fund that provides early stage capital to clean-tech companies

Culture and tourism

Did you know?

Ontario’s provincial parks receive over 8.5 million visits annually.

  • tourism is an important economic driver. Preliminary numbers for 2012 indicate that tourism supported over 300,000 jobs and generated $28 billion for Ontario’s economy
  • tourism in Ontario grew in 2012, compared to 2011:
    • more than 142 million people visited our province
    • tourists spent more while here compared to 2011
  • in 2013, Tourism Toronto estimates that the city welcomed a total of 13.69 million overnight visitors, including 1.42 million visitors from overseas markets (all countries other than Canada and the United States). This is the largest number of overseas visitors on record. The increase in visitors led to a record 9.22 million hotel room nights being sold
  • the Metro Toronto Convention Centre hosted the Microsoft Worldwide Partner’s Conference in July 2012, which attracted over 16,000 people to the city and generated an estimated $24.2 million in economic activity
  • Toronto was the first North American city to host the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and raising Ontario’s profile to hundreds of millions of viewers
  • Ontario is making progress to transform Ontario Place into a year-round, multi-use waterfront destination and urban public park for everyone to enjoy.
    • as a first step, Ontario is building a new urban park and waterfront trail, converting up to 7.5 acres of the site into green space and linking to the existing 780-kilometre waterfront trail system. The new park and trail will serve as an anchor for future development on the rest of the site
    • the revitalization of Ontario Place as a year-round multi-use destination will grow tourism, create jobs and develop new opportunities and experiences that stimulate the economy
  • the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games will attract as many as a quarter-million visitors who will stay in local hotels, see great shows, dine in restaurants and shop in the province’s stores. More than 26,000 new jobs will be created as a result of Games investments, Games-related investments and tourism
  • the Ontario Music Fund will help stimulate economic growth and support the competitiveness and long-term sustainability of Ontario’s music industry. In its first year, the program is expected to support over $90 million in new spending, leading to increased music recording activity, live music performances, music exports and investments in strategic business development initiatives
  • the 2013 Celebrate Ontario program supported more than 200 festivals and events across Ontario

Energy

  • in 2003, Ontario’s energy infrastructure was suffering from under investment, resulting in brownouts and pollution that hurt both families and our economy. We’ve invested heavily in Ontario’s energy infrastructure and supported the emergence of Ontario’s clean energy sector. In just ten years, the province has become a North American leader in the development and manufacture of clean energy. The export potential for Ontario’s clean energy businesses means that this new industry will continue to contribute to Ontario’s economy well into the future
  • to help families with the cost of modernizing Ontario’s energy systems, in the 2010 Fall Economic Statement, we introduced the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, which provides residential consumers, farms and small businesses with 10 per cent off the total costs of electricity on eligible consumers’ bills, including tax, limited to the first 3,000 kilowatt-hours every month until the end of 2015
  • Ontario also intends to take the Debt Retirement Charge (DRC) off residential electricity bills after Dec. 31, 2015, saving the typical residential consumer $5.60 per month. The province is also working with the Ontario Energy Board to develop the new Ontario Electricity Support Program to help make electricity more affordable for low-income families. After Dec. 31, 2015, eligible low-income Ontarians could expect to receive similar relief as currently provided by the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, in addition to the removal of the Debt Retirement Charge, an expected annual benefit of $250
  • Ontario’s clean energy initiatives, including the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program, have attracted billions of dollars in new private-sector investments, generated more than 31,000 jobs and significantly increased the amount of clean energy in our supply mix. Our FIT program has helped to attract more than 30 solar and wind manufacturing facilities to Ontario
  • Ontario is home to the 100 largest solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Canada and has the most solar PV capacity of any jurisdiction in Canada with over 900 Megawatts (MW) online. It’s expected to produce enough electricity to power more than 100,000 homes each year. In 2003, Ontario had 15 MW of wind capacity — we now have approximately 2,300 MW of clean wind power online
  • as of January 2014, Ontario’s $50-million Smart Grid Fund has supported 11 projects and created more than 600 direct and indirect jobs. New projects are expected to be announced in 2014, expanding on these investments and job levels
  • Ontario is now the first jurisdiction in North America to fully eliminate coal as a source of electricity generation. This is the single-largest climate change initiative in North America and is equivalent to taking up to seven million cars off the road
  • to make sure businesses remain competitive, the government has expanded eligibility in the Industrial Electricity Incentive (IEI) program. The expanded program provides eligible consumers some of the lowest electricity rates in exchange for expanding their operations in Ontario and will now cover energy-intensive, non-industrial sectors like greenhouses, data processing and refrigerated warehousing, as well as industrial companies
  • the province also extended the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate (NIER) program to 2016 to support continued growth and development in the northern resource and manufacturing sector. Originally set to end in 2013, the $360-million program extension provides electricity price rebates, which represent about a 25 per cent reduction in electricity prices to qualified consumers
  • the Industrial Conservation Initiative (ICI), introduced in 2011, enables the province’s largest electricity consumers to reduce their consumption during peak periods, lower their costs and increase competitiveness. Approximately 200 of Ontario’s largest electricity consumers are part of this initiative. The government has also expanded the ICI program to include eligible electricity-intensive customers with monthly peak demand greater than 3 MW, down from the current threshold of 5 MW. The expansion of the program would open participation to hundreds more businesses in the industrial, greenhouse, refrigerated warehousing and data hosting sectors
  • Ontario is helping industrial users fast track capital investment in major energy-efficiency projects by providing attractive financial incentives to encourage investment in innovative upgrades and equipment retrofits to help them remain globally competitive
  • Ontario-based small businesses will also be offered enhanced conservation programs in partnership with local distribution companies and key agencies. A five-point plan has been developed to help small businesses conserve energy, manage costs and save money

Film, TV and digital media production

  • Ontario is the third-largest film production location in North America
  • film and television production supported by the province’s media tax credits contributed nearly $1.15 billion to our economy in 2013, making Ontario the number one film and television production jurisdiction in Canada
  • since 2003, employment in Ontario’s entertainment and creative industries has grown faster than employment in the broader economy. It supports over 300,000 jobs and contributes over $12.2 billion annually to the provincial economy
  • to continue attracting investment in the entertainment and creative industries, Ontario offers competitive tax credits and business support through the Ontario Media Development Corporation

Financial services

  • in March 2014, Toronto was ranked as having the fifth most competitive financial services sector in North America, according to the Global Financial Centres Index. Ontario’s financial services sector employs 380,000 people
  • the World Economic Forum has named Canada as home to the world’s soundest banks for the sixth straight year in its Global Competitiveness Report

Venture capital

  • Ontario launched the Northleaf Venture Catalyst Fund in partnership with the federal government, as well as corporate and institutional investors
  • the new fund builds on the success of the existing Ontario Venture Capital Fund. Since the province launched the Ontario Venture Capital Fund in 2008, Ontario’s investment has leveraged $970 million in private-sector capital while creating and retaining 1,611 jobs in the province
  • Ontario’s Venture Capital Strategy has helped Ontario’s total venture capital investment grow to $676M in 2013, ranking it 7th among North American jurisdictions
  • in January 2014, the Northleaf Venture Catalyst Fund had its first closing with a total value of over $217 million in commitments, which could rise to $300 million as additional private-sector partners invest in the fund. The fund is already active and has made two investments into venture capital funds and one direct investment
  • the fund will reinforce Ontario’s position as a North American leader in venture capital by attracting investments to the province and helping businesses grow and compete globally

Agriculture and food

Did you know?

The Greater Toronto Area is one of the top three food-processing clusters in North America. Premier Kathleen Wynne has challenged the agri-food sector to double its growth rate and create 120,000 new jobs by 2020.

  • the agri-food sector is one of our leading economic engines, contributing $34 billion to our province’s GDP each year and providing almost 740,000 jobs
  • Ontario is home to Canada’s largest food-processing sector, accounting for 3,000 businesses that employ more than 95,000 people across the province
  • in 2013, Ontario’s agri-foods exports hit a record high, surpassing $11 billion for the first time
  • since 2003, we have invested more than $116 million to support local food. Included is support made available through Foodland Ontario to promote and encourage the purchase of Ontario food
  • the new Local Food Fund and new Local Food Act, which were created in 2013, are part of the Ontario government’s broader local food strategy to increase demand for Ontario foods and beverages by promoting the good things that are grown, harvested and made across the province
  • through the Local Food Fund, we are investing up to $30 million over three years to support innovative local food projects
  • Ontario food processors purchase nearly two –thirds of the food produced on Ontario farms
  • each year, our government invests approximately $75 million in research to support growth in the agricultural sector
  • Ontario has provided more than $2.5 billion directly to farmers in income support since 2003
  • since October 2003, the Rural Economic Development program has supported 468 projects, with an investment of $167 million, resulting in more than $1.2 billion in new economic activity. The Rural Summer Jobs Service Program provides a $2/hour hiring incentive to rural employers who have, in turn, created summer jobs for more than 43,000 students since 2003

Housing

  • since 2003, Ontario’s funding commitment of nearly $3 billion is the largest affordable housing investment in the province’s history. Ontario is supporting the creation of over 17,000 affordable rental housing units; making more than 263,000 repairs and improvements to social and affordable housing units; and, rental and down payment assistance to over 81,000 households in need
  • this investment has led to the creation of 60,000 jobs across Ontario including close to 8,000 new jobs under the Investment of Affordable Housing for Ontario (IAH) program to build and repair affordable housing units
  • through IAH, as of March 31, 2014, more than $373 million in funding has been committed to build and repair 10,144 units and provide rental and down payment assistance to 6,941 households
  • Ontario is a North American leader in energy efficiency for new buildings — compared to a house built in 2006, a house built today must be 40 per cent more energy efficient to be up to code

Information communications technology (ICT)

Graphic: Cisco Canada - up to 3,700 jobs created and 1,300 jobs retained over 10 years.

  • Ontario is first in Canada and second in North America in the information communications technology (ICT) sector for number of businesses
  • our ICT sector employs about 250,000 people, representing about 47 per cent of total ICT jobs across Canada
  • Ontario supported the Communitech hub in Waterloo, where over 1,323 new companies have been created since it was launched in 2010
  • Ontario is home to two of the world’s top-20 start-up ecosystems: Toronto (8) and Kitchener Waterloo (16), according to Startup Genome. The only other jurisdiction with two cities in the top 20 is California
  • Cisco partnership
    • Ontario is partnering with Cisco Canada to embark on the largest job-creating investment ever in the history of the province’s tech sector
    • Ontario will become one of a handful of global R&D hubs for the network equipment maker’s next-generation technologies. Cisco chose Ontario for this expansion because of its talented workforce, research infrastructure and competitive business climate
    • Cisco will expand its current workforce to 3,000 by creating up to 1,700 jobs in the next six years. The agreement also has the potential to expand Cisco’s Ontario workforce to up to 5,000 over the next 10 years, for a total investment from Cisco of up to $4 billion, including $2.2 billion in salaries alone
  • OpenText partnership
    • Ontario is partnering with technology leader OpenText, a made-in-Ontario success story, to support the company’s expansion and help create as many as 1,200 jobs in the province over the next seven years. Waterloo-based OpenText — a powerhouse in Enterprise Information Management software and Canada’s largest software company — will invest up to $2 billion to carry out its key research and development work on cloud computing in Ontario

Life sciences

  • the province is home to world-renowned research centres, hospitals and clinicians that include the Ontario Cancer Institute, SickKids, Mount Sinai and London Health Sciences Centre
  • 57 per cent of revenues (2011) and 55 per cent of employment (2012) in Canadian pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing happens in Ontario
  • through the Global Leadership Round in Genomics & Life Sciences (GL2), Ontario is supporting 19 world-class genomics research projects valued at over $114 million

Forestry and forest products

The forestry and forest products sector is important to Ontario’s economy and to the quality of life of hundreds of northern communities. For several years, global market conditions presented Ontario’s forestry sector with considerable challenges. Our government has worked tirelessly to support the sector and the communities who rely on it by strategically investing in the competitiveness of Ontario’s forestry sector.

  • the forest products and wood manufacturing sectors employ about 56,000 people directly and 180–200,000 indirectly in over 260 communities across Ontario
  • we’ve provided approximately $1.2 billion in assistance to the forest sector since 2005
  • in 2011, Ontario’s forest sector generated approximately $11.9 billion towards Ontario’s economy
  • the Northern Industrial Electricity Rebate Program — which our government created — has provided more than $433 million in rebates since 2010/11. This includes approximately $151.5 million in rebates to forestry companies
  • we took action to support the sector by initiating the largest wood supply competition in the province’s history and moving ahead with a modernized forest tenure system
  • we launched the Ontario Wood brand to promote Ontario wood, both domestically and internationally, along with our industry partners
    • there are several examples of companies that have emerged from financial restructuring and others that are investing in Ontario
    • Aditya Birla (Birla) has acquired Terrace Bay Pulp Inc. and will spend over $250 million to convert it to the production of dissolving pulp supporting a total of 1,900 direct and indirect jobs
    • Resolute Forest Products has announced it will invest $50 million to build a new sawmill in Atikokan. The mill is expected to employ 90 people when it becomes fully operational in 2014
    • EACOM is rebuilding and expanding its Timmins sawmill, which was extensively damaged by fire in 2012, at a cost of $25 million. The company expects to bring back all employees displaced by the shutdown. It is expected to reopen by the summer of 2014
    • forestry companies are investing millions in communities like Hornepayne, Atikokan, Ignace, Iroquois Falls and Terrace Bay and we expect further investments as lumber prices continue to rise

Mining

  • Ontario remains Canada’s top jurisdiction for mineral exploration; industry expenditure was more than $600 million in 2013
  • Ontario’s market share of exploration investments within Canada has climbed from 20 per cent in 2007 to 26 per cent in 2013
  • Toronto is the global leader in mining finance, with the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange holding roughly 57 per cent of global mining listings
  • in February 2014, Vale celebrated the grand opening of Totten Mine, its sixth mine in Ontario and its first new mine in the Sudbury Basin in 40 years
  • Ontario and Matawa-member First Nation Chiefs and community members commemorated the important milestone on the path towards Ring of Fire development together at an official ceremony and celebration on April 24, 2014, in Thunder Bay
  • on April 24, 2014, the Province of Ontario and the Matawa-member First Nations celebrated the signing of a landmark regional framework agreement. This agreement, signed on March 26, 2014, will ensure First Nation communities benefit from the proposed Ring of Fire development

Waste management

Did you know?

Every 1,000 tonnes of recycled waste supports seven jobs and generates $720,000 in gross domestic product.

  • the waste management sector in Ontario contributes over $3 billion annually to the GDP and $300 million in capital expenditures
  • Ontario is creating new opportunities for business investment and jobs by harnessing the economic value of waste through a review of Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) sectors. The review will look at the best tools for increasing diversion in ICI sectors, including manufacturing, office buildings, shopping complexes, construction projects, restaurants, hotels and motels, hospitals and educational institutions
  • according to the Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada, Ontario employment in waste management and remediation services was 15,200 in 2013

Social enterprise

  • in 2013, Ontario released its first ever Social Enterprise Strategy for Ontario. This will help build this emerging sector, create jobs and attract investments
  • over 1,600 jobs will be created through this strategy, including jobs for youth, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities and other marginalized populations

Trade expansion – Going Global

  • trade helps strengthen Ontario’s economy by creating jobs, accelerating innovation, increasing foreign direct investment and boosting GDP
  • through the Going Global Trade Strategy, the province is committed to improving Ontario’s export performance, with a special focus on helping Ontario’s small and medium enterprises
  • launched in September 2013, the Going Global Trade Strategy will:
    • broaden the reach of Ontario’s exports to high-growth emerging economies, including working with the federal government to pursue new trade agreements
    • increase support for more Ontario firms to export their products or services
    • build the province’s competitive advantage abroad by promoting Ontario companies' quality goods and services
    • streamline export programs and resources for businesses so they can more easily access the supports they need to go global
  • in January 2014, Ontario opened its 11th International Marketing Centre in São Paulo, Brazil. This network of international business centres includes offices in New York, San Francisco, Mexico City, London, Paris, Munich, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and New Delhi (including a satellite office in Mumbai). These business centres provide an on-the-ground presence in high-potential markets that help Ontario firms to grow their exports while promoting the province as a destination for investment
  • based on recommendations from the Jobs and Prosperity Council, Ontario’s new Global Export Forums are helping to build greater awareness of global trade opportunities for Ontario businesses in priority markets. The Ontario’s first forum was hosted in September 2013 and focused on the Asia Pacific region. Latin America is the focus of the next forum, which will be held on May 28, 2014

Immigration

Achieving the full benefits of immigrants' participation in the labour market requires that the provincial and federal governments work together to enhance the economic integration of newcomers. Providing the necessary training and supports will help immigrants prepare to enter the labour market and contribute to Ontario’s future prosperity sooner.

  • in February 2014, we introduced the Ontario Immigration Act to strengthen Ontario’s role in immigrant selection and continue our commitment to settlement. The Act will, if passed, help put in place tools to meet the province’s future labour market needs and support economic growth
  • Ontario recognized the first-ever recipients of the Ontario Award for Leadership in Immigrant Employment, for their role in championing diversity and supporting jobs in their communities
  • in 2010, Ontario made it easier for internationally trained engineers to get their licence by allowing qualified foreign-trained engineers to be licensed to work in Ontario without being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

Progress by region

Graphic: Southwestern Ontario Development Fund: 12,000 jobs created and retained. Eastern Ontario Development Fund: 15,500 jobs created and retained. Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation: 4,203 jobs created and retained since 2003.

Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF)

Since its launch in October 2012, Ontario committed more than $40 million through the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund to:

  • leverage business investment of over $400 million
  • help to create over 2,000 new jobs
  • help to retain more than 10,000 jobs

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF)

  • the government places high importance on regional economic development and is committed to this fund. This fund is a regional program to support economic development initiatives to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit associations
  • since its launch in 2008, Ontario committed more than $70 million through the Eastern Ontario Development Fund to:
    • leverage business investment of over $670 million
    • help to create over 3,000 new jobs
    • help to retain more than 12,500 jobs

In addition, Ontario launched the Investment Ready: Certified Site Program, the first of its kind in Canada. Through this program, Ontario is partnering with communities and property owners across the province to attract more jobs and investment. A Certified Site designation gives investors a greater degree of certainty when looking for development opportunities in Ontario municipalities, and this provides a competitive advantage when competing for globally-mobile investment.

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)

  • in the 2012 Budget, $100 million was provided to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to invest in new projects across the North that will stimulate growth, attract investment and create jobs. This funding will help grow Northern Ontario’s economy
  • since October 2003, the NOHFC has approved over $897 million, towards more than 5,933 projects, leveraging over $3.2 billion in investment. We are helping create or sustain over 22,900 jobs and co-op placements across the North

Rural Economic Development (RED)

  • the Rural Economic Development (RED) program removes barriers to development and economic growth by giving communities the tools and flexibility they need to become stronger and more economically diverse
  • since October 2003, 468 RED projects have been approved with a provincial investment of more than $167 million. This investment has generated more than $1.2 billion in new economic activity and has supported the creation/retention of more than 35,000 jobs
  • RED funding helps rural communities grow local businesses, boost tourism, and attract new business through projects that focus on business development, training, community marketing and strategic planning
  • In its 2013 Ontario Budget, the government reiterated its commitment to “continue its existing investments made through the Rural Economic Development (RED) program”

Youth Jobs Strategy

Graphic: $295M: the amount the government is investing in the Youth Jobs Strategy over 2 years. 10,706 youth already have jobs as a result of the Youth Jobs Strategy.

Higher youth unemployment threatens to create a generation of stalled hopes and stagnant wages. We introduced a Youth Jobs Strategy to help young people overcome the challenge they face entering the workforce and launching a successful career. The Youth Jobs Strategy will get more young people working, either through employment or by starting their own businesses. An investment of $295 million over two years will generate training, mentorship and job opportunities for 30,000 youth across the province.

Youth Employment Fund

  • as of April 11, 2014, Ontario’s Youth Employment Fund (YEF) has already helped 10,706 young people find jobs, get training and gain valuable work experience
  • the fund is delivered through Employment Ontario’s Employment Service (ES), an established service delivery network that is accessible to all communities in Ontario through a network of 171 service providers and 324 funded sites

Youth Skills Connections

  • the Youth Skills Connections Fund will provide $25 million to help address the skills gap in Ontario by promoting partnerships among business, labour, not-for-profits, educators and youth
  • in March 2014, we announced two new projects under the Youth Skills Connections Program. George Brown College and Ryerson University will partner with business and labour to deliver specialized programs that will prepare 212 young people for jobs in the food, metal manufacturing and information communications technology sectors. Fifty projects have been approved to date and are getting started. A second call will be launched in May 2014

Ontario Youth Entrepreneurship Fund

  • Ontario is promoting entrepreneurship as a viable career option and improving job prospects for youth by allowing them to become job creators instead of job seekers
  • the Youth Entrepreneurship Fund will provide $45 million to our next generation of business owners through training, mentorship and start-up capital. This includes the following programs:
    • High School Entrepreneurship Outreach supports new models to spark interest in entrepreneurship as a career solution to high school students
    • Strategic Community Entrepreneurship Projects provides funding to non-profit organizations with experience working with high-needs communities to help youth gain the skills needed to be self-employed
    • Starter Company provides training, private-sector mentoring and grants of up to $5,000 to help youth aged 18 to 29 become start-up ready
    • Youth Business Acceleration Program is for youth aged 18 to 29 operating a start-up company in the technology sector or innovation space. It provides educational programs, market intelligence services, advice and network support, and grants between $5,000 and $20,000
    • Seed Capital Fund will provide initial seed-stage grants of up to $35,000 to help new, promising youth-led ventures reach early milestones in creating and growing their start-ups
    • Youth Investment Accelerator Fund will provide investment capital of up to $250,000 in youth-led companies beyond the seed capital stage
  • in March and April 2014, we announced the initial round of projects being funded through High School Entrepreneurship Outreach and the Strategic Community Entrepreneurship Projects. In total, 40 projects across Ontario have been approved to date and are getting started. A second call for High School Entrepreneurship Outreach will be launched in May

Through the Ontario Youth Entrepreneurship Fund, Ontario will:

  • reach over 250,000 students
  • fund 490 businesses
  • leverage $32M in investments
  • create more than 4,000 jobs

Ontario Youth Innovation Fund

  • the Youth Innovation Fund will provide $30 million for campus-linked accelerators and internship programs for graduate and PhD students. This includes:
    • the TalentEdge Internship Program supports opportunities for innovative post-secondary students to enhance their skills
    • this program will fund about 300 student internships and 200 post-doctoral fellowships
    • Campus-Linked Accelerators (CLAs) and the On-Campus Entrepreneurship Activities (OCEA) help post-secondary institutions create, improve and sustain a culture of entrepreneurship among students and youth in their regions. This program is expected to support 1,000 youth-led businesses and create 1,400 jobs

Ontario Summer Jobs Strategy

Where will a summer job take you? NFL draft‐pick Tyrone Crawford talks about his Summer Jobs for Youth experience with Border City Boxing in Windsor.

  • the Ontario government is once again investing in its Summer Jobs Strategy to help students build skills, find summer jobs and launch their own summer businesses
  • the Ontario Summer Jobs Strategy unites eight ministries’ summer employment programs and services for youth, and will help more than 86,000 students get jobs and access services this summer. Information is available online at www.ontario.ca/readysetwork and www.ontario.ca/summerjobs to help students and youth:
    • find job listings
    • search for a job through Employment Ontario agencies
    • improve their marketing skills and resume writing
    • apply for a job with the Ontario government
  • through the Summer Job Service, employers are also encouraged to hire students and provide hands‐on training for tomorrow’s workforce through a $2‐per‐hour hiring incentive
  • through the Summer Company program, eligible students between the ages of 15 and 29 are provided with up to $3,000 and mentoring to help start and operate their own business
  • in 2013, 661 businesses were launched through the program, creating jobs and building entrepreneurial skills among Ontario’s youth
  • since Summer Company began in 2001, students have started more than 5,000 businesses across a wide range of sectors, including graphic design, landscaping, manufacturing, fashion design, computer repair and food services. They have learned and developed entrepreneurial skills that will help them strengthen Ontario’s economy for the future

Apprenticeship training

The Ontario government understands the importance of a strong skilled trades sector to the current and future economy. We know, for example, that close to one in five new jobs in Ontario over this decade are expected to be in trades-related occupations.

Following our government’s record three-year $35-billion investment in major infrastructure projects, the government is working to ensure that employers have the skilled tradespeople they need to fill thousands of jobs.

In 2013–2014, the Ontario government invested approximately $165 million in Ontario’s apprenticeship system.

These projects include:

  1. Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) encourages more than 24,000 young people each year to participate in apprenticeship training and obtain their Ontario Secondary School Diploma
  2. Pre-Apprenticeship Program aims to prepare those individuals who are seeking an apprenticeship but have encountered barriers to accessing training. The program has grown from 19 projects serving 365 clients in 2002–03 to 52 projects serving 926 clients in 2012–13. Projects that focus on youth at risk, new Canadians, Aboriginal and women client groups are given priority during the assessment process
  3. Co-op Diploma Program (CODA) offers a different pathway to youth interested in pursuing both a college diploma and apprenticeship training. It provides young apprentices with up-front skills training that some employers demand and thereby makes it easier for them to access employment and training. The program has grown from 9 projects serving 211 clients in 2004–05 to 37 projects serving 908 clients in 2013–14

The Ontario government’s efforts are paying off. In 2014, there are:

  • approximately 120,000 apprentices learning a trade today — which is about 60,000 more than in 2002–03
  • new annual apprenticeship registrations have grown from 17,100 in 2002–03 to more than 30,000 in 2012–13

Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit

  • the Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit (ATTC) is a refundable tax credit, available to businesses, on the salaries and wages paid to eligible apprentices in about 130 designated trades across the construction, industrial, motive power and service sectors
  • approximately 80 per cent of Ontario’s apprenticeship trades are supported by the ATTC
  • the ATTC is providing over $250 million in support in 2013–14
  • along with other government support programs, the ATTC has helped to increase new annual apprenticeship registrations from 17,000 in 2002–03 to 30,000 in 2012–13

It is the most generous tax credit of its kind in Canada. Qualifying businesses can claim 35 per cent of eligible expenditures (45 per cent for small businesses) made during the first 48 months of an apprenticeship program. The maximum credit for each apprenticeship is $10,000 per year. The maximum credit over the first 48-month period of the apprenticeship is $40,000.

Women in Skilled Trades and Information Technology (WIST/IT)

  • women play an important role in contributing to a healthy economy, and we are committed to ensuring that there are economic opportunities for women and all Ontarians
    • since 2003, more than 2,100 women have participated in training through the Women in Skilled Trades and Information Technology (WIST/IT) training program. This program gives low-income women the training they need to get better-paying jobs. In the current WIST/IT program (2012–2014), more than 330 women have participated in training
    • the new Microlending for Women in Ontario Program is helping low-income women build and grow their own businesses
    • the Microlending program (2012–2015) will be providing training to an anticipated 635 low-income women in the skills needed to start and run a business, and will be providing an estimated 174 microloans

Infrastructure

Since 2003, the government has invested nearly $100 billion in public infrastructure. Through the 2013 Budget, Ontario committed more than $35 billion towards infrastructure over the next three years, including about $13.5 billion in 2013–14. This investment is supporting more than 100,000 jobs a year.

In April 2014, the government announced Moving Ontario Forward — the next step in our plan to build a seamless and integrated transportation network across the province, create jobs, boost productivity and help every part of Ontario grow and prosper. The robust plan would put in place dedicated and substantial funding for public transit and transportation infrastructure. It would make nearly $29 billion available over the next 10 years for investments in priority infrastructure projects across the province such as public transit, roads, bridges and highways. The province would create two dedicated funds — one for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area with up to $15 billion available for investment in transit and one for the rest of the province with nearly $14 billion available for investment in roads, bridges, transit and other critical infrastructure. Funding sources for Moving Ontario Forward would include new revenue measures, repurposed revenues and a responsible level of debt financing, when needed.

Public transit

  • since 2003, we have invested more than $19.3 billion in public transit in Ontario, including more than $9.1 billion in GO Transit. These record investments make it easier for people to leave their cars at home, promote healthy communities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help protect the environment

Union Pearson Express

  • Metrolinx will build, own and operate the Union Pearson (UP) Express, which will be in service in time for the 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games, connecting Canada’s two busiest transportation hubs — Union Station and Toronto Pearson International Airport. Construction began in 2012 and will be completed in 2014
  • as part of the UP Express, a new three-kilometre spur line from the Kitchener (formerly Georgetown) GO line to Pearson Airport is being constructed. Construction on the Spur Line began in 2012 and will be completed by 2014. Construction of the Spur Line alone will create up to 1,200 jobs

Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan

Ontario has committed more than $9 billion for Metrolinx regional transit projects in Toronto and York Region, including:

  • $1.4 billion for the VIVA bus rapid transit project in York Region. This includes upgrading the existing VIVA system to provide 37 kilometres of bus-only lanes and new stations on Yonge Street, Highway 7 and Davis Drive. Construction on the VIVA system is now underway and will create approximately 14,000 jobs
  • $8.4 billion to support new transit in Toronto, including an extension of the Bloor-Danforth subway line and the construction of three light rail transit lines, one of which — the Eglinton Crosstown — is already underway. The Crosstown is supporting thousands of design and construction jobs, and will provide lasting economic benefits to Toronto and its surrounding region. In 2010, Metrolinx concluded a contract with Bombardier for the purchase of light rail vehicles for use on the light rail transit lines in Toronto, supporting hundreds of manufacturing jobs at its Thunder Bay plant. Construction of the Eglinton Crosstown, Finch West and Sheppard East LRTs will create approximately 69,000 jobs

Mississauga Transitway

  • Ontario is providing $65 million to the City of Mississauga to support its bus rapid transit project
  • this project will provide bus rapid transit service along Highway 403, Eastgate Parkway and Eglinton Avenue in Mississauga, with service along the first four stations starting in 2014 and on the remaining corridor in 2016
  • construction is well underway on bus-only lanes and stations
  • Ontario is contributing another $48 million in GO Transit investments to Mississauga
  • the Transitway project is expected to generate over 2,500 jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 27 tonnes over its lifecycle

Bus rapid transit in Durham

  • $82 million committed in the 2008 budget to implement Bus Rapid Transit service in Durham
  • the project is expected to create over 800 jobs
  • construction is well underway. The Bus Rapid Transit is expected to be in full service by 2016

Brampton ZÜM

  • Ontario has provided $95 million to the city of Brampton to support its ZÜM bus rapid transit project through the 2006 Move Ontario investment
  • the project is expected to create over 2,800 jobs
  • Brampton ZÜM is currently operational along Queen Street, Main Street and Steeles Avenue (Phase 1)
  • Phase II of the project will see service launched along Bovaird Drive in 2014, with expanded service along Steeles Avenue in 2015 and Queen Street in 2016. Full completion is expected by the end of 2017
  • since initial launch of service along the Queen Street corridor there has been an increase of 16 per cent in ridership along the corridor

GO Transit

Since 2003, the provincial government has demonstrated its commitment to getting people out of cars and onto public transit by investing more than $9.1 billion in GO Transit. GO Transit has put new rail cars and buses into service that are modern, accessible, more fuel efficient and can carry more passengers.

Since 2003, GO Transit has added 10 new stations and 30,000 parking spots across the system. Meanwhile, GO Transit’s ridership in 2012–13 was 65.5-million passenger trips, up from 62.4-million passenger trips in 2011 — a five per cent increase.

Our investments have been helping Metrolinx:

  • undertake the infrastructure improvements necessary to move towards two-way, all-day GO Train service
  • expand the number of GO trains and double-decker buses
  • build and refurbish GO transit stations

In April 2013, 25 new GO Transit double-decker buses went into service. In May 2013, construction began on a new GO bus storage and maintenance facility in East Gwillimbury.

As of June 2013, off-peak GO trains that ran hourly along the Lakeshore line between Aldershot and Oshawa began running every 30 minutes, seven days a week. This has added 263 new train trips along the line each week.

GO’s locomotive fleet has also expanded, including 57 new fuel-efficient MP40 locomotives that were put into service between 2008 and 2011.

The bi-level train car fleet is also growing to accommodate more riders, resulting in two major orders from Bombardier in Thunder Bay, including the purchase of 28 new cars in April 2013, with delivery expected in 2014, as well as the purchase of an additional 65 new cars for delivery between June 2016 and July 2017. This order will increase GO Transit’s fleet of train cars to 743. This contract will help sustain the jobs at the Bombardier Plant in Thunder Bay.

Municipal transit projects

  • Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension
    • the TTC estimates that the project is expected to create an estimated 20,000 jobs during construction. The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension is expected to add 36 million transit trips and eliminate 30 million car trips per year
    • tunnelling on the project was completed in 2013 and station construction is currently underway
  • Ottawa Light Rail Transit – Confederation Line Project
    • Ontario is investing up to $600 million for the Ottawa light rail transit project — the single-largest provincial investment in transit infrastructure in the City of Ottawa’s history, which the City of Ottawa estimates could create up to 3,300 jobs per year during construction
    • tunnelling has begun on the downtown tunnel. The downtown tunnel will be 2.5 kilometres long with three stations — Lyon, Parliament and Rideau Station
    • the project will improve traffic flow in the city with the removal of more than half the buses from downtown and reduce the city’s fuel consumption by 10 million litres every year
    • work on the future Maintenance and Storage facility is currently underway, having begun on April 19, 2013
  • ION Stage 1 – Waterloo Region’s Rapid Transit Project
    • Ontario is investing up to $300 million for this rapid transit project, which will connect the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge with a combination of light rail and bus rapid transit services, ultimately connecting with GO Transit services

Union Station revitalization

Major improvements to Union Station are now underway. Ontario is investing up to $172 million for improvements that include:

  • a three-fold increase to the Metrolinx-owned GO Transit concourse space to make room for twice as many GO Transit passengers at Union Station by 2030
  • the purchase and refurbishment of the West Wing of Union Station for the relocation of Metrolinx’s head office
  • construction of a new northwest PATH connection that will extend underground from Union Station up York Street to the existing PATH system in the Wellington Street area to relieve crowding and support future downtown growth
  • the restoration of heritage features of the main building

The new York Concourse for GO Transit is expected to be completed in 2014.

In addition, the province has committed $270 million for the redesign of GO Transit’s train shed roof and improvements to passenger train access at Union Station.

PRESTO fare card

To make it easier to take transit throughout the GTHA and Ottawa, the province has implemented PRESTO — an easy-to-use electronic fare system. It allows commuters to transfer seamlessly across multiple transit systems in the GTHA, and on OC Transpo in Ottawa. As of March 2014, more than one million riders are using their PRESTO cards to tap onto transit across the GTHA and in Ottawa.

Gas tax

Ontario dedicates two cents per litre of the provincial gas tax to municipalities for transit.

Through the 2013 Ontario Budget, the government passed the Dedicated Funding for Public Transportation Act, which made the gas tax program permanent.

Since 2004, we have committed more than $2.7 billion in gas tax funding to Ontario municipalities, including $163.4 million for the current interim six-month program.

For the 2013–14 interim six-month program, 96 transit systems in 133 communities across the province will receive gas tax funding. These 133 communities represent nearly 90 per cent of the total population of Ontario.

Highways

Did you know?

Ontario has created or maintained, on average, approximately 100,000 jobs across the province each year since 2003 through the building of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, community centres, water infrastructure, schools, courthouses, OPP detachments and hospitals.

Since 2003, Ontario has committed over $19 billion to design, repair and expand provincial highways and bridges across Ontario. In 2013–14, Ontario will create or sustain more than 17,000 direct and indirect jobs to repair and expand southern provincial highways.

In 2013–14, Ontario created or sustained more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs to repair and expand northern provincial highways.

High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes are now in use on highways 403 and 404 (GTA), 417 (Ottawa) and the Queen Elizabeth Way (Halton Region).

Nineteen highway service centres have been redeveloped to provide travellers with reliable access to fuel, modern amenities, restaurants, enhanced tourism information and upgraded, accessible comfort facilities. Three of the sites opened in 2014 and only one service centre is left for redevelopment.

Hospitals

Since 2003, 23 new hospitals have been built or are underway. Ontario has invested over $21 billion in health-care infrastructure since 2003. In 2013–14, provincial infrastructure investments in our hospitals have supported nearly 26,000 jobs. Construction is moving forward or is complete for more than 100 major projects at hospitals across the province.

Schools

Graphic: Ontario has one of Canada’s most educated work forces. In 2013, 66% of adults (aged 25 to 64) in Ontario had a postsecondary education credential.

Since 2003, provincial investments in Ontario’s education infrastructure have supported an average of about 16,000 jobs every year in construction and related industries.

Ontario has invested $12 billion in school infrastructure since 2003, including nearly 650 new schools, over 620 additions and renovations, and 27,000 repair and renewal projects. Ontario has also helped make more than 2,600 publicly funded schools more energy efficient.

Pan Am Games

Hosting the Games will:

  • trigger investment in new and existing sports and recreation infrastructure
  • the Games and Games-related investments will create more than 26,000 jobs and grow Ontario’s real GDP by $3.7 billion from 2009 to 2017
  • attract 250,000 visitors and bring 10,000 athletes and team officials to Ontario
  • build and train a team of up to 20,000 volunteers — a valuable foundation for future events and community building
  • through construction of the Athletes’ Village, create 5,200 jobs and facilitate the development of the West Don Lands area, and leave behind a beautifully designed and sustainable mixed-use community
  • leave a legacy of new and updated sporting facilities including the new Toronto PanAm Sports Centre in Scarborough, a new athletics stadium at York University, a new field hockey complex at University of Toronto, a BMX course in Etobicoke, upgrades to Centennial and Birchmount Parks, and resurfaced roads suitable for all types of racing