The man looking to take over Premier Dalton McGuinty’s job was in Kincardine talking affordable housing this past week.
Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, who was in town Monday rolling out his Small Business Jobs Plan, was asked how his party plans to deal with affordable housing issues.
Hudak says it all boils down to Ontario’s economy.
He says the economy will dictate how much is spent on addressing affordable housing.
As far as solutions go, Hudak talked about the idea of rent vouchers.
He says it could help people find rental units in places where rent is high like Kincardine and Goderich.
Meridan Credit Union Branch Manager Mike Watt brought up the issue.
Watt told Hudak that local business owners are struggling to attract workers and students to the Kincardine area because of the ripple effect Bruce Power has had on the housing and rental market.
The average rent in Kincardine is pegged between 8 to 12 hundred dollars with the average new home estimated to cost around 300 thousand dollars.
Watt says without enough affordable housing units in Kincardine business owners simply can not attract students and workers.
He points to one reputable restaurant that recently held a job fair with only two applicants showing up.
Hudak was in Kincardine meeting with the Chamber of Commerce about his Small Business Jobs Plan which among other things; strongly opposes Premier McGuinty’s plan to merge the GST with PST.
