Barrie MPP Aileen Carroll said the 2008 provincial budget is all about investing in the people of Ontario.

Culture Minister Carroll said the budget is focused on strengthening the economy and investing in infrastructure projects.

She said a major part is investing in skills training through a $1.5-billion three-year Skills to Jobs Action Plan that aims to get more Ontarians into well-paying jobs and into long-term training for job opportunities.

“An unemployed person here in Barrie is not being helped much by corporate tax cuts, but he or she will be benefiting hugely from the Skilled Job Action Plan,” Carroll said.

Brian Tamblyn, President and CEO of Georgian College, said he liked what he saw in the budget, specifically the government’s plan to increase the number of skilled workers.

Tamblyn said the Conference Board of Canada has identified a need for 360,000 skilled workers by 2025 because of the province’s growth and baby boomers retiring.

“We have to start preparing for that. Today, in many ways, we are almost late doing it, but it’s good that we are doing it,” he said. “I give the government credit for listening to the industry and looking to the future, and I think they should be commended.”

The budget also included a new property tax grant for senior homeowners, worth $1 billion over five years, to help low- and moderate-income seniors.

Carroll said she is pleased to see something done in this area.

“In the months that I was at the doors in July, August, September and October, and we did every door in Barrie, I can’t tell you how many times I’d hear from seniors, ‘Look, I own my home, it’s paid for, but I’m on a fixed income … and property taxes are hurting,’” she said. “We listened on the streets and then responded to it.”

The budget also tackled health care, providing $180 million over three years to shorten wait times, and $120 million to help hospitals in high-density areas cope with growing demand.

Janice Skot, President and CEO of the Royal Victoria Hospital, said she was pleased the government was recognizing a need for additional funding for hospitals in high-density areas and emergency rooms.

Skot hopes the RVH will be among those hospitals that receive the funding, and is waiting for more details to emerge.

“RVH has the second-busiest single-site emergency room in the province and in addition, our number of patients who are leaving without being seen is, unfortunately, rising,” she said. “We hope and are optimistic that the funding will be coming towards the RVH.”

Carroll said more specific details about the budget will be announced over the next few weeks.

“It’s a lot, a budget, and it comes out in these global amounts, but the next few days allow us to get home, and be here with you, and details will come in the days ahead.”