High hydro prices and the gutting of health care.

Those are two issues PC Leader Patrick Brown says he expects to continue to hear from northerners as he sets out on a northeastern tour this week.

He starts in the Sault tonight (Tuesday) and will be in North Bay on Saturday.

On a conference call with northern reporters, Brown says high hydro rates are a big concern for residents.

But, he also says it’s an issue for business too.

“Nearly every single stop I will be sharing stories of local businesses, the backbone of our economy, who are struggling with Liberal electricity prices. Premier Wynne’s hydro rates are driving businesses, jobs and investment out of the province,” he said.

With the recently released census information showing population declines in most major northern centres, including North Bay, Brown says schools shouldn’t be closing and resources shouldn’t be bleeding out of hospitals.

“If you want to see the type of growth in northern Ontario, you want to see the resource sector grow, you want to see businesses grow, you have to stop gutting northern Ontario communities and frankly, this is a government that has allowed that to happen by stealth, and I won’t,” he said.

Brown also took aim at healthcare cuts, but also provincial plans to hire 84 more executives for the Local Health Integration Networks.

“One of these VPs is the same cost as 5,000 home care visits, so when you think 84 vice presidents the LHINs are hiring, that’s a real cost, that’s home care visits that will not be happening, that we cannot afford,” he said.

He also says the province wants to introduce 80 new sub-offices and likely hire more managers, too.

On top of North Bay and Sault Ste Marie, Brown’s driving tour will also take him to Chapleau, Timmins, Kapuskasing, New Liskeard, Cochrane and Haileybury.

 

The provincial Liberals, meantime, issued a media release about healthcare, pointing out the 2016 budget increased health care funding by $1-billion

They also say the Ministry of Health has 3,000 fewer employees and the number of managers has decreased by nearly 10% since 2003.

The Liberals also say the integration of the LHINs and Community Care Access Centres will mean 59 fewer executives and administrative/management staff within the LHINS.