One of the more seasoned candidates for the Ontario Liberal leadership, due to his experience in government, Steven Del Duca intends to tap into that experience, and to learn from past mistakes, while ushering in a new era of prosperity for Northern Ontario.

Del Duca has unveiled a strategy for the region, called the Ontario North Action Plan, with promises to four-lane Highway 17, reverse Progressive Conservative cuts and improve access to health care, among other priorities.

Ontario Liberals will gather at the International Centre in Mississauga on March 6-7 to pick their first permanent new leader since voters snubbed them in the 2018 election.

The candidate recently took time to answer 10 questions from The Star

You recently released your Ontario North Action Plan. What’s the importance of having such a plan, specifically tailored to the needs of Northern Ontarians?

I am incredibly proud of my Ontario North Action Plan because it addresses solutions to real problems faced by those residing in Northern Ontario. It offers concrete, tangible ideas on improving and building infrastructure, on restoring funding to the NOHFC to attract business to the North and creating new jobs, and it addresses critical issues such as access to healthcare.

What are the key points of this plan?

The key points of my Ontario North Action Plan are:

– Expanding the Trans-Canada Highway to four lanes across its entire length;

– Ensuring that residents of Northern Ontario have access to a nurse practitioner or doctor within 48 hours;

– Making the investment required to build the appropriate electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Northern Ontario;

– Supporting projects that drive development and electrification in the remote north, including through the establishment of a dedicated community infrastructure fund for northern and on-reserve communities;

– Canceling the Ford government’s cuts to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and establishing a stream of the NOHFC to support northern Ontario businesses in selling to nearby export markets that are closer than southern Ontario;

– Working with the Federal government and nNorthern communities to ensure settlement of skilled immigrants in the North.

While you served in the provincial government, in what ways did the relationship between Queen’s Park and Northern Ontario improve that you hope to build on if elected as leader, and ultimately as premier?

I value the relationships I built with representatives across Northern Ontario at all levels of government, and with stakeholder organizations. I hope to get the chance to work together on key initiatives to make life in Northern Ontario the best it can be.

What would a Liberal government need to do better, when it comes to the North, than it did when your party last governed the province?

I think we need to do our part to listen to those in Northern Ontario on what they need and what will help improve their quality of life. A criticism I have heard on my time in Northern Ontario is that we didn’t listen to the feedback we get from residents, and I am committed to ensuring we don’t make that mistake again.

What would your government need to do better, when it comes to the region, than the current Progressive Conservative government?

I think that we would need to work with Northerners on how best to deliver services, to attract investment and to make Northern Ontario the best place it can be. I would reverse the reckless cuts to programs that the Ford government has made to programs like the NOHFC that attract business to the North and create local jobs.

How long would it take to four-lane Highway 17 and what challenges would you face in sticking to the targeted timeline?

The complete four-laning of the Trans-Canada would take a number of years, and it will require an ongoing partnership with the federal government. As a first step, I would recommend expanding in higher-traffic areas, such as the stretch between Thunder Bay and Nipigon or the portion between Kenora and the Manitoba border. And I would want to see the expansion of Highway 69 completed as quickly as possible.

How would this plan help to create private-sector jobs in the North?

My Ontario North Action Plan will create private sector jobs as it will attract new business to Northern Ontario, whether through my expanded NOHFC program or through construction projects to improve Northern infrastructure.

How can you encourage skilled immigrants to settle, and to stay, in the North?

We have lots of levers at our disposal — we just have to be willing to use them. One way to attract more doctors and nurse practitioners to the North would be loan forgiveness if they commit to working a certain number of years in communities that are not presently well served. I truly believe that once new graduate spend some time in the North they will want to stay.

Is there an estimated cost for the Ontario North Action Plan and how will the province pay for it?

We need to partner with the federal government to four-lane the Trans-Canada Highway — this is something they have done for other provinces and so they should contribute their fair share for Ontario.

Northerners deserve their fair share and they deserve access to healthcare. Increased access will certainly have budget ramifications, but I simply don’t believe we can withhold healthcare services from the North to balance a budget.

How will you convince people in southern Ontario, some of whom may have little knowledge of the North and its needs, that funding such a plan will benefit the province as a whole?

I think we need to communicate the strength and resiliency of Northern communities and highlight their contributions. Every dollar into the North is an investment in peoples, communities and sectors that will ultimately give back a lot to the province.

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