WASTEBUSTER PROGRAM
The Trillium Party would institute a wastebuster program where any Ontarian, but especially public sector workers, would be encouraged to advise government of where tax dollars are being misspent.
Often it is front-line workers who not only know the system best, but are the ones most frustrated by mismanagement and waste. This website and hotline would serve as a means of empowering these workers to identify wasteful spending, redundant programs, and unnecessary projects and consultants, anonymously. It is imperative that tips provided under this program be protected by Whistleblower legislation so government employees are protected, rather than the governing party.
MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) 
Talking Points:
- The Trillium Party of Ontario strongly believes MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) should be returned to the municipal level.
- Assessment of properties should be done by persons who live in the community and more importantly. Be held directly responsible by elected officials from municipal council.
- In other words “If we don’t like the way you assessed our house then we are going to fire you next election”
ASSESSMENT V. MPAC – ASSESSMENTS MUST BE MUNICIPAL
It has been found that there is a reason why property assessment must be at the Municipal level.[12] This involves one’s democratic rights and the ability of the tax-payer to have immediate recourse, not being thwarted by the Assessment Review Board process. There is also the Board of Directors of MPAC consisting of 8 individuals who are elected officials, officers or employees of a municipality, 5 representing tax-payers and 2 representing the province
The Board of Directors for MPAC is to consist of 8 individuals who are elected officials, officers or employees of a municipality, 5 representing tax-payers and 2 representing the province.
Municipal Representatives – 7:
Keith Hobbs, Mayor of the City of Thunder Bay
Ken Hughes Auditor General – City of Ottawa, Past President -Ontario Municipal Tax and Revenue Association.
Dan Mathieson, Mayor of Stratford.
Bill Rayburn C.A.O., County of Middlesex.
Roberto Rossini – City of Toronto’s Deputy City Manager & C.F.O.
Walter Sendzik, Mayor of St. Catharines.
Mary Smith, Mayor of the Township of Selwyn – Council Member County of Peterborough.
Tax-payer’s Representatives – 4.
Alf Chaiton, President of Tweedsmuir Green Power Group, Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Ottawa, Senior Policy Advisor to the federal Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce, and Senior Fellow at the Centre on Governance, University of Ottawa.
Lesley Gallinger VP of Corporate Services and CFO for the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).
Bev Hodgson, Barrister and Solicitor, Bev Hodgson Law
Don Redmond, Royal LePage Realty past Ontario Hydro, past President of Holstead and Redmond Land Surveyors, led innovative technology, municipal, provincial and federal levels projects.
Province – 1:
David P. Setterington CPA Ontario and CPA Canada.
Could this not be considered a conflict of interest considering they can increase assessments for Municipal/Provincial Corporate interests?
Some may have conflicts when representing tax-payers, so can tax-payers rely on these appointees?
Without the required members of a Board of Directors is MPAC in violation of their Act?
Secondly, an assessor is to live in the town, village, city, etc., that he/she is assessing. This is why Municipal elections used to be yearly, because if the Councils or their assessors were out of line, you had the opportunity to elect people who would fix the problem of over-assessment and bad budgeting.
Thirdly, in “Investing in People: Creating a Human Capital Society” it states “Given the experience with direct democracy in (e.g., California)… It should not be used for … the desirable level of taxes.” California almost went bankrupt, because of their democratic tax system.
MPAC payment formula as of 2015:
$2.3 trillion (assessed property values) + 5 million (number of properties) ÷ 2 x (times) the amount that the Corporation considers necessary to pay for its operations during the taxation year.
The “New Demo-Progressive-Con-Liberal Party” has ensured you, the tax-payer, will go bankrupt instead of the province. They’re all the same and they are all to blame.
Public Transit
Talking Points:
- Keeping in the theme of Government must be more accountable to the people, we the Trillium Party believe the Government must do their job!
- This farming it out to “partners” eg. Metrolinx serves only to separate government decisions from the elected officials. Removing a very important accountability option.
- A transportation plan should be made then executed with courage and conviction. “Get the job done”
Metrolinx A Crown Agency in name only
So why is there a Metrolinx? This is a question that every Ontarian should be asking when one considers there is a Ministry of Transportation.
Point in fact, according to the Metrolinx – Ministry Memorandum of Understanding they both have the same tasks[14] so why are tax-payers paying for the wages/ remuneration and expenses to the 14 directors,[15] including Janet Ecker, when all of this should be done by the Ministry?
And then there are the members of the Metrolinx executive – all 10 of them[16] – why are we paying for that when this should be employees of the Ministry?
Why are the Pensions of Employees and Officers of Metrolinx included in the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System?[17] Is this pension fund not merely for Municipal Employees?
We will work toward removing this waste by getting rid of Crown agencies that are “in name only” and that should be part of government – not paying for huge wages for partisan appointments by the Minister.
Public Transit should be administered directly by, and decided by, the Ministry of Transportation with the advice of the Municipality involved with the transit infrastructure. This needs to be paid for by the local municipality through 20 year debentures – not at the expense of other municipalities, future generations or tax-payers who do not use that public transit.
Tarion Warranty Program 
The people of Ontario expect better and deserve better from its government.
It is my position that the Tarion Home Warranty and the Tarion Corporation program should be revoked and dismantled completely.
Home builders need to be insured through their own insurance providers.
Insurance providers that follow the standards that are a direct compilation of what is expected by Ontario consumers, industry professionals, vendors, and legislators.
Consumer protection is presently available to consumers in Ontario through the Ministry of Consumer Relations.
It should not be the responsibility of the consumer to commence legal action in our courts on their own initiative when their is a dispute over contract service or warranty claims. This Ministry needs to be front and center in resolution of issues that arise with new home builds.
When consumers purchase a newly constructed home In Ontario from a registered home builder there is an expectation of quality. Consumers have an obligation to investigate builders and assure themselves that the company is one that prides itself on customer service and quality of their product. However, this does not alleviate the expectation that the Builder needs to provide safe , solid quality of product to its clients.