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Simcoe–Grey Liberal candidate Ted Crysler shares views on key issues

February 20, 2025   ·   0 Comments

Candidate: Ted Crysler

Party: Ontario Liberal Party

What are your, and your party’s thoughts on the fact that this election has been called early rather than completing the mandated term of office?

The short answer, it is a waste of 189 million taxpayers’ dollars. The province wasn’t supposed to see an election until June 2026. Again Doug Ford’s Conservatives did not prioritize Ontarians’ needs. Calling this snap election early when all the major opposition parties said they’d back him to potentially spend “billions of dollars” to protect people’s livelihoods proves that the supposed reason for him calling the election is questionable.

What do you think are the most important issues facing the province over the next four years?

“The list is long. We have a crumbling healthcare system, which will be prioritized. Investing in doctors, primary care, hospitals, PSWs, and nurses are just a few of the things that are needed to fix this crisis. Affordability is another issue that is in desperate need of being addressed. Housing, groceries, heating and hydro, the everyday needs of Ontarians are sky-rocketing in price. Removing the tax off your home heating and hydro bills, cutting income tax rates for the middle class, eliminating the hidden taxes on building homes, cutting small business taxes in half, and working with the other provinces to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers will go a long way to keeping money in Ontarians’ pockets. Dealing with Trump’s tariffs may unfortunately be a daily focus due to his unpredictability. That being said, with the federal government leading the charge, our coordinated response will ensure we are fighting to protect Canadian jobs and our economy. As a lifelong environmentalist, I believe it is critical to protect our natural heritage and farmland, and care for our ecosystems, wildlife and habitats so we can ensure our long-term survival. I told you, we have a big job ahead of us. But we’re ready for it. I truly believe the Liberal plan is strong enough to see us through this time of uncertainty.”

What will your party do to deal with proposed U.S. tariffs that may greatly affect the province and is the stated reason for the early election?

Well, that’s an interesting question, given the fact that every day we are seeing the tariff goalpost move under the Trump administration. Let’s be clear, the reasoning behind calling this election early was not because of the

Trump tariff threats; it was solely because the Ford government decided to take advantage of the fear every Ontarian is facing. Did Ford need to spend $189 million on an early election? No. Now we have to deal with the fallout. I believe in the Team Canada approach – leading a cross-government initiative to address and eliminate interprovincial trade barriers, excluding American companies from bidding on procurement opportunities, investing in small businesses, providing necessary aid and interest free loans to affected businesses, and spending Ontarians’ tax dollars wisely will all help in soothing the blow to our economy.”

The province has experienced a housing shortage with prices rising dramatically leaving many people without the ability to afford a house of their own. What solutions can you provide to get this under control?

Removing the hidden tax of development charges on new builds can save the homebuyer up to $170,000 on their purchase, and we will invest in needed infrastructure to support new homes through the permanent Better Communities fund. We will remove the land transfer tax for first time buyers, seniors who are downsizing, and nonprofit home builders. At the same time, we need to protect our farmland from sprawl development so development needs to occur in the right places and ideally within existing towns. Expanding rent controls will help stabilize rent prices. In 2018 Doug Ford rolled back rent controls on all units built or occupied after November 15 that year, saying the move would provide “market-based incentives for supply growth.” An initial flurry of building has since stagnated and we are now facing a housing crisis. We can legalize lowrise fourplexes on land zoned residential across the province – a policy recommended by the housing task force. These and other measures will build confidence in our economy and give both homebuyers and renters the breathing space they need in this charged environment.”

What do you, as a candidate, offer the citizens of Simcoe-Grey as a choice for their elected representative?

My voice and my ears! As your MPP, you elect me to be your voice in the legislature. Equally as important, it is my job to listen to you. And I am. And I would continue to listen to you throughout my term of office, because it is your concerns that matter and they must be heard and acted on. I would spend as much time in the riding meeting with the citizens of Simcoe-Grey as I could, to ensure I am clear on your priorities. You have made it perfectly clear what my/our priorities are right now; healthcare, affordability, the tariff threat, and sustainability. I’m ready to take on the fight and put Simcoe-Grey’s needs first.”

Final Comment

“We deserve a government that will listen, spend tax dollars wisely, and work tirelessly to build a sustainable future for all Ontarians. I truly believe Bonnie Crombie’s Liberals are the party to achieve this goal, and I’m proud to be part of Team Bonnie.

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