Andrea Horwath’s post-debate tour kicked off with stops in two regions where the NDP are hoping to build off gains made in 2018.

Horwath first stopped in front of Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate in Scarborough, joined by her party’s Scarborough—Rouge Park candidate, Felicia Samuel. She was there promoting the NDP’s plans to pour $4.8 billion into school repairs over the next three years to clear a restoration backlog that the party predicts will take a decade.

A report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative (CCPA) released in February said dealing with the challenge would currently cost almost $17 billion.

In their budget-platform released in April, the Progressive Conservatives committed to $1.4 billion in 2022-23 to address the backlog. The Liberals have promised $10 billion over five to six years, funded by axing Highway 413. And the Greens have promised $2.7 billion over the next three years.

READ MORE: Del Duca gives Ontarians a ‘choice’: Highway 413 or new schools

One of the co-authors of the CCPA report, Ricardo Tranjan, said the Liberals' and NDP’s plans seem to be on the right track, but that’s only if they commit to enough capital funding to maintain schools as they are right now.

Without continued investment to prevent the backlog from growing, repair costs would grow by $2 billion/year, Ricardo warns.

“We have to stop the bleeding,” he said.

The PCs budgeted for $14 billion in capital grants for school infrastructure over the next decade, which the Liberals have said they would stick to.

Horwath didn’t say how much the NDP would earmark for sustained infrastructure funding going forward, but promised her “commitment is solid; we’ll clear that backlog.”

Responding to the ongoing construction workers' strike and PC Leader Doug Ford’s slow siphoning of union support away from the NDP, Horwath ruled out back-to-work legislation for the tens of thousands of workers currently on strike. Ford refused to make the same commitment when he was in Windsor last week.

“What we need is employers to start paying workers a fair wage in this province... And I want to say to those to those construction workers who are out on the picket lines: good for you. Good for you for fighting for a wage that pays the bills,” Horwath said, blaming Ford for creating a “low-wage economy” leading to the current affordability crisis.

Ford has secured multiple endorsements from unions in the over the past few weeks, including from LiUNA, which represent about 80,000 construction workers and some of those currently on strike.

Horwath also went on the offensive against Steven Del Duca, who she accused of wanting people to “forget the record of Wynne-Del Duca Liberals.” She said Del Duca’s “schtick” during Monday night’s debate was not taking responsibility for his role in the previous Liberal government.

READ MORE: Opposition leaders took their shots in final debate

The NDP are hoping to breakthrough in Scarborough battleground ridings, especially in Scarborough—Rouge Park where Samuel lost to PC incumbent Vijay Thanigasalam by 963 votes in 2018. The only other riding in the area that the NDP hold is Scarborough Southwest, won in 2018 by Doly Begum. Sandwiched between the two ridings is Liberal Mitzie Hunter’s Scarborough—Guildwood, and the remaining three Scarborough ridings — all which are held by the PCs.

According to iPolitics’ elections dashboard, the PCs are expected to be strong in Scarborough, with Samuel behind Thanigasalam in Rouge Park. A riding-level poll currently finds Begum tied Scarborough Southwest.

After her stint in Scarborough, Horwath was in Peterborough to stump for the party’s candidate in Peterborough—Kawartha, Jen Deck, and to promote the party’s mental health platform.

READ MORE: NDP releases mental health platform at Toronto event

Deck will be up against PC incumbent Dave Smith, who won by 2,386 votes — four per cent of the vote share — over the NDP candidate in 2018. The NDP did, however, make major gains in an area it hasn't controlled since 1995.

The elections dashboard has Peterborough—Kawartha as a narrow win for Smith, with Deck trailing by 5.1 per cent of the predicted vote share.

Horwath stumps in Scarborough, Peterborough to bump tight races

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