Geoff Zochodne, Author at QP Briefing

Ontario auto insurance rates rise again, as Liberals plan consultations

Approved premiums increased by an average of 0.76 per cent in the second quarter of 2017, following a 1.24-per-cent increase in the first quarter. ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Tuesday, July 18. ...

Most Ontario voters want a change in government — even some Liberals: poll

The Campaign Research poll found the Tories had the support of 38 per cent of those surveyed, the Liberals had 31 per cent and the NDP had 23 per cent. ...

Seen: Energy minister fires back at Brown over column

Brown's guest column in the Toronto Sun took shots at the Grits' handling of the electricity file, and vowed to "freeze" new energy contracts for excess power. ...

Climate change adaptation plan not coming until ‘late Fall’

The last plan called for amendments to the Ontario Building Code, toughening up Northern Ontario’s winter road network and conducting “infrastructure vulnerability assessments.” ...

Hurricane straps, solar panels and charging stations: Ontario proposing climate-focused update of building code

The government is looking for feedback on moves that could happen years from now, including efficiency requirements for new homes that would be aimed at slashing their energy consumption. ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Monday, July 17. ...

People on the Move

Your roundup of appointments and job moves. ...

Heard: The last word on L’affair Giant Rubber Duck?

“I am so pleased that people were able to have fun,” said Premier Wynne when asked about the Giant Rubber Duck. ...

Booze-like rules for legalized marijuana ‘makes sense,’ Wynne says

Wynne’s government announced Wednesday that it was looking for public feedback on the federal government’s plan to legalize marijuana by July 2018. ...

Ontario says Bank of Canada rate hike won’t change province’s economic forecast

According to the Ontario budget, a one percentage point increase to interest rates would shave 0.1 to 0.5 percentage points off the province’s real GDP growth in the first year. ...

Ontario’s new long-term energy plan expected later this summer

The update to the province’s long-term energy plan will be the Liberals last chance to sculpt the electricity system before voters head to the polls next June. ...

Ontario taking slow ride on reforming auto insurance system, but making change to ‘payer of last resort’

The government intends to hold consultations on a report it says recommends “a wide-scale transformation of the current auto insurance system.” ...

Seen: Ontario sending firefighters to besieged British Columbia

A statement from Ontario Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Kathryn McGarry said Ontario “is stepping up” to help B.C. ...

PCs promise to give greenhouse growers a carbon tax break

Ontario’s cap-and-trade costs apply to greenhouse growers, something the PCs want to change. ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Monday, July 10. ...

People on the Move

Rounding up recent appointments and job moves. ...

Fee and regulation changes coming into effect on Canada Day

QP Briefing has a list of the fee hikes and regulatory tweaks coming into effect July 1. ...

Province pitching in $417 million for Port Lands patch-up

The project includes $65 million in previously announced infrastructure funding, bringing the total cost to an estimated $1.25 billion over an anticipated seven years of construction. ...

AMAPCEO the latest public-sector union to agree to deal with Liberal government

The AMAPCEO deal ensures there will be no contract scuffles on the campaign trail ahead of the June 7, 2018 Ontario election. ...

Seen: PCs pick challenger to ex-Tory Jack MacLaren in Kanata-Carleton

MacLaren, who broke with the PCs last month, has said he plans to run for the Trillium Party in Kanata-Carleton. ...

Deadline nixed for Ontario public sector employers to post new executive pay packages

The reforms came after a spate of bad press over pay hikes for execs at OPG and Metrolinx, as well as proposed compensation for college management that were deemed too excessive by the government ...

Investors ask questions about housing and NAFTA impacts on Ontario economy

Gadi Mayman, CEO of the Ontario Financing Authority, said his organization’s outreach for the first quarter of the 2017-18 fiscal year was aimed at European bond buyers, who made inquiries about the possible pitfalls for ...

Seen: Wynne slams new softwood lumber penalties

Wynne and McGarry say the province will keep working with its chief negotiator, former federal international trade minister Jim Peterson, to provide relief for softwood lumber producers. ...

PCs not ruling out alcohol in convenience stores

A lobbyist on behalf of the Ontario Convenience Stores Association was seen targeting several PC MPPs, including leader Patrick Brown. ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Monday, June 26. ...

Ontario ‘should be pleased’ it can buy cheap emissions cuts from California: think-tank

Ontario's auditor general and environmental commissioner have both raised concerns about the province buying its emissions reductions from California. ...

Liberals’ full hydro savings to kick in on Canada Day: OEB

The cost of the relief plan is expected to be about $5.5 billion over the next three years, but the province’s Financial Accountability Office has warned it will have a net cost of $21 billion over 29 years. ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Thursday, June 22. ...

Banks take pass on extra Hydro One shares in Liberal government’s ‘final’ offering

By law, the government can’t own less than 40 per cent of Hydro One, and no other shareholder can own more than 10 per cent. ...

Northern Ontario separatist party calls for 2018 referendum on school system

The NOP declares: “It is time to be FAIR and LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK." ...

Energy minister doubles down on Pickering nuke plant plan amid concerns

Ontario Power Generation has also fired back against criticism of its plan to operate the Pickering nuclear plant to 2024 ...

Canada-China free-trade deal on Ontario’s radar: Trade minister

“We must broaden our trading partners globally, starting today,” Michael Chan says. ...

Wynne gets new ‘executive advisor’ in premier’s office

Mary Rowe's shift to executive adviser comes as the Liberal government is bracing itself for NAFTA renegotiations. ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Monday, June 19. ...

Meet ‘Ontario Proud’: The Facebook page dedicated to defeating Kathleen Wynne

Ontario Proud’s Facebook page launched on February 26, 2016, and as of June 15, it had 143,277 people following it, and 142,598 people liking it. ...

Seen: Wynne slams idea of ‘change for change’s sake’

“We are building an Ontario that is fairer and more innovative, and you only need look around the world to see what is at stake,” said Wynne. ...

Stephen Harper’s consulting firm aims to lobby Kathleen Wynne’s office

According to the province’s registry, Ray Novak, who served as Harper’s chief of staff and is now a director of Harper & Associates Consulting Inc., has signed up to lobby the Ontario government. ...

Ontario agrees to $56.7M ‘remedy’ with CUPE for wage-freeze bill – but elementary teachers holding out

Bill 115 froze teachers’ pay, imposed contracts and blocked educators from striking. A judge ruled the law “substantially interfered” with Charter rights, but left it up to the parties involved to decide what the remedy ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Thursday, June 15. ...

Wynne expects more Liberal incumbents won’t run again in 2018

The Premier also said she is dead set against holding a snap election. ...

Government offers AMAPCEO four-year contract ‘roll-over’ with 7.5% pay bump

The contract extensions are being announced less than a year away from the next provincial election, and their terms would go a long way to keeping the labour peace while the Liberals and the other parties are out on the ...

Second Ontario cap-and-trade auction another near sellout

About 95 per cent of all available carbon credits in the June auction were snapped up by Ontario’s biggest emitters, netting the province an estimated $504 million. ...

Foreign buyers are paying Ontario’s non-resident real estate tax – and voters may be loving it

An industry-commissioned poll has found strong approval of the Liberal government’s Fair Housing Plan, including its decision to slap a 15-per-cent tax on purchases made by foreign buyers in the Greater Golden Horseshoe ...

Your morning briefing

Your morning roundup of news and agenda items for Tuesday, June 13. ...

Jury still out on housing market ‘frenzy,’ Finance Minister says

Sousa said the government is still working with realtors and the real estate boards to increase transparency in the market. ...

Seen: PC shadow cabinet gets shakeup after MacLaren exit

Meanwhile, Ross Romano, who won the June 1 Sault Ste. Marie byelection for the PCs, has been named the critic for Northern Ontario jobs and the Ring of Fire mining region. ...