Raising the HST to help municipalities pay for road, arena and other infrastructure improvements would “fly in the face” of her efforts to ease pocketbook pressures on Ontarians, Premier Kathleen Wynne says. She told local councillors from across the province at the annual convention of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario that she was surprised by the group’s call Monday for a 1 per cent HST hike to raise $2.5 billion. “I have not heard that discussion from mayors,” she said at the convention in Ottawa on Tuesday. Wynne’s Liberal government, which is up for re-election next June 7, cut electricity bills 25 per cent this year after skyrocketing hydro prices infuriated consumers and fuelled attacks by opposition parties. The premier said AMO’s push to raise the HST to 14 per cent from 13 would mean “constituents paying more taxes” and suggested a less drastic solution.

Source: thestar August 15, 2017 18:45 UTC