NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Pensions Critic Paul Miller today launched province-wide consultations on Ontario’s pension system.

“New Democrats believe now is the time for an Ontario Pension Plan because all Ontarians deserve to retire with dignity and security. And we believe that the Ontario government has the primary responsibility to deal with the growing pension crisis,” said Horwath.

Currently, two-thirds of working Ontarians lack any form of workplace-based pension. The percentage of workers who have workplace pension coverage has declined from more than 40 per cent in 1983 to just one-third today.

Miller will commence his fact-finding, summer-long tour next week. He will travel across the province to hear from Ontarians about the current crisis and how to fix the pension system.

“Every single worker in this province should be covered by a workplace pension plan. That’s why we need an Ontario Pension Plan,” said Miller.

He noted that other provinces are already moving ahead with their own pension plans. The British Columbia government has already endorsed the creation of a new pension fund, which Alberta is expected to join. Saskatchewan has recently joined that discussion and Nova Scotia is studying a similar proposal. In Ontario, the recent Arthurs report supported such a plan.

“New Democrats see pensions as an Ontario issue to be debated in an open and transparent manner, not as an issue that should be punted off to Ottawa. We look forward to engaging Ontarians on a discussion that affects each and every one of us – financial security and dignity in our retirement years,” said Horwath.