Corporate welfare in St. Catharines

While I'm more than happy to hear that 600 additional jobs will likely be created at Gneral Motors in St. Catharines, I'm troubled at the level of corporate welfare that exists here. It seems that local residents are footing the bill for major corporations. At least our mayor is willing to admit as much...

[Mayor Brian] McMullan said he is "very optimistic" about the project. "When you look at potential opportunities, I believe this is the one we have to make a reality."

And McMullan said if the transmission assembly line comes to the Garden City, every homeowner in St. Catharines will have made a contribution to its success - through the decade of property tax shifts that has seen industries getting property tax breaks and homeowners paying a bigger share.

"Our commercial and industrial tax rate is one of the lowest in Ontario," McMullan said. "It is very competitive."