News never stops, even if the provincial legislature does.  Here are a couple of stories to keep in mind in Ontario politics.

1. Taxing the Carbon Tax? This one was brought to us by CTV’s Paul Bliss.  The controversial Carbon tax begins January, 2017 will also be subjected to 13% HST.  The carbon tax was passed as part of the 2016 provincial budget.  It will increase the cost of home heating oil by $5/month, and gas at the pumps by 4.3 cents/ litre.   Watch the story here

2. Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (O.R.P.P.): Yes, the increase in the Canada Pension Plan (C.P.P.) means no more Ontario Retirement Pension Plan.  However, stopping something like this comes with a $70 million price tag.  “The need to address the retirement savings gap was too important for us to sit idly by,” reads a statement from Finance Minister Charles Sousa, and Minister responsible for the O.R.P.P. Indira Naidoo-Harris.

It breaks down to: $30 million spent on setting it up,  $9.5 million spent on compensation directly related to the plan’s development. $6.5 million was spent on severance, salaries and benefits from 2013-2016.  $3.3 million was spent on severance for 33 employees who had already started working on it. What keeps this story going? The statement announcing its demise also calls for the Auditor-General to look at the numbers.  It usually doesn’t end well when they get involved.