What does the Ontario budget mean for Windsor?

In Wednesday's provincial budget, the Ontario Liberals pledged big dollars for a high speed rail link between Windsor and Toronto, and cash to fix up a portion of a main city road.

• Key facts and figures you need to know from Ontario's pre-election budget

The commitment for the rail line comes in at $11 billion for construction. What was not saidis how much of the high speed link this moneyannounced todaywill pay for, without a definitive price tag or timeline given. Stations are planned for Windsor, Chatham, London, Kitchener, Guelph, and Toronto's Union Station, with a connection to Pearson International Airport.

But Windsor West NDP MPPLisa Gretzky is skeptical.

"On the surface it looks like Christmas morning and people have woken up and got everything that they've asked for," said Gretzky. "The Liberals have had 15 years to deliver on these things and they chose not to."

• Liberals' $11B pledge for high speed rail highlights long list of major infrastructure promises

Free prescription drugs

Senior citizens in Windsor are also applauding the Liberals promise to providefree prescription drugs to anyone 65 and over. It would cover more than 4,400 drugs, cost $575 million by 2021 and come into effect August 1, 2019. That's if the Liberals are re-elected.

Watch 84-year-old Marie Benottoreact to the plan.

Windsor senior gets emotional over Liberal promise for free prescription drugs

6 years ago

Duration 0:45

Some senior citizens in Windsor, Ont. say it's a financial struggle to live a normal life. The Liberals say free prescription drugs would save the average senior $240 a year.

Huron Church reconstruction

The second line item from Wednesday's budget that impacts Windsor is $3 million for reconstruction of Huron Church Road betweenDorchesterRoad to Malden Road.

For Windsor-Tecumseh NDP MPPPercy Hatfield it's less about what was in the budget, and more about what was missing.

He said many local items on his agenda were left out of the Liberals re-election budget. Things like money to widen Hwy. 3 between Essex and Leamington, money to help move the University of Windsor's law school to the downtown Paul Martin building or funding to keep the Canadian Club Brand Centre open.

"It's like a last-moment Hail Mary pass, let's put it out there, let's throw a whole bunch of stuff at the wall and see what sticks," said Hatfield. "See if people will forgive us for all of our scandals."