Member’s Statement: Failure: Financial Assistance to Business

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General’s report on ATCON contained some remarkable evidence about the failure of government financial assistance to business to create jobs.  The Office of the Comptroller evaluated $300M provided to 130 companies.  Of the 13 companies that received more than $5M, 10,358 net jobs were targeted to be created, but only 2 were actually created.  Of the 117 companies receiving less than $5 million, 2,275 jobs were created, though this represented just 24% of their target. This model of job creation is truly a failure and must be abandoned.  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement: Financial Assistance to Business
David Coon MLA Fredericton South,Leader of the NB Green Party
March 26, 2015