Ontario continues to head in the wrong fiscal direction, Ontario PC Finance Critic Vic Fedeli said today, pointing to the $10.9 billion deficit announced today by Finance Minister Charles Sousa.
“Since Kathleen Wynne took office, Ontario’s deficit has gone from $9.2 billion two years ago to $10.5 billion last year to $10.9 billion this year. We’re getting farther away from balance, not closer,” Fedeli said.
Earlier today, Fedeli raised questions about a Ministry of Finance response that failed to provide detailed line-by-line accounting of how the government can balance the books in 2017-18.
“This is just further evidence the Liberals don’t have a plan to return to balance.”
Fedeli noted the Auditor General warned in her most recent report that failing to address Ontario’s debt and deficit will result in a “crowding out” of spending on essential services, such as health care and education.
“We’re seeing nurses being cut across the province today, along with services like diabetes testing strips, physiotherapy for seniors and cataract surgeries. The scenario outlined by the Auditor is coming to fruition right now, today, in Ontario,” added Fedeli.
“Expert after expert, from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, to the Moody’s and Fitch credit rating agencies to the Auditor have all told the Liberals they must change course. So far, we have no evidence they’re willing to do that.”
