As more details emerge about the state of the province's finances, Perth Wellington MPP Randy Pettapeice said the former government's culture of waste and mismanagement is shocking.
The province's operating expenses grew by 55 per cent -- or $2,226 per person -- over the past 15 years.
That's the finding of a line-by-line review of the provincial government's spending.
Pettapeice adds that the report also found that interest payments to service Ontario’s ballooning debt reached $11.9 billion in 2017-2018. That makes it the fourth largest line item in the budget after health, education, social services.
In fact, a report says the audit by E-Y Canada found the increase in government spending has outpaced population growth by 1.9 per cent.
“We had an idea it was bad, but the news on Friday was sobering,” said Pettapiece. “The Independent Financial Commission of Inquiry, without a doubt, confirms the previous Liberal government supported a culture of waste and mismanagement.”
He continued by saying, “The Liberals claimed to have balanced the budget in 2017-2018, when in fact they ran a deficit of $3.7 billion. They deliberately misled the public.”