Doug Ford at his rally in Chatham. May 23, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Cowan Blackburn News Chatham-Kent). Doug Ford at his rally in Chatham. May 23, 2018. (Photo by Sarah Cowan Blackburn News Chatham-Kent).
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Ford government to deliver first budget April 11

Ontarians will find out next month how Doug Ford's government will spend their tax dollars.

The provincial government announced Thursday morning that the budget will be delivered on April 11.

"Our government's first Budget will outline our plan to return the province to balance in a responsible manner, and protect what matters most - preserving critical public services, including our world-class health care and education system," said Minister of Finance Vic Fedeli in a statement issued Thursday. "It will also outline how we will create and protect jobs for Ontario workers, and put the people at the centre of everything we do in government."

The PCs claim they inherited a $15 billion deficit from the previous Liberal government and it has since shrunk that deficit to $13.5 billion. However, the opposition claims the Tories have inflated the deficit figure in an effort to justify considerable spending cuts.

In February, a report from Ontario's Financial Accountability Officer said the Ford government's ability to reduce the deficit through spending cuts would be limited, pointing out that program spending in Ontario in 2017 was among the lowest in the country on a per capita basis.

Nevertheless, the government's statement on Thursday said balancing the budget is "not just a fiscal imperative, but a moral one"

"Every dollar that is spent on paying interest on debt is one less dollar going to our schools and hospitals," Fedeli said. "Unless we take action now, our children and grandchildren will have to bear an even greater burden. Balancing the budget will help us sustainably fund essential public services for current and future generations."

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