Ford government reveals date for budget, promises it won’t include cuts

During an appearance at the Empire Club in Toronto, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy revealed he would publish the budget on Thursday, March 26.

The budget confirms the government’s spending plans for the year ahead, along with economic indicators ranging from growth to new housing or spending on vices like alcohol.

Bethlenfalvy has recently vocally complained about how much money Ontario is pouring into the health-care sector, the single largest line in its operating plan, calling it “unsustainable” at an event in Mississauga.

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“We’re in unprecedented territory in terms of the concerns of people. People are scared, they’re worried, they are concerned,” Bethlenfalvy previously said of the current geopolitical and economic climate fuelled, in part, by U.S. President Donald Trump.

At the same time, the finance minister warned that the province was facing a “big headwind, on top of the uncertainty” that threatens to squeeze Ontario even further.

“The economic environment is slowing down, there’s just no question,” the minister said. “We’re growing at the slowest rate we’ve grown post-COVID.”

Ford, however, promised that those pressures wouldn’t result in spending cuts when the budget is unveiled in a few weeks.

“I’ll tell you right now: no, there won’t be,” he said Tuesday when asked about cuts.

“My finance minister is the best finance minister I’ve ever seen. He’s a proven fiscal manager with taxpayers’ money.”

Ford acknowledged that the growth in health-care spending was on his mind, but said he didn’t plan to cut back.

“And yes, when you see the amount that we’re investing into health care, it’s concerning,” he added. “He’s doing his job. But we’re going to continue to invest, continue to increase the funding.”

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