
The Ontario government unveiled its expenditure estimates for 2019-20 — and many programs face significant cuts.
Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy said the government inherited a $15-billion operating deficit.
Ontario could hire 15 teachers an hour for the amount it spends paying off
The spending plan released Thursday will help restore the province’s books to balance in five years, he said.
“It’s a plan to get us back to basics and back to balance,” Bethlenfalvy said.
While the expenditure estimates don’t provide the nitty-gritty details, they do offer a clearer picture of where the government expects to spend and cut.
For instance, in the Children, Community and Social Services Ministry, there are reductions in spending on the Family Responsibility Office, financial and employment supports, children and youth at risk, women’s issues, language training and settlement supports or a total ministry operating expense savings of $819 million.
Over at the Ministry of Health, the government expects to spend $70.5 million less on eHealth, which is being absorbed into a new super health agency, but the overall health-care budget is forecast to rise by $1.74 billion.
The Indigenous Affairs Program, that last year received $97.7 million, will see a drop of $28.3 million.
There’s a reduction of $78.4 million planned for the Municipal Affairs and Housing Ministry’s housing program.
The Tourism Ministry takes a hit with a drop of $22.6 million for the tourism program and $59.6 million less for the culture program, although the sport, recreation
OPP will see its budget shrink by $46.3 million, and correctional services will have to make do with $35.9 million less.
The Anti-Racism Directorate will have $200,000 less to spend in 2019-20 over the previous year.
[…]
See Also:
(1) Ford cuts will cost Toronto $177.65 million this year, city manager warns
(3) Ontario cuts funding to startup, innovation programs (Paywall)
(4) Where Ontario can make cuts: Stop giving welfare to refugees who should be deported
(5) Lots of fat at Toronto public health, says former board member
(6) Why are we celebrating Red Army conquests in the streets of Toronto?
(7) #RingOfFire (#RoF) News – May 8, 2019
(8) Ontario NDP wants to declare a climate emergency but Doug Ford won’t let them