Ontario budget, take two. Premier Kathleen Wynne re-released her provincial budget Monday. Leeds Grenville MPP Steve Clark says the result is a recycled budget that takes our province down the wrong road.
Clark said Monday’s budget mirrored the one introduced by Finance Minister Charles Sousa on May 1st and will see spending soar by $3.4 billion and increase Ontario’s deficit by $1.2 billion to $12.5 billion.
Clark said interest payments on Ontario’s debt is the fastest-growing line item in the budget, and the plan is almost certain to lead to a credit downgrade for Ontario. Clark says at a time when Ontario needed a responsible budget to steer us away from the dead-end of mounting debt and deficits, the Liberal government irresponsibly chose to ignore the warning signs and continue its out-of-control spending.
Clark also said he’s concerned the failure of the government to present a realistic plan to balance the books will continue to see private-sector investment going to Canadian provinces that have their fiscal houses in order.