A budget showdown is looming in Ontario with Premier Kathleen Wynne telling New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath this afternoon that she has a week to decide if she will support the minority government or let it fall.
The $130.4-billion budget was tabled on Thursday afternoon, though it contained few surprises since much of its contents had trickled out in various leaks in recent weeks.
As a result, Wynne said Thursday that the NDP leader should know enough about the budget to make her decision within seven days.
Amid lower-than-expected revenues, a hefty deficit and modest economic growth, the Liberals are pushing plans to invest tens of billions in transit and infrastructure over the next 10 years and to create a new provincially-based pension plan. Along with those big-ticket items, the government wants to increase the minimum wage and to increase income taxes for Ontarians making $150,000 a year or more, while boosting both the Ontario Child Benefit and social assistance payments
The Liberals are presenting the budget as part of a long-term plan to put Ontario in a position to thrive in the future. To that end, Finance Minister Charles Sousa said there is need to drive growth, to ensure that Ontario has the modern infrastructure it needs and that the conditions are in place for business to succeed.
Under the budget the Liberals are proposing for 2014-15, the government would spend some $12.5 billion more than it brings in. That’s up from $11.3 billion in the 2013-14 fiscal year, and above the $10.1 billion they had projected.
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