The Wynne government in Ontario is scheduled to hand down its provincial budget Thursday afternoon.
Here are five things to expect in Finance Minister Charles Sousa's fiscal plan:
The ninth consecutive deficit budget is expected to outline clearly how the Liberal government will eliminate $7.5 billion in red ink by 2017-18.
Ontario’s net debt is expected to surpass $300 billion, with bond rating agencies watching closely to see if the debt-to-GDP ratio will be heading down from nearly 40%.
Taxpayers can also expect more details on the government’s cap-and-trade plan to fight climate change, which will drive up the price of most consumer goods, adding 4.3 cents a litre to the price of gasoline.
The document will outline already announced plans to let some grocery stores sell wine, which will get a new minimum price and could also be hit with a new tax.
There will also be more details on the government’s strategy to combat violence against indigenous women, which Premier Kathleen Wynne announced Monday would get $100 million in funding over three years.
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