TORONTO — Premier Doug Ford has set expectations ahead of his budget, saying he's not afraid to spend big in uncertain economic times.
"We have to look at it through a different lens now, since these tariffs have been put on," he said of the budget, which is set to be tabled shortly after 4 p.m. today.
In tough times, governments have two options, Ford said: cut spending, or invest in infrastructure.
"We can always balance in a year or two. What scares me are the governments that go in there and start slashing and burning. We've never done that. We never will. We'll get through it. The way I can describe it is like the pandemic — you have to put money into the economy to keep things going," he said.
Ford has so far done that through an $11 billion tariff relief package for businesses, including deferred tax payments, WSIB rebates and an increase to skills training.
On Tuesday, he offered some consumer-focused pocketbook relief by reaffirming his plans to remove tolls from the government-owned portion of Highway 407, and to make his government's gas tax cut permanent.
Ford has also looked to lead on dismantling interprovincial trade barriers in a bid to spur the Canadian economy and reduce reliance on the U.S. On Wednesday, he announced a memorandum of understanding with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew to do just that.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy has teased a number of budget goodies, including up to $300 million to build new and expanded community-based primary care clinics, a five per cent increase in the Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit rate, and a $1-billion top-up for the Skills Development Fund.
He, like Ford, has refused to say whether Ontarians can expect a tax cut.
Thursday's budget will provide an update on the province's books for the first time since October's fall economic statement. At that point, Ontario projected a $6.6 billion deficit for 2024-25, although $3 billion of that was due to the $200 rebate cheques sent to nearly every Ontarian.
The estimate was a $3.2 billion improvement from the spring 2024 forecast. But it was also before the tariffs.
Ford's government still faces challenges on a number of weighty files, including housing and health care.
Speaking to reporters about his new bill aimed at speeding up road, transit and housing projects, Housing Minister Rob Flack stopped short of promising that the government would hit its goal of 1.5 million new homes by 2031. The fall economic statement showed trouble on this front.
Bill 5, another piece of recent legislation aimed at "unleashing" Ontario's economy, is now the subject of a request for an integrity commissioner investigation after a Trillium report showed a carve-out for a massive landfill expansion came on the heels of donations from the landfill's owners.
Advocates have also excoriated the bill for its allowance of "special economic zones," which they argue could run roughshod over Indigenous treaty rights, labour laws and environmental protections.
While the Progressive Conservatives have increased health spending each year, advocates say it hasn't kept up with inflation or the challenges facing the system.
The government has also taken aim at school boards facing deficits, though a Trillium report showed real-dollar education funding cuts since the PCs took office.
All three opposition party leaders said they hope to see no funding in the budget for Ford's promised tunnel under Highway 401.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the budget will be a "test" as to whether the government is focused on building infrastructure like hospitals and schools or "vanity projects" like the 401 tunnel and the Ontario Place Therme redevelopment.
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie also singled out Therme as a misplaced priority, saying she hopes to see middle-income and small-business tax cuts, increased health-care spending and more affordable housing in the budget.
Green Leader Mike Schreiner said he'd like to see more protections for farmland, and investments in affordable housing, health care, mental health, education and low-cost renewable energy.
"It's gonna be a good budget," Ford promised. "It's gonna be about building our province, creating more jobs, more opportunities, making ourselves more competitive, putting money back into people's pockets, supporting businesses through some of these tough times with these tariffs."
—With files from Katherine DeClerq
