Mixed reaction to Ontario budget
Posted Mar 26, 2010 03:20:57 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It will take eight years to eliminate the province’s $21.3-billion deficit.
That was the message from Finance Minister Dwight Duncan when he delivered his $126-billion budget Thursday.
Duncan says overall, the Liberal government will rack up $110.2-billion dollars in red ink by the time it balances the books in 2017-18.
The McGuinty government plans to freeze the salaries of over one million public sector workers, including nurses and teachers, to help eliminate the deficit.
Duncan says there is no money for salary increases for unionized civil servants, or others paid by provincial taxpayers, for two years after each of their current contracts expire.
He also says an important part of the government’s recovery plan will be tax reform, including the Harmonized Sales Tax.
Duncan says he had to balance deficit reduction with maintaining support for the economy and public services.
Other budget highlights included, $63.5-million to replace federal child care funding that was cancelled.
A $310-million increase in post secondary education funding to pay for 20,000 new college and university spaces this fall and Ontario hospitals will only get a 1.5% increase in funding, they were hoping for 2 %.
The province’s budget garnered mixed reaction from local leaders in health care and education.
The interim C-E-O of Cambridge Memorial hospital says the $1.5 percent increase in funding will help them pay back part of their deficit.
Grand River was expecting a two percent funding increase, but spokesperson Mark Karjaluoto says the new money will help them manage cost pressures.
Roger Lawler with Waterloo’s Catholic school board says he is pleased with the province’s decision to roll out all-day kindergarten.
The plan to keep kids in school all day will cost child care providers more because of licensing requirements.
Director the K-W Y-W-C-A Elizabeth Clarke says she is disappointed the budget did not include money for that.
Regional chair Ken Seiling says he is pleased with the province’s commitment to child care.
Seiling says that although it is not a large portion of money, it is significant because it will save subsidized spaces.
