Ontario is expected to experience $40.0 billion in funding shortfalls over the six-year period from 2022-23 to 2027-28
QUEEN’S PARK – While families struggle to keep up with inflation and afford everyday essentials, Doug Ford is choosing to shortchange our healthcare and education sectors, denying Ontarians the support they desperately need.
In their Fall 2022 Economic and Budget Outlook, the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) indicates the “government spending plan contains funding shortfalls in every program,” despite “growing budget surpluses from $0.1 billion in 2022-23 to $8.5 billion in 2027-28.”
“There were clear signs the government would run surpluses when they re-tabled their outdated April budget,” said MPP Bowman, Ontario Liberal critic for Finance. “They should have planned then to increase wages for our healthcare and education workers, expand staffing in ERs, and make much-needed investments to strengthen our public services.”
“They also had an opportunity to recession-proof the budget by investing in post-secondary education to upskill workers and help them secure jobs in high-growth sectors like the green economy, high-tech and digital services,” added MPP Bowman. “Instead, they parked money in contingency funds.”
Over the next six years, Ontario will experience $23.4 billion in funding shortfalls in health, $6.0 billion in education, $4.3 billion in children’s and social services, and $2.7 billion in post-secondary education.
“Families are hurting, and need support from this government now more than ever,” said MPP Fraser, Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. “Doug Ford has taken his eye off what matters the most – Ontarians and their bottom line. He needs to stop shortchanging families and invest in our public services.”
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