Toronto, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the Ford government to keep the books balanced, control spending and reduce the sales tax when Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tables his budget next week.  

“Ontario had its first balanced budget in more than a decade last year and the Ford government should build on that success,” said CTF Ontario Director Jay Goldberg. “For too long, governments have put off difficult choices and borrowed more from future generations. The Ford government should show leadership and change course.”

The provincial debt has grown by $57 billion since Ontario Premier Doug Ford took office. Ontario now has nearly half a trillion dollars of public debt. Ontario currently spends $13.5 billion a year on debt interest. With that much money, Ontario could be building a new hospital every month. 

“Ford certainly didn’t start Ontario’s 15-year debt binge, but he’s played a part in it,” said Goldberg. “Now that the budget is balanced, Ford has a golden opportunity to begin to undo the damage that’s been done to the province’s finances by three successive governments and stop wasting so much cash on interest payments.”

With the government bringing in $20.2 billion more in tax revenue than it anticipated last year, the CTF is also calling on the Ford government to deliver relief to taxpayers.

“To help Ontarians struggling to deal with high inflation and soaring living costs, the Ford government should cut the HST,” said Goldberg. “A sales tax cut would benefit every taxpayer in the province and would help lower prices nearly everywhere taxpayers shop.”