Highlights of Ontario's 2011-12 provincial budget:
Overview
- Budget focus: deficit reduction, education, health
- Projected deficit for 2011 is $16.3 billion
- 2010-11 deficit $3 billion lower than originally forecasted
- Ontario debt forecasted at $241 billion in 2011
- Projected savings: $1.5 billion over next 3 fiscal years
Health
- Ontario to fund 90,000 additional breast-screening exams
- $300 million for mental health and children's mental health
- $100 million in extended pharmacy services for seniors, low-income residents
Education
- $64 million for universities and colleges
- 60,000 new spaces for post-secondary students by 2015-16
- $22 million to boost summer employment for 100,000 students
- Full-day kindergarten in 200 more schools by September
Job growth/security
- $175 million investment in public/private partnerships
- Projects worth $1.3 billion
- Risk management program for cattle, hog, sheep, veal farmers
Toronto
- Construction of Toronto West Courthouse cancelled
- No new money for Toronto transit
- Partial closure of Toronto West Detention Centre
Cuts
- 1,500 public service jobs cut between 2012 and 2014
- Major agencies such as the LCBO and OLG to find $200 millions in savings by 2014
- Funding cuts to executive offices at hospitals, schools, agencies
- Ontario to explore privatizing ServiceOntario
- Economist Don Drummond to review service delivery in Ontario