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