Ontario

The ink is red and the Tories are blue.

Amid a rapidly slowing economy, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy has tabled a record $214.5-billion budget with $9.8-billion deficit for 2024-25 — a staggering $10-billion swing from the $200-million surplus he projected last March.

“It has been a challenging year. Life has rarely been this expensive,” Bethlenfalvy conceded Tuesday in the legislature.

8 highlights from the Ontario budget — and 2 things all drivers will want to know

Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives have tabled a $214.5-billion budget with an unexpectedly high $9.8-billion deficit. Here are the highlights…

Ontario deficit will triple as economy weakens, 2024 budget shows

High interest rates are expected to take a toll on Ontario’s economy this year, the province said in its 2024 budget, which includes projections of weak economic growth and a ballooning deficit.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled the government’s $214-billion budget at Queen’s Park Tuesday, saying it is investing in housing, roads and public services during a time of uncertainty without raising taxes.

Bonnie Crombie declared new Ontario Liberal leader after three rounds of voting

The RCMP announced Tuesday it has launched a criminal investigation into Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s plan to open up Greenbelt land for development.

“Following a referral from the Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP O Division’s Sensitive and International Investigations (SII) unit has now launched an investigation into allegations associated to the decision from the Province of Ontario to open parts of the Greenbelt for development,” RCMP Cpl. Christy Veenstra said in a statement Tuesday.

It added that no further updates will be provided at this time to ensure that the investigation process leads to a “fair and proper” outcome.

Given the state of Canadian politics, it’s rare to find myself bothered by a politician’s resignation. In fact, it’s usually the opposite — the list of elected officials I think should resign for a variety of screw ups grows ever longer.

However, I was upset at the news of now-former Ontario minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development Monte McNaughton’s departure for a private sector job.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government will be reversing its Greenbelt land swap decision and won’t make changes to the Greenbelt in the future.

The premier said he broke a promise when he decided to open the Greenbelt for housing development.

A person is allowed to change their mind but this whole deal was “Old Boy Sketchy” from the start.

The RCMP said Wednesday it has received a referral from provincial police in Ontario to “investigate irregularities” in the Ford government’s controversial Greenbelt land swap.

“We will review and assess the information received and will take appropriate action as deemed necessary,” an RCMP spokesperson said in an email.

“As the investigation is in its infancy and is ongoing, we decline to offer any further comments.”

Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives “favoured certain developers” in a controversial Greenbelt land swap that could make the landowners $8.28 billion, the auditor general says.

In a searing 93-page report to the legislature Wednesday, Bonnie Lysyk found Ford’s opening up of 7,400 acres of environmentally protected land last fall “cannot be described as a standard or defensible process.”

Premier Doug Ford may be sailing along this summer, but storm clouds are forming for his Progressive Conservatives, a new Abacus Data poll suggests.

While Abacus found Ford’s Progressive Conservatives at 41 per cent support compared to 24 per cent for the leaderless Liberals, 23 per cent for Marit Stiles’s NDP and seven per cent for Mike Schreiner’s Greens, there are ominous signs for the governing party.

One of the myths about Ontario Premier Doug Ford — fuelled largely by public sector unions — is that his Progressive Conservative government is slashing and burning public spending.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the opposite is true.

h/t Mauser