Ontario public accounts report released today

During a heated discussion at Queen’s Park this morning, Ontario finance minister Charles Sousa revealed the province will release a report today on how this year’s budget held up.

“This afternoon we have released our public accounts, an audited statement talking about achievements that this government has been able to do over the course of the last number of years, as it relates to the budget and the decisions that we’ve made. Tough decisions that the opposition have not been prepared to make,” he said.

The provincial budget deficit was $5 billion less than forecast. The government has a shortfall this year of about $10 billion, not $15 billion. That’s partly due to a hold on salary increases for government paid workers, like teachers.