Here are the highlights of the budget Ontario finance minister Charles Sousa unveiled Wednesday:
– Deficits of about $6.7 billion from 2018-19 to 2020-21, smaller shortfalls until 2024-25
– Interest payment on debt to rise to $13.8 billion by 2020-21, $16.9 by 2025-26
– 1.8 million people would pay about $200 more personal income tax, raising $275 million more revenue
– 20,000 businesses will pay an average $2,400 each per year of employer health tax – about $45 million
– Ontario’s share of cannabis excise duty will reach $115 million by 2020-21
– Tobacco tax will rise $4 per carton increase by 2018-19 and again in 2020-21
– $822 million extra to hospitals, funding more cardiac and cancer surgeries, chemotherapy, MRIs and other services
– $575 million to make drugs completely free for seniors
– $800 million over two years for drug and dental coverage for people without insurance (up to $400 for singles, $600 for couples, $50 for each child)
– $2.1 billion over four years for mental health care
– $2.2 billion over three years, providing some parents free child care
– $1 billion over three years for a seniors home-care benefit of $750 a year
– $650 million over three years for more home care
– $100 million over three years for dementia strategy
– $300 million over three years to hire registered nurses for ever nursing home
– $1.8 billion over three years to expand services for developmentally disabled
– $2.3 billion over three years on welfare, including 3% annual raises for three years
– $935 million over three years on Good Jobs and Growth Plan, incl. better training in colleges, universities, more apprenticeships
http://nationalpost.com/news/highlights-of-the-ontario-budget
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