No job cuts in Tory proposal
‘Tough decisions’ will need to be made over next couple of years
The Progressive Conservative government is preparing its blueprint for belt-tightening.
Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy on Tuesday released a 48-page “line-by-line review” of government spending, prepared by EY Canada for about $500,000, that recommends changes to get spending under control.
With the new administration tackling a $15-billion deficit — due mostly to accounting changes it is embracing over the booking of pension assets — Bethlenfalvy stressed the Tories will not cut jobs as they rein in expenditures.
“This is not a blueprint for cuts … we have a blueprint for our path forward,” the minister told reporters.
But with a provincial debt of $338 billion, Bethlenfalvy said the new government must examine new ways of doing things, including means-testing to keep services sustainable.
He said as part of the changes the Tories will be “ensuring that government funding is directed to those who require it the most.”
“With regards to means-testing … OHIP+ was an example that we took a look at immediately and said without reducing service levels for Ontarians, we saved millions of dollars without one job cut.”
That was a reference to the previous Liberal government’s universal pharmacare plan for those 24 and under. The Tories changed it in June by ending free prescriptions for anyone for whom those benefits were covered by an employers’ plan.
Bethlenfalvy emphasized that move ensured the neediest Ontarians still received medications without affecting those who could afford them.
“That was an example of the range of ideas that we’re looking at,” he said.
Premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, warned “we’re going to have tough decisions over the next couple of years.”
Ford has promised to cut $6 billion from the province’s $150 billion annual budget.
Interim Liberal leader John Fraser said Bethlenfalvy is just delivering “a context for cuts” that could undermine cherished social programs.
“I’d be very concerned about that means test for health care. Is that a context to cut health care? That’s what it sounds like to me,” Fraser said.