Liberals set out their vision with election budget

Say what you will about the Liberal government’s final budget before the election, but you can’t call it timid.

Many say its key features are attempts by the Wynne government to buy votes. That’s fair comment. The premier and Finance Minister Charles Sousa argue the new investments announced in the budget are intended to “make life more affordable” for Ontarians.

Why now? Why all these investments after the Liberals have been in power for nearly 15 years, with Wynne at the helm since 2013? Again, critics charge vote-buying. Maybe. But to be fair, Wynne has always said she would drive forward socially democratic investment once the budget was balanced, which it was last year.

Believe who you want. The budget is what it is, and it includes a range of measures that should appeal to a diverse audience.

There’s major investment in child care, highlighted by a pledge to make pre-school free for kids aged two and a half and up. This won’t appeal to everyone, but consider the view of advocacy group Child Care Now. Director Morna Ballantyne says: “When you have more women in the paid labour force working, earning income, then governments get more tax revenue. And if you have affordable child care then parents are spending more on other things. The whole thing is good for the economy.”

Nora Spinks, CEO of the Vanier Institute of the Family, a think-tank that has researched the cost of daycare and its impact on families, says, “If you're currently paying $1,000 to $1,500 per child per month for daycare, this is going to put an enormous amount of funds in the family pocket.”

It worked in Quebec, where 86 per cent of mothers joined the labour force after affordable universal daycare was implemented.

There’s new and needed support for seniors in the budget, including a new benefit for those living at home (up to $750 for home maintenance) and also full prescription drug coverage for those 65 and over through an expanded OHIP+ program.

There’s drug and dental assistance for people who don’t have other coverage, up to $700 annually for a family of four.

There’s $19 billion over the next decade for hospital renovation and construction. And the government is promising $2 billion over four years for “better and faster” mental health services.

Other highlights include expanded access to free tuition for university and college students from low and middle-income families who make less $90,000, and more financial aid for students from families who make up $175,000.

Earlier, Wynne announced $300 million over three years for special education, as well as a $625 million boost to general education funding, for a total of $24.5 billion.

All this isn’t free.

It means the government will now carry a deficit of $6.7 billion.

Wynne and Sousa say it’s worth carrying a deficit in return for injecting investment that creates economic activity and social inclusion and helps average Ontarians.

They promise a return to balance by 2024-25. You can buy that rationale, or not.

Whether this budget helps or hurts the Liberals in their re-election bid is anyone’s guess.

But at least they’re setting out a clear vision so Ontarians can make a clear choice on June 7.

All this isn’t free. It means the government will now carry a deficit of $6.7 billion.