TORONTO - Ontario's Liberal government has set the budget date for Thursday, May 2.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa made the announcement today in a speech to the Economic Club of Canada.
Sousa revised the provincial deficit to $9.8 billion, down from $12 billion announced earlier this year.
Growth rate is projected at 1.5 per cent, down from 2.2 per cent and Sousa says the government will keep program spending to under 1 per cent growth.
Earlier in the day, Sousa told the legislature that the government won't take a slash-and-burn approach, which would hurt Ontario's economic recovery.
He said the Liberals will take a "balanced approach" to the budget.
Sousa said the government is on track to eliminating the deficit by 2017-18, and part of that is eliminating corporate tax loopholes.
It's one of the demands the NDP want to see in the budget in exchange for its support.
PC non-confidence motion planned
The Liberals and NDP are dismissing a Progressive Conservative motion of non-confidence in Ontario's minority government as a headline-seeking gimmick.
The Tories are bringing the motion over the cancellation of gas plants in Mississauga and Oakville.
They're urging the NDP to support it and stop propping up what they say is "a corrupt government."
But New Democrat leader Andrea Horwath notes unanimous consent is needed to bring the motion to the legislature floor for debate -- and she predicts the Liberals will never agree to that.
