Monday, Dec. 7, 2020

Toronto, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the government of Ontario to cut wasteful spending following the release of the auditor general’s annual report.   

“Ontarians have been told that this year’s massive deficit was unavoidable due to COVID-19, but the auditor general’s report identified areas where this government has been wasting taxpayers’ money,” said Jasmine Moulton, Ontario Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “This government must cut the fat immediately to reduce the debt burden being passed on to the next generation.”

Examples of waste include:

• The provincial government spent $9.5 million on partisan ads that would not have passed the previous version of the Government Advertising Act that was changed in 2015
• The Electrical Safety Authority has collected $17 million in fees over the past five years for inspections that were not conducted
• Approximately 80 per cent of 40,000 lunch reimbursements at the ESA exceeded the government’s meal reimbursement policy, costing taxpayers up to $500,000 annually
• The Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services’ Passport program allowed a client to spend $2,214 on two tickets to a Toronto Raptors game and $2,070 on two tickets for a concert just three weeks later, despite the program having limited resources that cannot satisfy current demand
• From 2015-16 to 2019-20, there was an 80 per cent or $187 million increase in operating subsidies to Metrolinx, despite the ministry’s review which found opportunities to reduce operating costs
• The province’s average five-year full implementation rate was only 62 per cent for agreed-upon recommendations published by the auditor general in the 2013 to 2018 Annual Reports

The deficit will reach $38 billion while the net debt will rise to $398 billion, according to Ontario’s 2020-21 budget released Nov. 5, 2020. Interest will cost Ontario taxpayers $12.5 billion this year.

“With such a massive deficit this year, the government needs to find savings wherever it can” said Moulton. “The government must follow through on the auditor general’s recommendations today and tighten its belt like struggling Ontario families and businesses have already done.”

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For interviews contact:

Jasmine Moulton

Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

p. 416-573-5458

e. [email protected]