Ontario Tory leader Doug Ford promises to cut corporate taxes
By CP STAFF
Industry Government Manufacturing budget corporate tax Ford government manufacturingFrom 11.5% to 10.5% to "help grow the economy and create jobs."
Doug Ford, the Ontario Progressive Conservative party’s leader.
Photo: Bruce Reeve
Doug Ford says he will cut rates from 11.5% to 10.5% to help grow the economy and create jobs.
The news comes the same day as a key ratings agency downgraded its outlook on Ontario’s finances to “negative” from “stable” in light of the Liberal government’s plan to run six consecutive multibillion-dollar deficits.
Moody’s Investor Services says spending pressure will challenge the province’s ability to “sustain balanced fiscal results” over a number of years.
Moody’s also says financing requirements on the province’s debt – projected to be $325 billion in 2018-2019 _ will be larger than previously believed, leading to a faster increase in interest expenses.
Premier Kathleen Wynne defended the government’s pre-election budget, which will run a $6.7-billion deficit in 2018-2019, saying Moody’s change wasn’t a credit downgrade, which would effect borrowing costs for the province.
Moody’s maintained Ontario’s Aa2 issuer and Aa2 senior unsecured long-term debt ratings despite the change in outlook. Ontario heads to the polls on June 7.
