Ontario’s latest budget, unveiled by Doug Ford’s government at Queen’s Park on May 15, is titled “A Plan to Protect Ontario” and focuses on shielding families and businesses from economic pressures, including the impact of U.S. tariffs. The plan increases the province’s deficit by $8.6 billion, bringing it to $14.6 billion. Still, the government maintains it is on track to eliminate the deficit and balance the budget by the 2027–28 fiscal year.
Much of the increased spending is directed toward infrastructure projects, such as housing, hospitals, schools, and transit, that will be welcomed by members of Local 793 and others in the construction and trades sectors.
There is also a clear commitment to Ontario-generated nuclear energy and to tapping the province’s vast reserves of critical minerals, especially in the Ring of Fire. As in previous budgets, the government remains focused on making improvements to the highway network.
“Gridlock costs Ontario $56 billion every year, which is why we are building major new highways like Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, as well as expanding existing highways, including a tunnelled expressway under Highway 401,” Ontario’s Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy said.
“We will continue to invest in and build out the largest expansion of public transit in North America, including expanding subway service by more than 50 per cent.”
Key elements of the 2025 Budget, of interest to Local 793 members:
- Investing an additional $1 billion over the next three years in the Skills Development Fund Capital and Training Streams, bringing the total funding commitment to $2.5 billion
- $33 billion in capital spending in 2024-25. This is part of a planned investment of more than $200 billion over the next 10 years, including nearly $30 billion for highway expansion and rehabilitation projects, $61 billion for public transit, $56 billion in health infrastructure and $30 billion to build more schools and childcare spaces
- A proposed further $5 billion for the Building Ontario Fund aimed at investing in priority area projects that contribute to the province’s growth
- $400 million for the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund to help build the local infrastructure needed for new homes
- Advancing planning and feasibility studies for GO 2.0, a proposal to deliver the next generation of passenger rail service for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
“This year’s Ontario Budget delivers the kind of infrastructure spending that this province desperately needs, investments in hospitals, highways, factories, bridges, tunnels, and renewable energy projects,” Business Manager Mike Gallagher said. “These are not just numbers on a page; they represent good union jobs, stronger communities, and a long-term commitment to building a more resilient Ontario.”
To read the 2025 budget in full, click here.
