Tories say Liberal budget will come May 1 and increase spending $5.7 billion

Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives say they have obtained documents that show the Liberal government will add at least $5.7 billion in new spending in a budget that will come May 1.

The Conservatives say the documents also show the Liberals have set up a so-called BLT or “Budget Leaking Team” to plan 39 spending announcements over the next month leading up to the presentation of their fiscal plan.

Ontario will be plunged into a general election if the minority government cannot convince the New Democrats to support the budget, which the Tories vow to defeat.

The leaked documents provided by the Tories say the government plans to announce $2 billion to repair schools, $35 million more for school nutrition programs, $85 million in new spending to fund in vitro fertilization procedures plus $2.5 billion more in corporate grants.

The documents say the budget will also announce the end of the debt retirement charge on electricity bills for residential customers.

Tory finance critic Vic Fedeli says multiple whistle-blowers came forward to give the Opposition the documents because they are disgusted at being asked to do what he calls Liberal Party campaign work.

PC Leader Tim Hudak calls the Budget Leaking Team an unprecedented abuse of the Ontario civil service.

There have been no comment yet from the Liberals on the documents.

Meantime, a released document shows that the Liberals once again plan to announce that they will include the Highway 7 project in their 2014 budget.

The expansion, from Kitchener to Guelph was first announced in 2007 and was then cancelled in 2010. It was then promised again in 2012 with construction set to begin in 2015.

Now, MPP for Kitchener Conestoga, Michael Harris says the re-announcement will pledge to start in 2016 – with a completion date of 2021.

“People have a difficult time believing politicians as it is and with things like this, it just gets even worse. It is extremely frustrating and I’ll tell you – Ontarians, including the folks I represent, I know will want to send a message in the next general election that enough is enough.”

Harris told 570 News that he does not believe construction will start — so long as the Liberals are in Government.

570’s Sydonie Egget spoke with motorists travelling a long HWY 7. Hear what they had to say about the expansion.

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