2025–26 Government Spending Approval

Summary#

• Bill 95 lets the Ontario government spend money for the fiscal year from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. It gives final approval (called “supply”) to the amounts in the government’s Estimates and Supplementary Estimates so programs can keep running.

• It does not create new programs or change taxes. It authorizes spending and investments already laid out in the Estimates.

• Key points:

  • Allows up to about $213.95 billion for government program expenses across ministries (operating and capital).
  • Authorizes up to about $8.42 billion for investments in assets, loans, and other investments.
  • Sets about $406.09 million for Legislative Offices (the Legislature, Auditor General, Chief Electoral Officer, and Ombudsman).
  • Replaces earlier temporary spending laws for 2025–26 and is deemed to take effect April 1, 2025.
  • If a program moves to a different ministry during the year, the funding for that program moves with it.

What it means for you#

• General public

  • Day‑to‑day provincial services continue. This includes hospitals, schools, income supports, policing, highways, and more.
  • No change to tax rates or program rules comes from this bill alone.

• Patients and families

  • Health services remain funded. Health has one of the largest allocations (about $80.4 billion), which supports hospitals, primary care, mental health, public health, and other services.
  • Long‑term care homes continue to receive funding (about $9.3 billion).

• Parents, students, and educators

  • School boards and education programs are funded (about $41.0 billion).
  • Colleges and universities are funded (about $9.5 billion), including some added support in the supplementary amounts.

• Drivers and transit riders

  • Money is set aside for highways, roads, and transit projects (Transportation totals about $13.2 billion in program spending, plus separate investment funding).

• People who rely on social supports

  • Children, Community and Social Services receives about $20.4 billion for income supports and community programs.

• Municipalities and communities

  • Funding continues for housing and infrastructure programs through ministries like Municipal Affairs and Housing and Infrastructure.

• Public sector workers

  • Payroll and operating budgets for ministries, agencies, and broader‑public‑sector partners (like school boards and hospitals) are funded so services can operate without interruption.

Expenses#

• Estimated annual spending authority: about CAD $222.8 billion in total for 2025–26.

• Breakdown:

  • Program expenses (ministries): up to $213.95 billion.
  • Investments (assets, loans, other investments): up to $8.42 billion.
  • Legislative Offices: up to $406.09 million.

• Examples of larger ministry totals (program expenses):

  • Health: about $80.4B
  • Education: about $41.0B
  • Children, Community and Social Services: about $20.4B
  • Transportation: about $13.2B
  • Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security: about $9.5B
  • Long‑Term Care: about $9.3B
  • Energy and Mines: about $8.6B
  • Treasury Board Secretariat: about $7.3B

• Notes:

  • These are legal maximums for the year, drawn from the Estimates and Supplementary Estimates. Actual spending can be lower.
  • The bill also authorizes “non‑cash” accounting items (for example, depreciation) and “non‑cash investments,” as defined in Ontario’s financial rules.

Proponents' View#

• This is a routine, required law to keep government operating and to pay for programs already approved in the Estimates.
• It provides clear spending limits for each ministry and legislative office for the year.
• It supports key public services—health care, education, social services, public safety, and infrastructure—without disrupting funding.
• It replaces temporary interim spending approvals with a final, voted‑on authorization by the Legislature.
• If responsibilities shift between ministries, the funding can follow the program, which keeps services stable.

Opponents' View#

• Approving very large sums in one bill can make it harder for the public to see or debate every line of spending.
• The act refers to detailed Estimates rather than listing program‑by‑program details in the law itself, which some see as less transparent.
• The use of “non‑cash” categories and separate “investment” authorities can be confusing for readers who want a simple picture of total spending.
• Some may disagree with the government’s overall spending priorities in the Estimates (for example, how much goes to health, education, housing, or transit), even if the supply bill itself is procedural.