Ontario Premier Doug Ford is in Ottawa on Friday with senior members of his cabinet to make a “special announcement” less than 24 hours after the government revealed its $187-billion plan to steer the province’s economy through the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Ford is scheduled to make remarks at 11 a.m. at the Canadian War Museum alongside Lisa MacLeod, Nepean MPP and minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries.
He will then be joined by Deputy Premier and Health Minister Christine Elliott and Minister of Finance Rod Phillips for an announcement and media availability at the Ottawa Civic Hospital.
Friday morning on Twitter, Ford billed his 1 p.m. address as a “special announcement” and gave a shout-out to Phillips following the presenting of the provincial budget on Thursday, which had been delayed from the spring due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
I’m on my way to #Ottawa to make a special announcement at 1pm. Also, I want to send a special shout-out to my Minister, @RodPhillips01, who presented a great budget yesterday. pic.twitter.com/U2XvOxK1iC
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) November 6, 2020
The planned budget will see $187 billion in spending, $30 billion of which is directly tied to the pandemic, and a deficit of $38.5 billion.
Among the highlights in the Ontario budget is $2.5 billion in spending in the hospital sector, a new tax credit to help seniors live in their homes for longer, and subsidies on hydro rates for some businesses.
