B.C. Finance Minister Katrine Conroy speaks during a news conference as students enjoy a hot lunch at Ruth King Elementary in Langford, B.C., Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
VICTORIA – British Columbia Finance Minister Katrine Conroy says the provincial budget she’ll release today won’t be “quite as rosy” with deficits looming in the future.
Conroy says the prospect of a multibillion-dollar surplus similar to last year’s budget is not in the forecast.
She says that almost $6-billion surplus was an anomaly that allowed the NDP government to announce numerous spending initiatives on health, affordability, infrastructure and housing.
At a pre-budget news conference at a Victoria-area elementary school, Conroy suggested her new budget will invest in health care, public safety and communities.
Premier David Eby says budgets are about choices and the latest budget will reflect priorities that help people.
Eby says B.C.’s economy is one of the strongest in Canada and the government intends to continue to invest in areas that help people.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2023.
