Budget 2009 takes BC into two years of deficit but promises jobs; increased health care and education funding

Budget 2009 takes BC into two years of deficit but promises jobs; increased health care and education funding
CLEBC Staff Wednesday, February 18, 2009

BC’s Budget 2009, introduced in the legislative assembly by Minister of Finance Colin Hansen on February 17, 2009, takes the province into two years of deficit budget planning aimed at making it through the global economic crisis with BC’s economy and social services intact. The government is emphasizing infrastructure investments, job creation, and funding increases for health care, education, income assistance, and child and family development. Cuts to contracts for professional services, travel expenses, advertising and discretionary grants will fund the additional spending on health care and education.

Highlights of the budget include:

$14 billion in infrastructure investments to build housing, hospitals, schools and roads and try to create up to 88,000 jobs in the province;
$920 million to health care in 2011-2012 in addition to $3.9 billion over three years in previously allocated funding;
an investment of $228 million over three years in post-secondary education;
$351 million to support income assistance, programs for adults with developmental disabilities, and child and family development;
479 million over four years to support economic activity in communities and maintain BC’s leadership in protecting the environment.
a temporary deficit (authorized by the amended Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act, S.B.C. 2001, c. 28) of $495 million for 2009-2010 and $245 million for 2010-2011; and
a return to a balanced budget by 2011-2012.

The budget speech, along with a news release, backgrounders, budget highlights, and a media Q and A are available online at http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2009/default.htm.