OPSEU/SEFPO slams Ford’s spending priorities after another provincial budget leaves public services behind — along with Ontarians who rely on them

This section is Partnership Content suppliedThe content in this section is supplied by GlobeNewswire for the purposes of distributing press releases on behalf of its clients. Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire Article contentToronto, ON, March 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the eighth consecutive year, the Ford government has unveiled a provincial budget designed to slowly suffocate the public services Ontarians depend on, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO).Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle content“Year after year, we are offered short-sighted spending plans which prioritize Doug Ford’s vanity projects instead of addressing service cuts and staffing shortages,” said JP Hornick, President of OPSEU/SEFPO. “Workers, students, and families are told the cupboard is bare, but the premier is more than happy to spend our money on things no one asked for instead of things everyone needs.”Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentA public opinion poll by Global News’ Focus Ontario released earlier this week found that a majority of Ontarians find Doug Ford is doing a very poor or somewhat poor job on nearly all key areas: from the economy and jobs, to education, healthcare, affordability, and housing.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article content“Children and families in need of support are languishing on waitlists, ERs and campuses are closing, workers are getting pink slips across the province,” added Hornick. “Meanwhile, Ontarians are footing the bill for the Doug Ford’s patronage, with billions going towards record government advertising, project overruns, legal losses, and corporate welfare.”Article contentHornick highlights decisions like the $3 billion that Ford’s government found for pre-election rebate cheques, and the public cost of $1.4 billion associated with Ford’s accelerated “alcohol everywhere” plan – money from public coffers which the union says could have met the $2 billion needed to stabilize public hospital finances twice over, stabilized the college system, or filled last year’s $1.5 billion funding shortfall for the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services nearly three times over.Article content“This isn’t partisan math. This government’s decisions, and their costs, are public record,” said Hornick. “It’s not a question of whether provincial spending went to misguided priorities – the question is whether anyone should accept service cuts while it did.”Article contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentVic Wojciechowska Ontario Public Service Employees Union / Syndicat des employés de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (OPSEU/SEFPO) (437) 518-3459 vwojciechowska@opseu.org Article contentTrending Iran oil revenue soars as it's the only exporter out of Hormuz Oil & Gas Meet the Canadian e-bike maker who is redefining the factory floor Electric Vehicles Quebec demands Air Canada’s CEO resignation in 92 to 0 vote Airlines Why market bets for interest rate hikes in Canada are so high Economy LNG Canada signs key pipeline agreement required for phase two expansion Energy Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Iran oil revenue soars as it's the only exporter out of Hormuz Oil & Gas Meet the Canadian e-bike maker who is redefining the factory floor Electric Vehicles Quebec demands Air Canada’s CEO resignation in 92 to 0 vote Airlines Why market bets for interest rate hikes in Canada are so high Economy LNG Canada signs key pipeline agreement required for phase two expansion Energy