NDP interim leader Peter Tabuns comments on the provincial budget, Aug. 9, 2022.

The opposition is expressing its disappointment with the provincial government’s budget.

NDP Finance Critic Catherine Fife says it does little to help Ontarians struggling with the high cost of living.

“Budget 2022-2023 does not keep up with inflation, and this is one of the pressing issues that Ontarians are facing,” says Fife.

NDP interim leader Peter Tabuns says it fails to offer relief to the punishing costs of inflation or help the health care system.

“By ignoring what’s happened in the long months since then and re-tabling the same budget, the Doug Ford government is going to send our healthcare crisis into an even faster spiral. He’s going to force families to cut even more from their household budgets to deal with inflation,” says Tabuns.

Tabuns says he would have preferred a stronger rewrite to reflect the inflationary pressures people are facing.

Fife expects the budget to pass quickly through the legislature with little debate.

The Liberals also see nothing new in the budget to help Ontarians struggling financially.

Finance Critic Stephanie Bowman says there is too much assumption on growth when some experts feel were heading into a recession.

“There is a need to prepare now for how an economic slowdown could affect Ontarians. That means preparing for transitioning workers to new jobs, helping those who may need temporary support,” says Bowman.

Bowman feels the PCs could have taken some extra time to adjust the budget rather than trying to push ahead with the document in day one.