The provincial government’s deficit is projected to be higher than expected due partly to surging costs from this summer’s wildfires.

The province ran a $1.1-billion deficit last fiscal year and is expected to have a net loss of $890 million this year, according to its first-quarter report, which ended in June, Finance Minister Adrien Sala said at a press conference Friday.

The 2024-25 fiscal year finished at the end of March.

“I think Manitobans can see that we’re making the progress that they’re expecting us to make,” Sala told media during a fiscal update at the legislative building in Winnipeg.

The $890-million loss is $96 million more than the province originally projected. The province attributes that primarily to the costs of this year’s busy wildfire season.

The provincial gov

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