EISEN: Ford continuing spend-and-borrow approach of predecessor

In the last couple of weeks, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called himself a “prudent fiscal manager” and a “staunch fiscal conservative.” Okay. Perhaps it’s a good time to compare Ford’s fiscal record with that of his predecessor Kathleen Wynne, whom Ford frequently lambasted as a “reckless” manager of Ontario’s finances. Let’s start with spending. During Wynne’s five years as premier, program spending (all spending except for debt interest) peaked in 2017/18, her final year at the helm, at $13,873 per person. By comparison, per-person spending this year under Ford is projected to reach $14,222 (all figures adjusted for inflation). Now let’s look at another metric — program spending relative to the size of the provincial economy (gross domestic product). During Wynne’s tenure,