It shows a deficit of $3.7 billion, rather than the balanced budget projected by the Liberals' then-minister of finance, Charles Sousa. "We will return to a balanced budget on a timetable that is reasonable, modest, and pragmatic, but we will return balance to Ontario's books," said Fedeli. Those accounting practices had led to a two-year fight with Ontario's auditor general, who said in April that the Liberals understated their deficits by billions. Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk accused the previous Liberal government of low-balling its 2018-19 budget deficit by $5 billion. "This is why we are so quick to accept the commission of inquiry's recommendations and work, in good faith, with the auditor general on solutions."

Source: CBC News September 21, 2018 08:00 UTC