Ontario didn’t spend any funds from a brand new $2.7-billion COVID-19 response program within the first quarter, the province’s fiscal watchdog discovered, prompting critics to query why the federal government didn’t use the cash in the course of the third wave.
A Wednesday report from the Monetary Accountability Workplace discovered well being spending was $691 million decrease than deliberate within the space of inhabitants and public well being as a result of the province didn’t spend funds from the pandemic program.
That provincial program – known as the COVID-19 Response switch fee – was launched this 12 months to assist public well being. However a spokeswoman for the watchdog’s workplace stated the FAO didn’t have particulars on this system’s supposed recipients.
A spokeswoman for Well being Minister Christine Elliott disputed the FAO discovering that “no spending occurred” and famous that the $2.7 billion is allotted for the complete fiscal 12 months.She stated this system is used for COVID-19 response measures like testing and vaccine and case administration.
“Simply because it wasn’t recorded on the time of the information request by the FAO doesn’t imply that spending hasn’t occurred,” Alexandra Hilkene stated.
Some bills, akin to $773 million for lab testing that occurred within the first quarter, would possible be registered within the second quarter beneath this system, she stated.
Well being spending was greater than deliberate for long-term care residence operations and improvement, however decrease than deliberate in funds to physicians and in well being companies, the FAO discovered.
Critics questioned on Wednesday why the funds from the pandemic program went unspent because the province was battling a 3rd wave.
“It’s disgraceful that (Premier) Doug Ford refuses to speculate the {dollars} crucial to assist us deal with this virus, and that has been an issue all the best way alongside,” NDP Chief Andrea Horwath stated in response to the FAO’s findings.
“He doesn’t prefer to spend cash.”
Liberal Chief Steven Del Duca stated folks want solutions from the Progressive Conservative authorities concerning the COVID-19 fund.
“Doug Ford had the cash to save lots of lives and sluggish the unfold of COVID-19. He selected to not,” Del Duca stated in a tweet.
The president of the union representing Ontario public sector employees stated in a press release that not spending the cash is “a whole abdication of accountability.”
“The one clearest lesson of the final 18 months is that public companies save lives and that spending to bolster them is the least governments may do,” stated Fred Hahn of the Canadian Union of Public Workers Ontario.
The FAO’s report offered an replace on the province’s spending plan for the 12 months and reviewed unaudited spending by the federal government over the primary quarter.
It discovered the province spent a complete of $2.6 billion – or 6.6 per cent – lower than deliberate between April and July.
It stated spending was greater than deliberate in two sectors, schooling and justice. In most different sectors, the FAO discovered spending was decrease than deliberate.
