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The deficit-plagued Ontario government still plans to go ahead with a tax credit for minimum wage workers, Premier Doug Ford says.

“So anyone earning minimum wages will be paying zero tax,” Ford said Monday.

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The Premier confirmed the plan had been to make it effective January 1, but then said he would need to confirm the details with his Finance Minister Vic Fedeli.

The PC government promised during its spring election campaign that it would introduce a minimum-wage tax credit so that no one earning that amount would pay any provincial tax.

According to information released by the PCs at the time, the tax credit would save low income earners up to $800 a year at a cost to the Ontario government of $558 million a year.

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Almost one million Ontario residents earn minimum wage.

The PC promise was an alternative to the Liberal government’s plan of increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour as of January 1 2019 from the current $14 an hour.

The PCs also promised to cut income taxes by 20% for the second income tax bracket which they said would save people up to $786 annually — a $2.26 billion-a-year tax cut starting in year three of the government mandate.

At the same media availability, Ford defended his government’s decision to cut three university campus expansions planned by the previous Liberal government.

“They didn’t have the money. It was reckless government from the Liberals,” Ford said.

“We want to make sure we pay down the $15 billion deficit. The pressure is staggering.”

aartuso@postmedia.com