Ontario’s provincial economy is growing faster than that of Canada, the United States, or any other G7 nation, boasts Premier Kathleen Wynne.

Citing new gross domestic product data, Wynne noted Monday real growth for the first quarter of this year was 0.8 per cent, which Queen’s Park estimates as annualized at 3 per cent for this year.

That’s well ahead of the 2.2 per cent GDP growth rate that the Liberal government projected for 2016 in the February budget.

“Our plan is working,” the premier told reporters after a tour of software company Infusion’s Toronto offices on Wellington St. W.

“I’m very pleased that Ontario’s economy posted strong growth in the first quarter,” she said.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa said the gains were propelled by higher exports of 1.7 per cent and manufacturing growth of 1.2 per cent, due to a Canadian dollar that is weaker against the U.S. greenback, which, in turn, is boosting Ontario’s auto industry.

Sousa added that household spending is up, which is good news for provincial coffers.

Even though the province has announced an additional $200 million over four years to improve autism services and hundreds of millions more in increased spending on doctors, the deficit will be eliminated next spring on schedule, the treasurer said.

“We are on target. We are meeting our obligations and we’re looking forward to balancing the budget next year,” he said.

“With every budget, we always build in prudence and we built in again for this budget, recognizing that there would challenges ahead, recognizing the economy globally was still uncertain.”

At the same time as the economy is picking up steam, Wynne’s government is still looking for savings in its operations, she said.

“Each ministry has been looking at how to maximize the envelope, maximize the dollars that they have and how to work to change the delivery of services so that those services are delivered more efficiently,” the premier said.

“That process is going on at the same . . . those reviews are happening at the same time that we are making investments.”

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