Record spending, tax credits and a new park: 10 things to know about the Ontario budget

Reduce, reuse, recycle, reintroduce.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy has reduced waste by not printing new budget books for his reintroduced spending plan that reuses policy promises and recycles many projections from the April 28 fiscal blueprint.

Here are some highlights of Bethlenfalvy's 2022-23 budget tabled at Queen's Park after Tuesday's throne speech:

• It's a record $198.6-billion plan that spends 25 per cent more than former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne's final $158.5-billion budget in 2018.

• Ontario's revised deficit this year is $18.8 billion, down from the $19.9 billion projected in April - due to higher than anticipated tax revenues.

• One significant change from the April document is a five per cent increase in Ontario Disability Support Program payments, which will cost $150 million this year, with subsequent annual hikes tied to the rate of inflation.

• Families of children in school will receive a payment from the government to help with any pandemic-related education costs, under a new, two-year $225 million plan. Details on the amount per child, who qualifies and how to apply have yet to be released.

• The low-income individuals and families tax credit (LIFT) has been expanded to allow more workers to qualify with the previous $38,500 threshold raised to $50,000. That means about 1.1 million people will get a tax break of around $300 a year.

• A tax credit for lower-income seniors aged 70 and up would give them up to $1,500 on $6,000 in spending for in-home hospital-style beds, canes, walkers, hearing aids, prescription glasses, adult diapers or private caregivers.

• The staycation tax credit will cover up to $200 of a person's $1,000 hotel, campsite or cottage rental bill in Ontario. It's up to $400 for a family spending $2,000 and can be applied for in next year's tax return. It's expected 1.85 million people will claim it, at a cost to the treasury of $270 million.

• The budget proposes a $1 billion increase in home-care spending over the next three years to help seniors remain at home, easing the strain on hospital facilities and long-term care facilities.

• Starting in spring 2023, a $61 million program of learn and stay" grants for tuition and books for 2,500 post-secondary students who go into nursing and other priority programs and agree to work in underserviced communities in the region where they studied.

• There will be a new provincial park in a location still to be determined. There are 340 Ontario provincial parks, but this would be the first new one created in 40 years.

Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Rob Ferguson is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @robferguson1

Kristin Rushowy is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @krushowy