Ontario government spending reached highest level on record in 2020 at $11,558 per person

Ontario Premiers and Provincial Government Spending

Summary

• This bulletin reviews annual per-person program spending (inflation-adjusted) by Ontario premiers from 1965 to 2021.
• The highest single year of per-person spending between 1965 to 2021 was under Premier Doug Ford in 2020 at $11,558. Excluding COVID-related spending, per-person spending was $10,226 that year.
• Excluding the unusual 2020 year, which included emergency COVID-19 related spending, the highest year of per-person spending was 2010 under Dalton McGuinty at $11,522.
• Premier Ernie Eves ranks as having the highest average annual increase in per-person spending during his brief time as premier at 5.4 percent. However, Eves only served as premier for two fiscal years.
• The second highest average spending growth was under David Peterson at 4.0 percent. Dalton McGuinty was third highest at 2.9 percent.
• Per-person spending fell under Premier Bob Rae at an average annual rate of 0.2 percent.
• Under Premier Mike Harris, per person spending fell at an average annual rate of 1.0 percent.