WINNIPEG -- The provincial deficit is running lower than expected, according to the Manitoba government.
The Finance Department released the mid-year fiscal and economic update on Friday and the province showed it is expecting to be in the red by $350 million for the fiscal year which ends in March.
“That makes us on track to balance the budget two years earlier than we initially had suggested, so we are extremely happy about that,” said Finance Minister Scott Fielding.
Fielding added health care spending is running above budget, but some other departments are lower than first expected.
Strategic Infrastructure is expected to take a hit in areas like education and housing, leading to a total decrease of $177 million.
The Manitoba government has promised to have the budget balanced by the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Fielding said the numbers released show the province is on track to meet that goal.
Public now able to rate government progress and initiatives
The government also announced a new way to track progress on key initiatives across the public sector.
Manitoba has become the second province to use a scorecard tracking system.
The scorecards will be used to track a variety of public sector jobs ranging from education to health care.
The new system, which has been in the works for the last two years, was brought in to help create a conversation with Manitobans on what is important in the province and to become more outcome-focused.
The results from the scorecards will be tracked on an easy access website that will give the public all the data for specific departments and it will show the progress that is being made.
New Brunswick is the only other province with the scorecard system is place.
The site is now active and you can see all the details by visiting the Manitoba Measuring Progress site.
-- with files from the Canadian Press
