Overview

The Public Accounts presents the government’s financial statements and gives a picture of how finances were managed over the last fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).

The Auditor General reviews the Public Accounts before it is released and gives an opinion on whether Ontario is following independently established accounting standards.

Public Accounts are made up of:

  • an annual report
  • consolidated financial statements
  • three supporting volumes

It is typically released in the fall of the following fiscal year.

Annual report

The annual report is a high-level summary. It includes financial statements and analysis, as well as  achievements for the fiscal year.

Read the annual report (2016-17)

Download data from the annual report on the government’s five-year trends for:


Consolidated financial statements

These statements compare government revenues to its expenses (the cost of providing programs and services and financing debt). The result is the annual surplus or deficit. These statements also include the budget plan and last year’s numbers for comparison.

Read the consolidated financial statements (2016-17)

Volume 1: ministry statements and schedules

Volume 1 contains ministry statements, detailed schedules of debt and other items. This volume details where government revenue comes from, including taxes, non-tax revenue and income from enterprises (such as the LCBO), alongside the expenses of ministries.

Read Volume 1 (2016-17)

Ministry spending

Health And Long-Term Care

$52,849,192,567

Education

$26,406,346,227

Finance

$12,779,287,051

Community And Social Services

$11,648,112,901

Training, Colleges And Universities

$8,139,176,465
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Transportation

$4,791,654,080

Children And Youth Services

$4,498,254,103

Community Safety And Correctional Services

$2,702,868,462

Attorney General

$1,865,348,787

Municipal Affairs And Housing

$1,627,658,839

Economic Development, Employment And Infrastructure /Ministry Of Research And Innovation

$1,322,392,199

Tourism, Culture And Sport

$1,297,244,186

Treasury Board Secretariat

$1,288,097,849

Northern Development And Mines

$793,351,481

Agriculture, Food And Rural Affairs

$771,913,808

Energy

$661,040,734

Natural Resources And Forestry

$628,910,270

Government And Consumer Services

$602,772,595

Environment And Climate Change

$356,334,986

Labour

$308,293,794

Citizenship, Immigration And International Trade

$223,919,479

Office Of The Assembly

$158,620,227

Aboriginal Affairs

$127,711,663

Cabinet Office

$42,718,687

Office Of The Chief Electoral Officer

$35,269,479

Office Of The Auditor General

$18,555,433

Ombudsman Ontario

$13,622,090

Office Of Francophone Affairs

$5,024,144

Office Of The Premier

$2,620,661

Office Of The Lieutenant Governor

$1,738,195

Volume 2: financial statements of government organizations and business enterprises

Volume 2 contains the individual financial statements of government organizations, business enterprises and other financial statements. These organizations and enterprises include agencies, such as Metrolinx and Hydro One, and organizations like the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

Read Volume 2 (2016-17)

Volume 3: detailed schedules of payments

Volume 3 contains the transfer payments made by ministries to recipients that are not a part of the Government of Ontario, such as hospitals, community agencies and schools. It also includes payments to vendors for goods and services, such as third-party staffing agencies, consultants and telecom providers.

Read Volume 3 (2016-17)

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