Gas tax relief coming in N.L. budget 2017
Deficit for this year will be under $800 million, sources tell CBC News
The temporary gas tax increase brought in as part of last year's budget is getting trimmed today.
CBC news has learned the Newfoundland and Labrador government will table a budget that will show its deficit reduction plan is ahead of schedule.
Government will also partially reduce the temporary gas tax increase that came into effect last June.
Finance Minister Cathy Bennett's second budget will project a deficit of less than $800-million. That's an improvement of more than a billion dollars from her first budget a year ago.
That improved fiscal performance is allowing Bennett to partially roll back the sharp increase in the gas tax. It jumped by 16.5 cents a litre, but CBC News has learned it will be cut by about eight cents a litre in this budget.
A senior government source also says the budget will include minimal job losses.
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With files from David Cochrane