CHARLOTTETOWN — Prince Edward Island’s budget forecasts a deficit this fiscal year of about $97.6 million with money for a new medical school. 

The operating budget presented today by Finance Minister Jill Burridge includes $3.09 billion in spending with $2.99 billion in revenues for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

Last year’s budget had forecasted $2.7 billion in spending, $2.6 billion in revenues and a deficit of about $92 million.

The government is investing about $22 million this fiscal year to establish a medical school at the University of Prince Edward Island, which it says will help address a shortage of health-care workers. 

To ease the housing crisis, the government says it will spend $25 million to develop construction-ready lots.

It says it will spend $350,000 to support the diversification of crops to prepare for climate change, and to explore controlled-environment and indoor farming.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2023.

The Canadian Press