VICTORIA — Finance Minister Mike de Jong says he'll be wearing an old pair of black leather shoes he had shined up and repaired in time for Tuesday's budget.
De Jong spruced up the same pair of shoes he wore to last year's budget, joining some of his Canadian counterparts in putting a twist on the political tradition of finance ministers wearing new footwear on budget day.
De Jong held a pre-budget news conference at a downtown Victoria shoe repair shop where he paid $40 to have his shoes shined and reheeled.
He says this year's budget will include a surplus higher than the $444 million forecast last fall, but future projections call for smaller surpluses for the next three years.
De Jong says B.C. will likely be the only province in Canada to table a balanced budget.
He says the budget will include some changes to social services funding and the removal of a two-year tax on high income earners.
