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“If the tariffs hit us, yes, we won’t be able to balance because — just similar to the pandemic — we’re going to invest into the people,” the PC leader told reporters Monday at a North York painters’ union centre.

The U.S. president is threatening 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian products next month, which would be harmful to Ontario’s trade-dependent economy.

Since being elected in 2018, the Tories, who governed during the global COVID-19 pandemic, have run massive budget deficits.

Under Ford, the provincial debt has soared by $116 billion to $429 billion, the largest debt of any subnational jurisdiction in the world.

But asked whether he was disrespecting taxpayers by not releasing a costed platform before Thursday’s provincial election, the Tory chief was defensive.

“Not at all. We’re pretty clear that if these tariffs come, our investments going to be over $40 billion no matter if it’s loans or other investments we have for people and businesses to make sure they’re secure here if Trump’s tariffs come and hit us,” he said.

“We’ve been very fiscally responsible. We’re prudent fiscal managers with the taxpayers’ money.”

But NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Ford’s platform is “not worth the paper it’s written on.”

“For the third election in a row, Doug Ford’s making the same empty promises. People know he’s failed to deliver for years — just look at the cost of rent or groceries,” said Stiles.

“Let’s put the waste, corruption and false promises of the Ford years in the rearview mirror, and let’s elect an NDP government on your side.”

Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said she’s “never seen” a platform “spend so much and do so little.”

“This is a platform for lobbyists and insiders. What has he done to make life more affordable for people,” Crombie in Toronto—St. Paul’s, where she was joined by local candidate Stephanie Smyth, a prominent former CP24 anchor.

“He hasn’t costed the fantasy tunnel and he doesn’t tell us how he’s going to pay for it either,” she said, referring to Ford’s proposed Mississauga-Scarborough tunnel under Highway 401, which could cost $150 billion and is buried on page eight of the PC platform without any price tag.

Despite no feasibility study on the scheme, the Tories have vowed to moved forward on the tunnel.

But it was not included in the “highways and roads” section of the PC election booklet.

Instead, there was 38-word sentence touting the project underneath a longer entry on how the Tories would “return sanity to bike lanes” by removing them from Bloor Street West, Yonge Street and University Avenue, which was finalized last December.

One new item in the manifesto was the elimination of the minimum price for beer, wine and spirits.

That hearkens to Ford’s 2018 “buck-a-beer” election pledge that fell flat because brewers could not afford to produce and sell beer for that price.

Currently, wine must sell for no less than $8.10 for a 750 ml bottle, while beer cannot be sold for less than $2.82 per litre — or $1.41 for a 500 ml tallboy can — and spirits, such as vodka and gin, must sell for at least $31.15 a 750 ml bottle.

Ford, who does not drink alcohol, said he was eliminating the floor price to give people a break.

“They don’t do it in Alberta. They don’t do it in Quebec. So why do we have to have the base? Let’s reduce the cost of that. Put more money back into people’s pockets again,” he said.

But the LCBO, the Crown-owned booze monopoly, announced Monday beer taxes would increase by about 4.4 per cent on schedule on April 1.

Earlier in Ottawa, Crombie was focused on what she sees as the ballot question: finding a family doctor for the 2.5 million Ontarians who don’t have one.

“People are telling me that they’re afraid to get sick … they know that our hospitals are overflowing and that they’re underfunded and the wait times are enormous,” the Liberal leader said, blasting Ford’s claim that patients with minor medical problems are swamping emergency rooms instead of going to walk-in clinics.

“I don’t know what choice people have,” said Crombie, who has pledged to ensure every Ontarian has a family doctor within four years — promises that Ford and Stiles have also made.

“It’s not their fault, Doug, it’s yours.”

At his platform launch, Ford insisted he would improve access to doctors, which is why he hired Dr. Jane Philpott, a former federal Liberal minister, as his health guru.

“It just goes to show, I don’t care what political colour you come from, she’s well renowned around the entire country, and in four years, we’re going to connect ... every single person (with a physician),” he said.

Speaking to the Star editorial board, Stiles said the doctors’ shortage “is taking a big toll on Ontarians” and impacting the economy.

“Employers that I talk to — in everything from tech to auto — will tell you that what’s making it difficult for them to attract more workers here ... is the fact that they can’t ensure that their workers are going to have a home they can afford, that they can’t guarantee they’re going to get a school for their kids, or a family doctor,” she said.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner, meanwhile, was in Bracebridge rallying support for Parry Sound-Muskoka candidate Matt Richter who is trying to unseat Tory Graydon Smith.

“Community members of all political stripes are getting behind Matt because they know that he will be the best advocate for them at Queen’s Park,” said Schreiner.

“I know from knocking on thousands of doors here that people are ready for change. Electing Matt is the only way to stop another Conservative seat and make that change happen.”