The winds of election talk continue to swirl around Queen’s Park.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa brings down a provincial budget Thursday that will determine whether Ontarians go to the polls this spring.

Premier Kathleen Wynne has also announced billions of dollars in pre-budget — or pre-election — spending. And the Liberal government has conceded that the deficit will increase this year.

That prompted Conservative leader Tim Hudak to promise to reverse those cuts if he wins the election. He told the Globe and Mail’s editorial board, “We need a Premier who is actually going to say yes to taxpayers and no to runaway spending.”

Hudak also promised to end subsidies to solar and wind power projects and reduce the amount of red tape facing businesses.

He pointed to a $120-million grant the Liberals gave to Waterloo high-tech company OpenText. He says successful companies don’t need handouts. “It’s like handing out food vouchers in Rosedale.”

The Liberals are no doubt hoping their new spending will appeal to the NDP, whose support they need to stay in power. But Kathleen Wynne says she’s prepared to call an election herself, instead of waiting for the opposition to defeat the budget.