From CTV News:

The Canadian Press

Date: Tuesday Feb. 21, 2012 6:37 AM ET

VICTORIA — British Columbia Finance Minister Kevin Falcon is using terms like prudent, cautious and responsible to describe the budget he will reveal today.

Falcon says responsible spending and budgeting will be the key as he heads towards a promised balanced budget for the next year, just before the 2013 provincial election.

The minister says he wants to maintain B.C.'s triple-A credit rating because that, along with low debt and low taxes, will help the province manage through difficult economic times.

Falcon says the prudence the public will see in this budget is meant to build confidence.

The minister provided an economic update last fall that forecast a $3.1-billion deficit.

He intentionally didn't buy a pair of new shoes for this budget, a tradition for finance ministers, saying he wanted his old pair to do more and last longer.

"I can't right now justify buying a new pair of shoes," he said. "It's kind of like what we're asking of ministries. We're saying to ministries, 'you need to do more with the dollars you already have."'

The minister said B.C. is in pretty good shape, a unique position amongst governments around the world in these turbulent economic times.

Link:
B.C. budget described as prudent and cautious | CTV News