These are stories Report on Business followed this week.
Follow Michael Babad and The Globe's Business Briefing on Twitter.
Now that Ontario's Kathleen Wynne has won a majority government, it's back to the books. And what some observers consider a "tall order."
Ms. Wynne and her Liberals, who won re-election in Canada's most populous province, plan to quickly re-introduce the proposed budget that sparked Thursday's vote.
As The Globe and Mail's Adrian Morrow reports, that document proposes increased spending on social programs, billions of dollars for transit and transportation, a new provincial pension scheme, and higher taxes on the wealthy.
The Liberals also said they would miss their short-term deficit targets, though stick to the original longer-term goal, projecting a fiscal 2014-15 shortfall of $12.5-billion, or 1.7 per cent of gross domestic product.
Now, back at it. And the challenge remains the same.
"While the province continued to target FY17/18 for a balanced budget, it took a clear step back this fiscal year as a combination of higher program spending and weaker-than-expected underlying revenues more than offset tax increases," senior economist Robert Kavcic said Friday in the wake of the Liberal victory.
"However, while all of the austerity talk during the election campaign was focused on the [Progressive Conservatives], the Liberal budget itself carried a stiff dose of fiscal restraint; it was just buried deeper in the document and pushed further out on the forecast horizon," he told BMO clients in a research note.
"That is highlighted by zero room for public-sector compensation increases over the medium term, and flat nominal program spending for three years starting in 2015 – a tall order indeed."
Mr. Kavcic said many now wonder what all of this could mean to Ontario's credit rating, and the agencies that rate its debt are watching closely.
They have already cited the challenges of meeting the targets.
Some metrics are "slightly better" than they were two years ago, Mr. Kavcic said, while others are in worse positions.
"Meantime, the cost-containment plan remains a major question mark, and after some progress in recent years, this year's budget left some questioning the resolve to hit those targets," he said.
"A majority government, though, now makes pushing through necessary restraint a bit easier."
Adrian Morrow: Fresh off victory, Wynne eyes ambitious Ontario budget
Why so many (except the truckers and me) hate Ontario's budget
Full coverage of the Ontario campaign and election
The week in Business Briefing
BMO on Canada's economy: 'There's Alberta, then there's everyone else'
Loonie to lift Canada's economy, housing to hinder, forecast says
Breadbaskets and basket cases: What looms for Ontario's next premier
Founder Chip Wilson loses millions in Lululemon stock rout
The week in Streetwise (for subscribers)
Tim Kiladze: Stiff competition means asset managers 'can no longer be picky'
Boyd Erman: Nationalism, coverage led Kinaxis to pick TSX for IPO
Adrian Myers: Regulators should get out of takeovers
Jeffrey Jones: Unlocking Duvernay's riches a tough riddle
David Hains: Smaller higher risk lenders worry BoC most
The week in Real Estate
Tara Perins: CMHC reveals condo developer insurance sales were made before 2010
Gap grows between building permits, number of new homes built
Canada's condo-mania to blame for lack of affordable rentals: OECD
Canadian home prices hit record in May
Three little-known hot, but affordable Canadian housing markets
The week in ROB Insight (for subscribers)
Ian McGugan: Food sector pays up to sate appetite for acquisitions
Clément Gignac: How Canadians can save more for their retirement
Andrew Jackson: The Canadian income inequality gap getting more difficult to close
David Parkins: Canadians make a surprising return to frugality
Brian Milner: What's behind Canadian reluctance to do business in Asia?
The week's top news
Rachelle Younglai: Gold fix under scrutiny as regulators probe archaic system
Shawn McCarthy and Joanna Slater: Ottawa vows oil-sands export route through B.C.
Barrie McKenna and Tara Perkins: OECD report highlights Canadian inequality
Marina Strauss: Scared investors flee as Lululemon cuts outlook
Barrie McKenna: Canada's economy could take hit from China banking crisis, BoC warns
The week's must-reads
Iain Marlow: How Canadian canola is helping educate India's poor
Jacqueline Nelson: Cost of Canadian cybercrime reaches $3.2-billion in 2013
Marina Strauss: From the darkroom to Instagram: Canada's photo stores refocus
Eric Reguly: Why in the Eternal City, restoring landmarks can take an eternity
Kelly Cryderman and Brent Jang: Enbridge works to fix a dented brand