The Manitoba budget to be tabled Tuesday is expected to juggle spending on core services with cost cutting aimed at bringing down a billion-dollar deficit.
Finance Minister Stan Struthers has already said the province is facing uncertain times and the 2012-13 budget will reflect that.
Struthers says the N-D-P government wants to protect health care, education and infrastructure.
But it also needs to work towards a self-imposed deadline to balance its books within two years.