View From the Legislature

There have been many important budgets in the history of Manitoba. Through floods and fires, Manitoba’s finances are often challenged by forces that are not entirely in the control of the province. That has perhaps never been truer than this year is Manitoba. Provinces throughout Canada and countries around the world are dealing with the economic fallout that comes as a result of the global pandemic.

While Manitoba entered the pandemic in a better economic position than most provinces, there is no doubt that the impact of the pandemic will be significant. Despite last year having balanced the budget for the first time in many years, there are as many pressures on the provincial finances as ever. The combination of spending on healthcare needs related to the pandemic and the reduction in revenues stemming from the economic impact will result in a provincial deficit that is expected to be higher than $2 billion. And while many of the costs of the pandemic will be specific to this crisis and will dissipate when it subsides, Manitoba like all jurisdictions around the world will face significant financial challenges as a result.

As the provincial government does annually prior to the spring budget, it has begun consultations with Manitobans to determine priorities and to get a sense of the way in which you would like the province to handle the choices that inevitably present themselves in a budgeting process. Consultations began on Tuesday with a telephone town hall for residents in the City of Winnipeg. Consultations will continue for this week and next with a telephone town hall for rural residents on Wednesday, February 3 which begins at 6:00 p.m. To participate in this town hall or to listen to recordings of previous town halls visit the engagemb.ca website and click on the link entitled “Budget 2021 Engagement”. Through this link you will also find other ways to provide your feedback on the upcoming budget including through an online survey or through email.

In any budget, whether that is a household budget or a provincial budget, there are difficult choices to make. There are far more things that you may wish to spend money on than you can afford at that time. In a household, to make those decisions and priorities, you would naturally look to those within the household who may be impacted by the decisions for their opinion. Similarly, in Manitoba we look to residents of the province to help provide guidance on the decisions that need to be made as it relates to the provincial finances.

Those decisions are never easy to make and they always result in tough choices. This budget, as much as any, needs your feedback to ensure the choices reflect the priorities of Manitobans. Please take the time to participate and provide your voice and opinion into Budget 2021.