View From the Legislature

Last week the Manitoba Government unveiled the 2021-2222 provincial budget. While all budgets, whether in a home or for a province present challenges, this year was particularly difficult for all provinces. While there is much reason to be optimistic about the Manitoba economy, like every part of Canada there has been a negative impact on revenues even as expenses have grown exponentially due to the pandemic.

Yet despite these challenges there are a number of very important initiatives that impact Manitoba as a whole and the southeast in particular. For example, contained within the budget is $9 million more for the operation of personal care homes. During the last year, more than ever, we have seen the importance of having a strong personal care home system for those who have helped build our communities and who need support in their senior years. In Steinbach and the southeast, there has been for several decades a desire for additional PCH capacity. The additional operating funding in this year’s budget is a recognition that this will soon become a reality as the Rest Haven PCH opens its newly expanded facility that will greatly increase the number of personal care home beds available in the region.

As well, for many years residents have told me how concerned they have been as their property tax bill grew every year due mostly to the increase in education taxes on property. In 2003, the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba ran on the platform of removing these taxes from the property roll and to funding education as it does other provincial services. This year’s budget began that process by committing to reduce education taxes on property for residences and farmland by 25% this year and 10% for other properties. This will mean that the average homeowner in Steinbach will save over $400 on their property taxes. The budget also commits to reducing the education property tax by an additional 25% next year. And while Manitobans will save money, there has also been a guarantee to provide at least $1.6 billion more to Education funding over the next four years to ensure schools have the resources they need.

Being able to provide some tax relief to Manitobans is important at all times but perhaps especially at this time when there has been income disruption for so many. In addition to the education property tax decrease, vehicle registration fees will be reduced this year and the provincial sales tax will be removed from some personal services such as haircuts and salon services.

Manitoba’s economy continues to perform relatively well despite the challenges. The provincial unemployment rate is the second lowest in Canada and there are more people working full-time in the province today then there was before the pandemic began. But these are still challenging times for many individuals and businesses. Budget 2021-22 is a budget designed to offer support to Manitobans today while looking to brighter days ahead.