View From the Legislature

The past week may have felt a lot more like the middle of winter, but the spring Legislative session has now begun. One of the first things on the agenda will be the introduction of the 2018/2019 provincial budget on March 12th. The budget will show the progress our government is making in both moving our finances back to a balanced position but also in making life more affordable for Manitobans.

After years of higher NDP deficits and higher taxes for Manitobans, we are working to lower both so that Manitobans cannot only keep more of the money they earn but that future generations of Manitobans will not be burdened with an unsustainable level of provincial debt.

During the election, we made a number of commitments related to making Manitoba more affordable. This included increasing the basic personal amount (BPA) which has been one of the lowest in Canada. The basic personal amount is the amount of money Manitobans can earn before they begin paying taxes on their income. In 2017 the BPA was $9271.00. And while this amount has been increased and indexed for inflation under our government, it is still one of the lowest in Canada. More progress needs to be made in increasing it and ensuring Manitobans can earn greater amounts before being taxed.

In addition, during the election we committed to reducing the fees that Manitobans who call for an ambulance pay. When we came into government the fees were approximately $500. Those fees have since been reduced to $425 but there is a need to continue to reduce them so that Manitobans who need an ambulance do not face an unrealistic financial barrier. The March 12th budget will provide an update on this progress as well.

Manitobans know that our government inherited a financial mess and while it will take time to turn things around, we are making progress and heading in the right direction. The spring session will help us continue on that path of progress.