The Manitoba government on Tuesday set out its key priorities as it opened the second session of the 42nd legislature.

Tuesday's speech from the throne includes guaranteed tax relief, job growth, health-care investments, education reform and climate action. More than 100 initiatives and at least 20 new bills planned for introduction highlight the speech delivered by the Chief Justice Richard J.F. Chartier.

Premier Brian Pallister says the speech from the throne reaffirms both the government's 100-Day Action Plan and the five-point Moving Manitoba Forward Guarantee that will provide lower taxes for families, create 40,000 new private-sector jobs, ensure better health care sooner, build new schools, and move ahead with the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan.

Pallister says his government intends to eliminate the education portion of property taxes. This phasing-out will begin the first year after the budget is balanced, which he says should be in two years time. It will be completed over a maximum of ten years. Pallister says this amounts to an approximately $80 million revenue hit to the province each year. But, he says that means $80 million left in the hands of the people who work for it in the first place.

"So it's not like a loss, and I think too many people portray it as that, we're cutting the education tax so somehow the government is losing money," he says. "We're not actually, because we're leaving the money in the hands of the people who actually generate money for the government."

Meanwhile, Manitoba's Premier remains non-committal on helping fund construction of a large events centre for Steinbach. Following Tuesday's speech from the throne, Pallister suggested it is still too early to look at funding the construction of cultural or sporting facilities in the province.

"We inherited a massive, massive mess, close to a billion dollar deficit," he says. "And I'm really excited to tell you we're on track to balance in a couple of years. That's when we can start to really do the kinds of investments that we'd like to do on things like cultural facilities (and) sporting facilities."

Highlights from the speech from the throne include:

 

Tax Relief:
- introducing legislation that would begin the implementation of the 2020 Tax Rollback Guarantee that will put at least $2,020 back onto the kitchen tables of Manitoba families;
- eliminating the education portion of property taxes, with phase-out beginning the first year after the budget is balanced, and to be completed over a maximum of 10 years;

 

Job Growth:
- continuing to lead the country in removing inter-provincial trade barriers;
- speeding up the permitting system at the regional and municipal levels that will boost new investments representing $5.1 billion per year;
- launching the Partners in Economic Growth (PEG) initiative with regional and sector partners with a focus on the province’s areas of economic strength including agriculture, aerospace and technology;
- improving procurement process across government entities including Crown corporations, agencies and boards;
- introducing The Public Services Act that would reflect more modern workplace standards and values;
- promoting job creation in the north with a new $20-million Manitoba Mineral Development Fund;
- working with First Nation communities to formalize new resource development agreements and develop new opportunities for northern tourism, and begin work to create a northern airports authority;
- introducing legislation that would eliminate Sunday and holiday shopping restrictions while preserving the right of municipalities to maintain retail hour restrictions in their communities if they so choose;
- increasing funding for tourism promotion by 25 per cent;
- working with the film and TV industry to boost production through an enhanced Manitoba Film and Video Tax Credit;
- increasing the highway construction budget to $400 million from $350 million over the next four years;

 

Health-Care Investments:
- implementing the provincial clinical and preventive services plan that will guide the investments made through the $2-billion Health Care Guarantee to provide better health care sooner;
- beginning the reconstruction of the St. Boniface Emergency Department, another important step in efforts to reduce wait times;
- working with Shared Health and the regional health authorities to create 200 new nursing positions by 2023;
- establishing the $40-million Front-line Idea Fund for health-care workers to support innovative solutions to streamline and improve patient care, with successful applicants announced in 2020;
- launching the $3.4-million women’s health initiative including developing a framework to allow pharmacists to write prescription for uncomplicated unitary tract infections;

 

Education:
- constructing 13 new schools over the next 10 years in addition to the seven schools already committed including an additional 1,510 school-based child-care spaces to be added as part of the 20 New Schools Guarantee;- launching the $25-million Teachers’ Idea Fund to support innovative solutions brought forward to streamline operations by teachers, and improve educational outcomes across the province, with successful applicants announced in 2020;- undertaking a mandate review of the Department of Education to prepare to implement reforms recommended by the Manitoba Commission on Kindergarten to Grade 12 review;

 

Climate Action:
- continuing to implement the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan;
- exploring the electrification of Manitoba’s transportation infrastructure which will further reduce Manitoba’s carbon footprint;
- introducing new bio-fuel standards requirements;
- doubling the initial $52-million investment in the GROW trust to support landowners who wish to conserve temporary wetlands not protected by regulation;
- consulting with the private sector on the elimination of plastic bag use;

 

Safer Streets, Safer Lives Action Plan:
- implementing the Safer Streets, Safer Lives Action Plan in order to crack down on drug dealers victimizing communities;
- implementing the recommendations of the Manitoba Police Commission to improve public safety in downtown Winnipeg;
- providing an additional $10 million for a comprehensive strategy that includes enforcement, increased co-ordination between police and business owners, and enhanced resources for the Public Safety Investigations Unit to bring drug dealers to justice;
- developing a cross-government hub of expertise to direct youth in trouble with the law to appropriate community programs and services including mental health and addictions;
- improving mental health and addictions services based on the recommendations made in the VIRGO report, and by the Illicit Drug Task Force and the Community Wellness and Public Safety Alliance; and
- developing a modernized drug prevention curriculum.

Additionally, the government intends to:
• finalize Operation Return Home for the people of the Lake St. Martin First Nation who have been separated from their traditional lands for too long, and
• work with the federal government to complete the Lake Manitoba Outlet Channel.