Manitoba

Who comes out ahead, behind in Manitoba's budget

Here are some of the winners and losers in the 2018-19 Manitoba budget tabled Monday.

Parents looking for childcare will like the province's plan, but some smokers won't

Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen tabled the 2018-19 Manitoba budget Monday. (John Woods/Canadian Press)

Here are some of the winners and losers in the 2018-19 Manitoba budget tabled Monday.

WINNERS:

  • Parents seeking child care: The government promises 700 new spaces. It also plans a new tax credit for businesses providing on-site child care, although that will be limited to 200 spaces this year.
  • Ambulance users: Fees to be cut to $340 from $425.
  • The environment: A new conservation fund, starting with $102 million, to be set up to support climate-change initiatives.
  • Income-tax filers: The threshold at which people will start paying personal income tax is to increase by $2,000 to $11,400 by 2020.
  • Small businesses: The income limit exemption rises next year by $50,000 to $500,000, which will create a saving of as much as $6,000 per business.

   LOSERS:

  • Drivers and home owners: Carbon tax to take effect Sept. 1 will add 5.3 cents a litre to gasoline and also increase costs of natural gas and other fuels.
  • Post-secondary education: Support for universities and colleges is being cut by one per cent, or $6 million.
  • Some tobacco users: Tax on fine-cut tobacco to increase to 45 cents per gram from 28.5 cents. Cigarettes and other items are not affected.
  • Credit unions: A lower income-tax rate for credit unions to be phased out over five years, which will cost the financial institutions $15 million annually once fully implemented.

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