“We’re showing people that we’re focused on providing services that are important to Manitobans.”

That from Turtle Mountain MLA Doyle Piwniuk following Tuesday's budget was introduced in the Manitoba Legislature.

To help Manitobans make ends meet, Budget 2023 delivered $1.8 billion in affordability and tax measures while bolstering vital programs and services Manitobans most rely on with a record-setting investment of $2 billion.

“We’ve increased the education and health budgets and we know people need help in dealing with the high cost of inflation.”

Budget 2023 includes the largest personal income tax reduction in Manitoba history. Changes to the Provincial Basic Personal Amount will ensure that Manitobans do not pay a cent of income tax on the first $15,000 they earn in 2023. This measure alone will save the average two-income family over $1,000 and will remove 47,400 low-income Manitobans from the tax rolls. Changes to tax bracket thresholds in 2024 will provide even greater savings for Manitobans.

“That’s one of the reasons I ran for office nine years ago was because we are so close to the Saskatchewan border I wanted to try and make Manitoba more competitive and to take steps to attract businesses and people and keep them here in the province,” said Piwniuk.

 

Piwniuk is Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, and he says the province is pumping $2.5 billion into trade enabling highway infrastructure over the next five years.

“We’ll be spending money on things like schools, hospitals but also treatment plants. We’re also spending $500 million into highway project including several projects in Turtle Mountain constituency. We’ll be finishing Highway 23 this year and also starting work on Highway 5 and working towards upgrading highways like #34 and #244.”

Piwniuk says the improvements are needed so products can move to and from places like Neepawa, Carberry and Portage.