NEW – MB: Opportunities in infrastructure, climate reduction and training in government budget

The government of Manitoba released its 2021-22 fiscal budget on April 7. The theme of the budget, ‘Protecting Manitobans, Advancing Manitoba,’ is focused on post-pandemic and health care spending.

Budget highlights that may be of interest to CPA members:

Tax Relief – The new budget will:

• Phase out education property taxes by 50 per cent over the next two years (25 per cent per year) for residential and farm properties, and 10 per cent for other types of property, with rebates returning nearly $250 million to approximately 658,000 property owners this year, and an average rebate of $1,140 over two years.
• Reduce vehicle registration fees by an additional 10 per cent starting in July. This will provide a small relief for Manitoba-based propane transportation companies.

Infrastructure – Opportunities for CPA members who supply the construction industry consist of:

• Funding of over $2.1 billion in strategic infrastructure, including:
  • $630 million for highway and road construction and maintenance
  • $107 million through the Manitoba Restart Capital Program for hospitals and schools
• Spending of $500 million annually over three years to aid the heavy construction industry.

Environment – Opportunities for the advancement of propane to reduce GHGs include:

• $1.2 million to the Climate and Green Plan Implementation Office,
• $1 million for Conservation and Climate Fund projects, and
• $1 million Organics Green Impact Bond to divert organic waste from landfills, create green jobs and reduce emissions. This initiative could provide the feedstock necessary to produce renewable propane.

Job Creation – Training opportunities aligned with industry consist of:

• $62 million to help businesses retrain employees and develop e-commerce platforms, and $25 million for youth job programs,
• Additional tax relief for small businesses, including lower payroll tax thresholds to reduce rates for approximately 1,100 small businesses, and
• A new Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration to ensure that post-secondary education is better linked to workforce opportunities. The CPA will continue to work with the Manitoba government to acknowledge the need for propane gas fitter training within the province.

As the Manitoba government provides addition information, Tanis Fiss, Government Relations Director West, will monitor these initiatives and alert members to potential opportunities for propane.