Trail Talking

I am happy to report that since the beginning of this year, several organizations in the constituency of Dawson Trail have received grants from our Manitoba government. A Green Team grant of $57,853 will be put to use throughout our area, while Bibliothèque Taché Library received $67,232 for operations and the Richer Rough Stock Rodeo and County Fair received $7,092.93 from the Community Festivals and Events Program. As well, a Lagimodiere graphic novel project was given $3,000 through the Heritage Grants Program and Ste. Genevieve Community Centre received $75,000 from the Building Sustainable Communities Program.

Several organizations received grants from the Community Support Small Grant Program. These include $13,362.40 for St. Adolphe Community Club, $12,554.87 for St. Adolphe Curling Club, $20,000 for the Gabrielle-Roy Parent Advisory Committee, $20,000 for the St. Adolphe Child Care Centre, $20,000 for the Grande Pointe Homeowners Association, $11,037.84 for Le Club Amical de St. Adolphe, $4,830 for the Lorette Minor Hockey Association, $14,746.50 for the Landmark Recreation Association and $4,168.75 for Ross Community Centre.

Recently, two more organizations in Dawson Trail received funding from our government. Richer Community Centre received $75,000 and the Rural Municipality of Taché received $63,906, both under the Building Sustainable Communities Program.

Another way that our government has supported not only Dawson Trail residents, but Manitobans in general, is through our reduction of the provincial sales tax from eight per cent to seven per cent. We promised we would reduce the PST rate in our first term, and we did that on July 1. With this PST cut, Manitoba has the lowest sales tax east of Saskatchewan.

The PST reduction benefits everyone, and will bring nearly $2 billion in savings for Manitobans by the end of our second term. Manitoba families will save $1 billion over the next six years. Annually, the PST cut will save Manitoba businesses more than $130 million while giving them – and those who invest in them – an important competitive advantage. The PST reduction will also help municipal governments, school divisions, post-secondary institutions, regional health authorities and other such organizations. Due to these savings, local governments and school divisions will find it easier to balance their budgets without having to raise Manitobans’ taxes.

Our government is proud to have done so much during this first term to lessen the tax burden on Manitobans while fixing our province’s finances, repairing services, rebuilding the economy and making Manitoba the most improved province in Canada.