The release of the Manitoba government’s second quarter financial report shows the province continues to invest in the future of Manitoba, works to protect front line services in health care, child protection and education, and helps to protect Manitobans from emergencies like forest fires. this statement was made by Finance Minister Greg Dewar.
The report states that reducing expenditures in government departments and focusing investments on front-line services continues to be a priority, with half of government departments projecting to come in on or under budget.
“We will be there for Manitobans when the health-care demands of families rise and when people need to be protected from natural disasters, even when it means investing more than budgeted,” said Minister Dewar. “We’ve made a commitment to Manitobans and their families to protect the services they rely on by investing in smart, strategic infrastructure projects that stimulate the economy and create jobs.”
The minister noted Manitoba’s core government deficit is projected to be $485 million, due to higher than anticipated expenditure pressures related to increased demands in front-line services, such as health care and child protection, as well as costs related to this past summer’s 454 forest fires.
“Our commitment to Manitobans is that we will continue to build a strong and growing economy while investing in the front-line services, infrastructure and child-care spaces they rely on, even if it means running modest deficits,” said Minister Dewar. “Our balanced approach was most recently celebrated by the Conference Board of Canada, which noted Manitoba’s real GDP will grow 2.5 per cent in 2016, and hit 3 per cent growth in 2017. These results reinforce the commitment to continuing to provide services that families rely on, while finding efficiencies that won’t harm services that families depend on.”
The minister added that Manitoba’s growth is tied for second among provinces in 2015. According to the Conference Board of Canada, Manitoba’s projected growth is the second strongest among provinces in 2016 and the strongest in 2017. The minister added Manitoba’s job growth in 2015 was the best in the nation and strongest in 13 years, adding approximately 10,700 jobs.
The report also highlights the provincial government is on track to meet its core infrastructure investments of $1.080 billion for 2015-16, and it indicates the core infrastructure investment of $585 million on highways alone is projected to create 6,650 jobs for Manitoba families.
The second quarter financial report can be viewed at www.gov.mb.ca/finance.
