Author: Michael Holden
As a think tank dedicated to improving the long-term prosperity of western Canada, the Canada West Foundation will be paying close attention to the signals being sent by the region’s provincial governments and the federal government in their 2013/14 budgets.
Western Canada is facing a number of challenges that governments must address including sluggish productivity growth, looming labour shortages, gaining access to new markets and enhancing the performance of the public sector. We need to be investing in the future, not just spending in the present.
With the above challenges in mind, Manitoba’s Budget Preview lists four things we hope to see in the April 16 budget:
- A balance between near-term deficit elimination and critical investments in long-term economic competitiveness.
- Action to address current and future labour shortages.
- Steps to improve value for money in government service delivery.
- Tax reforms that remove impediments to growth.
The Canada West Foundation will be available for comment when the budget is tabled on April 16, 2013 and will release a post-budget analysis the following day.