Manitoba’s new provincial budget is drawing mixed reaction from opposition critics, labour leaders and economists.
Midland MLA and Progressive Conservative finance critic Lauren Stone said the budget falls short on affordability.
She pointed to rising education property taxes, noting Statistics Canada data shows Winnipeg homeowners saw nearly a 20 per cent increase between 2025 and 2026.
“When education property taxes … are going up by hundreds and thousands of dollars, increasing the tax credit by only $100 and not until next year is a drop in the bucket,” Stone said. “Manitoba families need affordability relief now.”
Opposition leader Obby Khan echoed those concerns, saying the plan does not provide immediate relief for households struggling with rising costs.
The Progressive Conservatives are proposing to eliminate provincial income tax on the first $30,000 earned — a move they estimate would save individuals about $1,500 annually and families up to $3,070.
“That’s real relief right now,” Khan said. “It’s higher paycheques every week.”
Labour groups, however, highlighted several positive elements in the budget.
Manitoba Federation of Labour president Kevin Rebeck said investments in infrastructure projects and job creation are encouraging at a time of global economic uncertainty.
“It is encouraging to see the provincial government focused on creating good, family-supporting jobs here at home,” he said.
Rebeck also pointed to expanded child-care spaces, increased wages for child-care workers and additional training opportunities as measures that could help more Manitobans enter and remain in the workforce.
He added that supports such as free transit for youth and assistance for low-income families could help ease cost-of-living pressures, though more work is needed to address staffing shortages and workplace safety concerns in the public sector.
Economic analysis suggests Manitoba’s fiscal position may be comparatively stable.
Cynthia Leach, assistant chief economist at RBC, said the province is projecting one of the lowest deficit-to-GDP ratios among provinces and remains on a path toward balance. However, she cautioned that economic uncertainty and ongoing spending pressures could affect those projections.
“Spending pressures and the uncertain economic environment could erode planned fiscal balances,” Leach said, adding the province will need to continue making room for growth-focused investments while monitoring its debt levels.
