"I am extremely disappointed." That from Lauren Stone, PC MLA for Midland and Opposition Finance Critic for Manitoba, following the NDP Government's 2025 budget announcement on Thursday. She believes the government missed the moment in what she referred to as uncertain economic times, pointing to the ongoing threat of U.S. and Chinese tariffs.
"The reality that we've seen with this NDP government over 17 months is that they have been taxing us out of competitiveness, they've been spending beyond their means and now, we're entering a crisis and a possible economic recession and they're trying to play catch up, but they don't really know how."
According to Stone, the Province didn't include any meaningful relief tax relief for Manitobans and Manitoba businesses at a time, she says, they need it the most.
"And that was very disappointing. This was clearly a budget that was not planned and not thought out properly with today's economic realities."
Stone also feels the budget lacked a trade plan for Manitoba.
"Other provinces have been coming out with strong trade strategies and significant investment in breaking down interprovincial trade barriers and looking at other export markets, and this budget failed to reflect any real meaningful actions on that. That was incredibly disappointing, especially during this time of uncertain economic times and tariffs."
No clear plan
For Morden-Winkler PC MLA Carrie Hiebert, the budget lacked substance and details, particularly as it relates to affordability and, what she calls, the current economic crisis facing the province.
"The budget is supposedly designed to Trump-proof our economy, but it failed, you really didn't hear anything about that," she said. "Details are vague and timelines are non-existent, tax relief won't occur until 2026. This is a really hard time for people and really unknown times, and I feel they should have done more to encourage business and industry, in our area specifically. There's just not enough there for me."
As critic for Housing, Addictions, Mental Health and Homelessness, Hiebert was pleased to see support for transitional housing in the budget, but questions whether any of that funding will be coming the Morden-Winkler area.
"We need housing in our area," she explained. "I've been advocating for Genesis House and their transitional housing project. I've been standing up in session often and advocating for that. I'm looking to see what that's going to look like. I am expecting to see something because that's what I've been working really hard for, and our community really needs it."
Light on details
Borderland PC MLA Josh Guenter also expressed disappointment in the NDP's budget, saying it was light on details despite, what he called, consequential times, for Manitoba.
In particular, he pointed to healthcare.
"Darlene Jackson, the head of the Manitoba Nurses Union, has pushed back against the Health Minister's assertion that this government has hired 1,200 new workers by saying, where are they? That's been my experience as well in my experience as MLA. I've been advocating for those 8 empty suites at the Emerson personal care home to be filled with seniors in the local community that want to move in there and they're being told they can't because of staffing challenges. We look at Boundary Trails Health Centre with the new expansion there, and it looks great but, ultimately, we need people to be able to staff those new beds."
Guenter also says there was no clear plan to address rural crime and infrastructure. He was particularly disappointed there was no support included for Pembina Valley Water Co-op's ongoing effort to increase potable sources and services in his region.
Click here to view the NDP Government's 2025 budget