Key takeaways from NDP’s budget

Budget 2025 offers several measures intended to keep a few bucks in Manitobans’ pockets amid the cost-of-living crunch and a brewing U.S.-Canada trade war.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of sweeping 25 per cent tariffs cast a shadow over the Manitoba government’s fiscal plan for 2025-26.

The budget includes increases to some tax credits, efforts to cut health-care wait times and measures, within the province’s control, to advance bail “reform.”

Here are 15 things to know about Budget 2025:

Tax credit hikes

The NDP government is increasing the homeowners affordability tax credit by $100 to $1,600 on school taxes in 2026, a move that will cost $5 million.

A $1,500 credit in last year’s budget replaced the school tax rebate and education property tax credit.

For renters, an income tax credit is rising to $625 from $575 in 2026, as part of efforts to eventually get it back to $700. A top-up for low-income seniors is increasing to $357 from $328.

Security rebates

Manitoba is introducing a new security equipment rebate for businesses, and bringing back a $300 rebate for homeowners and tenants, after last year’s $2 million in funding was quickly snapped up.

For residences, this year’s pool is also $2 million.

The province will offer $10 million for the business security program, after the sector lobbied for help to offset costs associated with thefts and vandalism.

More beds, grads for health care

The budget earmarks $47 million to add 97 fully-staffed beds to hospitals to reduce the strain on ERs and improve the flow of patients through the system.

The breakdown is 60 beds in acute care, 10 in critical care and 27 in transitional care. Finance Minister Adrien Sala expects all of the beds to be in use this year.

A $48.2-million plan to train more staff includes 176 new educational seats (16 for paramedics, 20 residency spots for doctors, 40 for lab and X-ray technicians and 100 for health-care aides) amid $770 million in new funding to recruit and retain front-line staff, the government said.

No more rebates for Teslas

Manitoba’s rebate for eligible electric vehicle purchases will continue, but the province is trying to discourage sales of Teslas or Chinese-made vehicles in response to U.S. and Chinese tariffs.

Tesla is run by billionaire Elon Musk, who is carrying out some of Trump’s bidding.

Manitobans can receive $2,500 on a used EV or plug-in hybrid, and $4,000 for a new EV or plug-in hybrid. The government has allocated almost $15 million for rebates this year.

$10-a-day child care in summer

Manitoba is moving ahead with an expansion of $10-a-day child-care spaces to the summer months.

Families with those spaces will save an extra $788 to bring their annual savings to $2,808, the province said.

Budget 2025 promises 4,600 additional spaces over the next two years toward an overall goal of 23,000.

Lowering breast cancer screening age

More than $4 million has been budgeted to help lower the screening age for breast cancer to 40, with plans for more staff, equipment and mobile services.

It is one of several women’s health measures in the budget.

The morning-after pill will become free of charge. With federal help, $10 million will go to the Women’s Health Clinic, and $10 million will go to hormone replacement therapy to improve care for women in menopause and perimenopause.

Bail “reform”

Manitoba Justice initiatives include $3 million for 12 new Winnipeg police officers. The province said the officers will help “track down” people who violate bail conditions.

Budget 2025 mentioned plans for a new unit that targets offenders “who pose a serious risk to community safety.”

The government is setting aside $1.5 million to expand its ankle bracelet-monitoring program.

New water bombers

Manitoba is allocating an $80-million down payment on three Canadian-made water bombers to fight wildfires.

A new “attack base” will be built in Thompson to better respond to fires in northern Manitoba.

The province is spending $1.1 million on new weather, wildfire mapping and reporting systems to aid firefighting efforts.

Payroll tax cut

A payroll tax cut, starting Jan. 1, 2026, will save $8.5 million annually for eligible Manitoba businesses, the province said.

Annual thresholds will be adjusted where businesses with payrolls at or under $2.5 million will be tax-exempt.

The payroll threshold below which businesses pay a reduced effective rate will increase from $4.5 million to $5 million. That will make 875 businesses better off, and 150 fully exempt from the payroll tax, the government said.

Support for ag sector

Depending on tariffs, a contingency plan would unlock up to $100 million in support for farmers and producers, the province said.

Within the regular budget, eligible loan amounts for the young farmers rebate will rise from $300,000 to $400,000, and the maximum individual lifetime limit will jump from $30,000 to $40,000.

Manitoba is looking for new markets and trading markets in response to U.S. and Chinese tariffs, which pose a threat to the sector, particularly canola farmers and pork producers.

Reconciliation efforts

The province’s fiscal plan contains efforts to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

They include more than $450,000 in grants for Indigenous organizations and community-based programs, and $4 million for the Indigenous economic development fund.

For schools, a land-based curriculum is being developed, treaty education is being expanded, and there are plans to train more language teachers and research successful language revitalization programs in other jurisdictions.

More mental health workers

Budget 2025 includes $3.8 million to hire 35 new mental health workers, including three dedicated to helping paramedics, firefighters and law enforcement, toward a goal of 100 hires over four years.

The government said funds will help “enhance” staffing levels at Health Sciences Centre’s crisis response centre.

Under a pilot program, a community-based crisis response team will work alongside an Indigenous-led mobile health-care clinic.

Encampment strategy

The province’s new “Your Way Home” strategy, which aims to move people from homeless encampments to housing with supports, is getting almost $73.5 million this year.

The strategy focuses on an estimated 700 people who live in encampments. It includes $16 million to convert a downtown building into transitional housing units for 118 people.

Funds for drug consumption site

The budget allocates $1.3 million to Shared Health to contract the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre to operate Canada’s first Indigenous-led supervised consumption site.

A building on the Disraeli Freeway in Point Douglas is being eyed for the site.

The proposal requires the approval of Health Canada, which is reviewing an application submitted in November.

Free park entry

Entry into provincial parks will be free for a year.

The province is budgeting $18 million to increase capital funding for eight more yurt and comfort camping sites, and upgrades to campgrounds, facilities and trails.

Improvements will be made at several sites, including Hecla, Birds Hill, Big Whiteshell and Winnipeg Beach.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca