Tories will delay budget bill unless NDP government adds tax cuts to address affordability
Posted May 6, 2026 5:45 pm.
Last Updated May 6, 2026 6:54 pm.
Manitoba’s opposition is calling on the NDP government to increase the Basic Personal Amount (BPA), saying the current budget falls short on addressing affordability concerns.
“This is an olive branch for the government to amend their BITSA before it’s too late and do the right thing for Manitobans,” said Obby Khan, the Official Opposition leader.
The PC’s announced Wednesday they will vote for the Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment (BITSA) Bill only if the NDP adds increased BPA.
The current BPA in Manitoba is 15,780, and PC’s want to see it increased to 21,000, otherwise the bill will be held until the fall session.
“This would save a dual income family income family over a thousand dollars per year. Much more significant than less than a hundred dollars a year that the NDP’s PST cut would save Manitobans,” said Lauren Stone, the PC finance critic.
The PC’s finance critic also added that, holding a majority government, the NDP will be able to pass BITSA. The PC’s claim it will cost $350 million and bring Manitoba BPA in line with Alberta and Saskatchewan.
“This is a bit of a compromise. But it’s also a catch-up. And Manitoba needs to catch up to what other provinces are doing,” said Stone.
The NDP missed the deadline of March 18 to table BITSA, and Finance Minister Adrien Sala said the PST on groceries can not be lifted until the BITSA legislation passes, adding the government is committed to passing the bill, even extending the legislation sitting into summer.
“We heard a clear opinion from the government council that we can not take the PST off groceries unless BITSA is passed. And what we are hearing from the conservatives is that they don’t want Manitobans to have these affordability measures.”
Meanwhile, the Tories argued Wednesday that the government can impose tax changes even if the opposition delays the relevant bill, which happened in 2013 when the then NDP government under former premier Greg Selinger raised the provincial sales tax.
“The PC’s are threatening to block this. That’s a huge concern, and our focus is going to be to reduce costs for Manitobans, and we are going to stick here, all summer if need to, even longer to pass that BITSA bill,” said Minister Sala.
Meanwhile, Khan said, “We are willing to work with this government to bring BITSA to a vote this spring session if they put real affordability measures into their BITSA. And we haven’t seen it yet.”
