Manitoba increases revenues, spending in first quarter of 2026 compared to budget
Posted September 29, 2026 2:44 pm.
Revenue in the Manitoba is forecast to increase by $294 million compared to the budget, the province revealed in its first-quarter fiscal update Tuesday, but spending is also on the rise.
Spending is forecast to increase by $292 million, driven largely by emergency expenditures ($277 million) associated with flooding and wildfires.
The province says the revenue increase was mainly driven by stronger-than-expected individual income tax revenues and a $107-million improvement in net income from Manitoba Hydro.
“Manitoba’s economy continues to show resilience despite ongoing global economic uncertainty, trade disruptions and the impacts of natural disasters,” said Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala.
“We’re managing the province’s finances responsibly while continuing to support Manitobans through investments in health care, disaster recovery and economic growth.”
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation accused the Manitoba government of wasting increased revenues on more spending instead of that windfall being used to lower borrowing.
“Taxpayers can’t afford for Premier Wab Kinew to keep wasting billions of dollars per year on debt interest payments,” said Gage Haubrich, the group’s prairie director, in a news release. “Instead of spending money as fast as it comes in, the government needs a real plan to control spending, find savings and start to pay down the debt.
“When the government faces unexpected costs like wildfires or floods, the right thing to do is to find savings in other areas.”
Employment is forecast to grow by 1.6 per cent in 2026, with the unemployment rate forecast at 5.6 per cent.
Manitoba’s net debt is projected at $38.1 billion.
