(file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Post-budget event planned

Chamber of Commerce hoped budget would offer more for business

Mar 23, 2023 | 12:28 PM

The Battlefords Chamber of Commerce had somewhat of a mixed reaction to the province’s new provincial budget released Wednesday, as it hoped for a little bit more for business.

Chief Operating Officer Linda Machniak said she was led to believe the document would be a “person-centric” budget, focusing on improvements to help the individual.

“That certainly is the case, with investments in healthcare and education, and those types of areas that are on topics that are really important to people,” she said.

Echoing the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce’s concerns, Machniak wished there was also more in the budget to benefit business interests.

“I don’t see a lot for business,” she said. “In fact, there is scheduled to be a tax increase for businesses this summer. The original Small Business Tax Rate had been temporarily set to zero, the COVID-measure originally [to provide tax relief to small businesses].”

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The reduced small business tax rate of 0 per cent was scheduled to expire on June 30, 2023. So, the rate will then increase to one per cent from July 2023 to July 2024, at which time the rate will then see another increase to two per cent.

“I know the Saskatchewan Chamber [of Commerce] had asked [the province] to continue it at zero, as business continues to get back on its feet,” Machniak said. “But I don’t see anything like that in here, or any discussion about things like that for business.”

There were also no changes announced to the Provincial Sales Tax (PST).

“Many of the businesses had been asking for some re-thinking of some of the PST [expansion],” Machniak said.

Saskatchewan businesses were hoping the province would walk back PST on construction, for example.

“That extra six per cent means a lot when we have a neighbour that doesn’t charge that rate,” Machniak said. “For business competitiveness, it’s a bit of a problem. But certainly the reduction [of PST] on construction would have made a difference. With the expansion of PST in the last couple of years to a broader range, it’s provided a larger administrative burden to business. So, the chamber would have wanted to see some changes to PST.”

Machniak said while there is a business section in the budget, focusing on investing in the economy, and plans for the province to open a new international trade office abroad, which she says is all very important, she would have still liked to see more to benefit small businesses directly.

“Certainly, I don’t see a lot here that would impact local businesses,” she said.

The Battlefords Chamber of Commerce is planning a special Post-Budget “Chamber on Tap” event, called “the Northwest” Perspective,” on March 30, with Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill and Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Ryan Domotor speaking. The Chamber is also hoping to line up Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison as well.

“They are going to come and talk about the budget, specifically to the impacts to the northwest,” Machniak said. “I will be very interested to hear from them, their comments on some of these things. I certainly would like to hear the question about the small business corporate tax rate. I’m very much looking forward to it.”

She said she appreciates the budget offers a lot for healthcare and education to help improve the quality of lives for the residents, and is focused on helping pay down the debt.

“Those are all very important things,” Machniak said. “But we certainly would like to hear Jeremy and the members of the government, to hear specifically how the tax changes will impact the northwest.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow