By Geoff Smith

Size of deficit concerns chamber as it prepares to welcome minister

Jun 3, 2016 | 2:39 PM

The executive director of the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce expected it, and it came to pass: A larger deficit in the provincial budget than previously forecasted.

Linda Machniak said the local business community will want Finance Minister Kevin Doherty to have a plan to get the books back into the black. That’s one of the subjects that may come up Wednesday, June 8 when Doherty speaks at a breakfast event organized by the chamber.

Earlier this week, the province revealed its budget, which included a $434 million deficit, but Machniak said she is encouraged by forecasts she believes are realistic.

“I’m happy to see that they were far more conservative in their revenue projections for next year,” she said, calling it a positive sign. She said chamber members would also be satisfied that taxes were not increased, even though a drop in the corporate tax rate has been postponed once again.

“I expect that when things are back on an even keel they might look at it again. But they had committed to it. We hope that at some point down the road they’re able to keep that promise,” she added.

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Machniak said the audience for the breakfast with Doherty will include representatives of local school divisions, mayors, and other groups who will want to ask questions on everything from education spending to infrastructure. She said the provincial chamber of commerce has urged the government to consider not just “shovel-ready” projects for infrastructure funds, but “shovel-worthy” proposals.

Prior to the budget’s release, Machniak suggested the government might want to consider what types of areas a government should be involved with. She wonders if that’s what provincial officials had in mind when funding to five urban parks, including the Battlefords River Valley, was eliminated.

“I think that they’ll probably look to reinstate some of those funding things when they’re able to,” she said. “But maybe it’s an opportunity for us as well to identify what governments need to and should be doing. Not related specifically to the River Valley, but is government in what they should be in as far as funding or their participation. I expect that if it’s a worthy cause that they would look to put it back in the budget at some point down the road.”

Machniak is also looking forward to hearing from Prairie North Health Region CEO David Fan, about the possibility of changes to the health authority structure resulting from the budget. Fan will be a guest at a chamber luncheon June 14, where he’s scheduled to provide an update on Saskatchewan Hospital.

gsmith@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @smithco