Budget 2009, Canada’s Economic Action Plan, has delivered for the constituents of Kelowna-Lake Country.
In preparation for Budget 2009, I had the opportunity to meet with many constituents at their homes and businesses, in coffee shops and at an economic round table hosted by Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. The Government listened and we are in good shape to face the economic challenges ahead.
In Kelowna-Lake Country we will benefit from important initiatives such as:
- An Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance for equipment (including computers)
- Extension of the Work share program to help employers and employees transition through this economic downturn
- Income and payroll tax cuts to boost income and get the economy working again;
- A home renovation program to spur construction, create jobs, and help Canadians improve their homes;
- Roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure to boost the economy, create jobs and make our community safer and stronger for the long-term (I have the list of priorities from Mayor Shepherd and Mayor Baker and now working with the Province to get these projects announced as soon as possible).
- The Age Credit which allows low income seniors to earn an extra $1,000 tax free.
- Post secondary education funding including funding to colleges to expand their capacity to provided skills training for the jobs of the future.
- Investments in tourism, arts, and culture
- Investments in technology, environment and affordable housing.
I have already received positive feedback from people like Norm LeCavalier, President of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce who said Budget 2009 would successfully stimulate the economy and address one of the biggest concerns for local business, improved access to credit.
Not only will our riding benefit but the Province of British Columbia will too.
British Columbia will especially benefit from specific initiatives including an additional $81 million over the next two years to accelerate the cleanup of federal contaminated sites, a share of $2 billion to support deferred maintenance and repair projects at post-secondary institutions including community colleges, $80 million to modernize and expand border service facilities, $1.9 million for building, float, fire protection, service area and wharf repairs at the Steveston Harbour and $300,000 for wharf repairs at the Ladysmith Harbour; and $40 million over two years to support tourism, including the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In addition to these measures, British Columbia will continue to receive historically high and growing federal transfers in 2009-10 that will total $5.3 billion - an increase of $200 million from last year and a $503 million increase over the former Liberal government. What’s more, British Columbia will see growing health ($3.2 billion) and social ($1.4 billion) transfers to help the province pay for vital health care, educational and social services families depend on.
With this plan, Canada and British Columbia will emerge from this global recession with better infrastructure, a more skilled labour force, lower taxes and a more competitive economy. This is the plan Canadians wanted, and this is the plan that will create and maintain jobs for today and tomorrow.
British Columbians Comment on Budget 2009 – Canada’s Economic Action Plan
"I think the budget was generally positive for the province. It's going to generate investment. It's going to generate jobs. . . . The Evergreen Line has been on our list of priorities for some time, so I'm very pleased to see the government embrace that as well." (BC Premier Gordon Campbell, Globe and Mail BC edition (S1), January 28, 2009)
"This is a good budget for us. It will allow us to create jobs, it will allow us to [become partners] with the federal government to build much-needed infrastructure." (BC Premier Gordon Campbell, Vancouver Sun (A8), January 28, 2009)
“Well, I think actually it’s a positive budget. I think that it creates a foundation for us to build a more productive, more competitive future and, more importantly, it will keep people and put people to work. Jobs are involved in this budget. And the real question behind this budget is how quickly do we implement it? So I was pleased to hear the commitments to infrastructure, the commitments to housing. Those are important things I think to get people to work in every community of the country.” (BC Premier Gordon Campbell, CTV, January 27, 2009)
"This is a positive platform for progress, for productivity. It's really a call for partnership with other levels of government, and we are certainly ready to go there. (…) The economy is really about giving people jobs and confidence that they will get a paycheque that can take care of their mortgage and their families." (BC Premier Gordon Campbell, BC CBC news, January 27, 2009)
"We have good projects to apply them to on green infrastructure, cleaning our waterways from False Creek to Trout Lake. We also have the ability to put some of these infrastructure dollars into bridge upgrading, particularly the Granville and Burrard Street bridges." (Gregor Robertson, Vancouver Mayor, CBC news, January 27, 2009).
Re. the extensions to Employment Insurance: "It's an excellent measure, a timely measure, and a much needed measure." (John Winter, President of the BC Chamber of Commerce, BC CTV news, January 27, 2009).
Re. the extensions to Employment Insurance: "I think that changes in the budget are really phenomenal for the people on EI. To be able to add five weeks gets them to be able to go out and look closely for the jobs that they need." (Salvation Army's Major Gordon Armstrong, BC CTV news, January 27, 2009).
Re. tax break for renovations: "I gotta like it -- that means a boost for the whole industry across the country. People will be more inclined to open up their purse string a little bit and spend some money on renovations." (Bob Rasmus, RJR Construction in Vancouver, BC CTV news, January 27, 2009).
"It will be a good investment for the future of the region, and the future taxpayers. It's going into infrastructure that's going to last 100 years. It's now a good time to keep people working." (Lois Jackson, Delta Mayor (BC), The Province (A5), January 28, 2009).
``If those credit provisions work properly, it will mean a lot for jobs in Canada. It will keep jobs that would otherwise be lost. (…) This budget recognizes that our future is with global markets, not with government support and that's what we're looking for.'' (Avrim Lazar, President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, CP story, January 27, 2009)
"The government embraced our vision of becoming producers of the best quality, most innovative and greenest forest products in the world." (Avrim Lazar, President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, Vancouver Sun (B3), January 28, 2009)
"Every billion dollars spent on construction creates 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, so not only will British Columbia benefit from the federal government's commitment to infrastructure building with improved road, water and sewer systems, but we'll also see more job creation and positive economic spin-off." (Philip Hochstein, President of the BC Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, January 27, 2009).
“[The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association] is pleased to see the federal government stimulate home renovations with a $1,350 tax credit. This move is very prudent, because it allows people the chance to improve their most valuable asset at a time when construction prices are at their lowest." (Philip Hochstein, President of the BC Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, January 27, 2009).
"The budget includes some much needed assistance for the mineral exploration and mining sector. We welcome the initiative of the Extraordinary Financing Framework that will provide up to $200 billion to the country's credit markets, and the extension of the super flow through share tax credit, which allows a tax deduction for investment in Canadian mineral exploration projects. We also appreciate the government's efforts to provide tax relief that will benefit individuals and businesses in communities throughout British Columbia." (Gavin C. Dirom, President and CEO of the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia)
“Overall, the federal budget contains a number of incentives to stimulate the economy. Many initiatives will have a positive impact on the businesses in this region. Businesses have indicated that they are looking for a combination of increased spending and tax reductions from the Federal Government and this budget appears to deliver on these needs. It also addresses a key concern that businesses in this area have expressed, and that is improved access to credit.” (Norm LeCavalier, President of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Castanet, January 29, 2009).
Re. funding for the proposed $18.5-million cruise ship terminal at the port: "I have to say it does look promising." (Bernie Dumas, CEO of the Nanaimo Port Authority, Nanaimo Daily News, January 28, 2009)
Re. $20 billion in personal income-tax relief over five years: "There are some tax concessions which are always good to keep money in the consumer's pockets so it can be used to buy products." (Donna Hais, president of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, Nanaimo Daily News, January 28, 2009).
