WINNIPEG, MB. – With the last review of our tax system taking place nearly 20 years ago, The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce concluded that it was time for another. Loren Remillard, President and CEO of the Chamber who commissioned the survey says that “A lot has changed since then”.

In a recent survey of 1,000 Manitobans conducted by Probe Research, 75 per cent of respondents support conducting a comprehensive, system-wide review of Manitoba’s tax system.

“These results clearly show Manitobans believe the time for tweaking is over and a deeper dive into the entire system is required,” notes Remillard. “Not only that, but the results are remarkably similar regardless of a respondent’s gender, age, education, income, place of residence and even their voting intentions.”

The survey accompanies The Winnipeg Chamber’s annual budget submission to the Province of Manitoba. Since 2016 The Chamber has advocated for a tax reform commission, and it is the primary recommendation for the 2018 Provincial Budget. The Chamber’s primary recommendation to the province is to form a commission that will make recommendations to reform our tax system. In addition, The Chamber calls on the Province to develop strategies to foster access to capital and skilled labour, as well as for the Province to clearly outline its plan to eliminate the deficit.

“With carbon taxes coming in 2018 and the promised PST cut on the horizon, now is the opportune time to look at our tax system,” added Remillard. “A fairer, simpler and more competitive tax system is in the best interests of all Manitobans. Our competitors are making changes to their tax system to improve competitiveness and we can’t sit by idly.”

With a sample of 1,000, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are (plus or minus) within 3.1 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Manitoba had been surveyed.

Laura Manning, Manitoba Post