Manitoba Heavy Construction Association

C M Y K 6 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2019 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Asphalt Paving Concrete Paving Base & Excavation Sewer & Water Parking Lots Subdivision Development Asphalt Supply Phone: (204) 237.6253 Fax: (204) 237.5032 www.bituminex.com info@bituminex.com Asphalt Paving Concrete Paving Base & Excavation Sewer & Water Parking Lots Subdivision Development Asphalt Supply Phone: (204) 237.6253 Fax: (204) 237.5032 www.bituminex.com info@bituminex.com Asphalt Paving Concrete Paving Base & Excavation Sewer & Water Parking Lots Subdivision Development Asphalt Supply Phone: (204) 237.6253 Fax: (204) 237.5032 www.bituminex.com info@bituminex.com MANITOBA NEEDS 'MORE' TO BOLSTER ITS COMPETITIVENESS Don Leitch is president and CEO of the Business Council of Manitoba. B Y D O N L E I T C H N ow that the election is over, it is time our government turns its promises into a plan. And there is more to be done. Aer an election most governments embark on quick implementation of their most important election promises and commitments, if for no other reason than to demonstrate to voters that they made the right choice. ere was a reason why Manitobans heard all parties make commitments respecting the economy, government finances and Manitoba's overall competitiveness: ey all recognized the importance of economic growth. It is critical the Progressive Conservative government move to implement its key commitments on the economy, taxes and our competitiveness, for the following reasons. If we do not act Manitoba runs the risk of falling behind other jurisdictions working to improve their competitive profiles. Quick action on regulatory reform, taxes, partnerships and infrastructure investments is more important now than it has been for years. Daily we have reports of economic turmoil, uncertainty and disruption. Both of our major trade agreements, the new NAFTA with the U.S and Mexico and the agreement with the European Union, remain to be fully ratified. Manitoba jobs and incomes are exposed in periods of trade downturns and uncertainty. We can not insulate ourselves from the international economy, but we can be prepared to protect our competitive position and that is why provincial policy, including taxation and investments, matters. Troubling signs on the horizon compel us to quickly enhance our capacity to compete in what may soon be a more challenging trade environment. Earlier this summer 10 of Manitoba's leading business organizations collaborated to issue a document on Growing Manitoba's Economy - More to be Done. It contained seven principles, or pillars, for putting Manitoba on the road to greater prosperity, wealth creation and meaningful jobs for Manitobans. is document built on a similar one produced prior to the 2016 election. Leading into the next four years, the business organizations saw reason to encourage government and the private sector to work together on a common economic agenda, and for the provincial government's prime focus to be ensuring Manitoba's economy is competitive and on critical investments in infrastructure and community assets. Our fiscal progress over the last three years could be jeopardized if the international economy soens. e budget may then not be balanced ahead of schedule. So attention now to investments that grow the economy are doubly important – that's the "more to be done" part of the business organizations' document. What is 'more'? 'More' is government forging a collaborative working relationship with the private sector, the ones who create wealth in the province. 'More' is government investing in infrastructure and community assets while the private sector invests in the means of production, including factories, farms, expanding warehouses, and in new information technology. It means government investing more at a level that ensures Manitoba's infrastructure deficit does not deepen. We have seen how difficult it is to get out of a fiscal deficit; clearly, it is equally difficult to get out of our infrastructure deficit. Here's a good example of how infrastructure investment supports economic growth: Manitoba's value-added production, which capitalizes on our abundant agricultural resources, is growing but to expand that growth, we will require more infrastructure to service the sector. We saw the additional infrastructure that was required near Portage La Prairie to service two major investments. Other communities will similarly be able to benefit from private-sector investment, but only if we have the commensurate public infrastructure in place. at is why the business organizations have called for a common infrastructure strategy and a multi-year plan with funding commitments. at plan will help guide us to a more prosperous future. To view Growing Manitoba's Economy – More to Be Done, click here. We can not insulate ourselves from the international economy, but we can be prepared to protect our competitive position and that is why provincial policy, including taxation and investments, matters. "

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