MHCA among business groups advocating #7Pillars for Growing Manitoba’s Economy
Renewed infrastructure investment is a top priority of a coalition of 10 leading business associations that has called upon all political parties to commit publicly to seven principles to support economic growth in Manitoba.
The 10 organizations, led in the effort by the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, are asking the parties to respond with their positions on the #7Pillars for Growing Manitoba’s Economy document. The responses will be made public prior to the September 10 provincial election day.
“The coalition’s members believe that economic growth should be the top priority, and that the overriding challenge for the next five years will be diversifying our agricultural, manufacturing, resource, financial and service sectors to strengthen the capacity for export and create jobs,” said a news release issued August 19.
“Prudent investments within a climate of confidence and certainty enable growth, leading to more jobs, greater prosperity, and a higher quality of life.”
The coalition is calling upon whichever party forms government to ensure there is a stronger partnership with the private sector, to move the needle on economic growth and to position Manitoba for expanded trade in the global market.
The coalition is an expansion of a similar effort before the 2016 election when six business organizations, including MHCA, advanced pillars for economic growth. This year, infrastructure has been elevated to the second pillar.
“The deficit needed to be cut – no one in our industry would argue that point. But now that Manitoba is close to fiscal balance, there must be attention paid to those policies and programs proven to generate economic return,” MHCA President Chris Lorenc said. “That is strategic infrastructure investment, because repeat economic analyses have verified that every $1 invested boosts our GDP by between $1.30 and $1.60.”
Read the full 7 Pillars to Growing Manitoba’s Economy document.
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