Manitoba PC MLA Rochelle Squires speaks at a Ministerial Bear Pit Session during the Progressive Conservative Party’s annual general meeting at the convention centre in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives are promising to eliminate the land transfer tax for first-time homebuyers in the province if re-elected Oct. 3.
Rochelle Squires, who is the Tory incumbent for the Winnipeg constituency of Riel, made the promise on the second day of the election campaign.
Squires says eliminating the tax for first-time homebuyers amounts to about $5,700 for an average single-family home in Winnipeg.
She adds that cutting the tax would allow Manitobans the chance to put the money toward other expenses, including a down payment.
The Tories estimate the land transfer tax brings in roughly $130 million to $140 million each year, with $35 million to $40 million coming from first-time homebuyers.
Squires says if the Progressive Conservatives are re-elected, they hope to cut the tax as soon as the party takes office.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew is promising to open five neighbourhood health clinics if his party is elected Oct. 3.
Kinew says the minor illness and injury clinics would be staffed with a team of emergency room doctors, nurses and technologists.
He says the clinics would offer same-day appointments through online booking.
The Manitoba Liberal Party released its full campaign platform, which includes roughly $1 billion in new spending and higher taxes for some income earners and property owners.
Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont says the spending is needed to fix health care, education and other services, and is an alternative to the Progressive Conservative and New Democrat plans.
