The 2008 Manitoba Budget Address

Supporting Innovation

The pace of innovation has increased rapidly with the expanding global marketplace. The Premier’s Economic Advisory Council has strongly advocated for greater investment in research and innovation - investments that enable productivity increases, resource conservation, and a higher standard of living. In addition to our investments in education and training, we have also taken action to support innovation including:

• increasing investment in research and development by 87% since 1999;
  
  
• supporting the development of commercialization centres; and
  
  
• introducing tax measures to improve competitiveness and spur investments in productivity.

The Advanced Manufacturing Initiative helps Manitoba companies adopt innovative practices that reduce waste and increase productivity in the workplace. This partnership between the manufacturing sector and the provincial and federal governments will invest a total of $4 million in the current phase of the initiative to bring improved productivity to Manitoba manufacturing operations.

"The province’s manufacturing sector is becoming
more diversified every year, and it will play an
increasingly significant role in Manitoba’s
output growth moving forward."

Conference Board of Canada, March 2008

Manitoba business leaders have called for an increased emphasis on innovation to maintain Manitoba’s competitive position. A new Manitoba Innovation Council made up of business, research and community leaders will be created to guide a revitalized focus on innovation and commercialization activities in Manitoba.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that Budget 2008 completes our commitment to increase funding for the Manitoba Health Research Council to $6 million to support key provincial health research.

The Premier’s Economic Advisory Council also recommended improving competitiveness by reducing red tape and moving toward single-window service delivery for business. We have taken action on that advice, including:

• expanding the BizPal on-line service, giving entrepreneurs ready access to the information they need about permits and licences;
  
  
• eliminating sales tax filing requirements for up to 5,000 small home-based businesses;
  
  
• reducing sales tax filing requirements for up to 25,000 small businesses;
  
  
• implementing a single business number to simplify business dealings with government; and
  
  
• introducing an on-line file and pay system for PST and other provincial taxes.

We will continue to improve efficiency by redesigning the Manitoba Business Portal to provide real single-window, one-stop access to business information and transactions over the Internet.