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Winnipeg Free Press
14-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Biz leaders thankful for tax deferrals, ask for more help amid wildfire losses
Business leaders have praised Manitoba for offering sales and payroll tax deferrals to those affected by wildfires. 'That's fantastic,' said Kory Eastman, president of the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce, which has 100 members in the evacuated northern city and neighbouring Saskatchewan communities of Creighton and Denare Beach. 'Any kind of assistance is positive.' He expressed gratitude to Premier Wab Kinew for showing up Thursday to witness the damage caused by a massive blaze and talk to firefighters. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES On Thursday, Finance Minister Adrien Sala announced optional deferrals of the retail sales tax and payroll tax to help businesses affected by the unprecedented emergency that has forced 21,000 Manitobans to flee 27 communities. On Thursday, Finance Minister Adrien Sala announced optional deferrals of the retail sales tax and payroll tax to help businesses affected by the unprecedented emergency that has forced 21,000 Manitobans to flee 27 communities. 'We haven't seen any matching communication from the Saskatchewan side,' said Eastman who is staying in Edmonton. 'It'd be nice to see that as well,' said the chamber president, who is manager of the Flin Flon Credit Union. 'We've been able to re-establish services working remotely which been has been a challenge but obviously you know we're there for our members and for our customers.' He said he appreciated Premier Wab Kinew flying to Flin Flon on Thursday to see firsthand the empty streets and businesses shuttered by the wildfire. 'He got to kind of see what's happening on the ground there.' Eastman said he hopes Kinew's visit might prompt more provincial support for businesses. 'Maybe with a little more understanding, we'll see even more movement and support from the government, but I can't complain. They've been good so far with our area, I believe,' he said. 'Comparing to the other side of the border, (Saskatchewan Premier) Scott Moe has not been been there, and Denare Beach was devastated as a community, losing 300 properties,' said Eastman, noting Moe sent provincial officials to view the fire-ravaged community. He said he spoke to the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Friday about its discussion with the government for supports for members that are under evacuation. 'Tax holidays are not something they often can give out, but we're pleased with any kind of progress, and still we'll hopefully keep the communication open,' Eastman said. A spokesman for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said the tax deferrals are 'helpful first steps' to deal with evacuations, lost revenue and supply delays. Seasonal businesses and those in northern and rural communities will need more help as the wildfire situation unfolds, spokesman Tyler Slobogian said Friday. The CFIB wrote to the finance minister June 2 in which it asked him to consider emergency grants, broader tax flexibility, and expanding Disaster Financial Assistance eligibility for small businesses. It hasn't received a response, the spokesman said. They're also hoping for an extension or expansion of similar sales and payroll tax deferrals available from February till July that were announced by the province in March in response to U.S. tariffs, he said. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. 'CFIB members are being squeezed by rising input costs, supply chain instability, and additional labour challenges,' Slobogian said. 'Additional relief such as financial support for impacted industries, or permanent targeted tax reductions, would help offset these costs,' he said. 'The dual pressure of wildfire disruption and trade uncertainty is putting serious strain on Manitoba's small business community. Confidence has taken a large hit.' The CFIB's 'business barometer' shows a 6.5-point drop in Manitoba's long-term outlook, which is now the lowest in Canada, Slobogian said. 'This marks a new low, even beneath the confidence levels we saw during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.' Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
11-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba to announce tax extension for wildfire-affected businesses
Voluntary tax deferrals for businesses impacted by wildfires will be announced by the province Wednesday, the Free Press has learned. A source confirmed late Tuesday that the government will offer optional deferrals of the retail sales tax and payroll tax (the health and post-secondary education tax levy) to help businesses affected by the unprecedented emergency that has forced 21,000 Manitobans to flee 27 communities. A similar measure was announced by the province in March in response to U.S. tariffs, with such deferrals available from February through July. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala. Details of the program related to wildfires will be made public Wednesday. Meanwhile, Manitoba businesses dealing with the fallout from an early, raging fire season have been waiting for the province to say if and how it will provide any government support. 'We have been hearing a lot of concern about the level of uncertainty — especially from tourism operators who are fearful they will miss out on the entire 2025 season,' said Canadian Federation of Independent Business spokesperson Brianna Solberg. She wrote to Finance Minister Adrien Sala on June 2 asking if the province would consider any specific cost relief or recovery measures for impacted small businesses. Flexibility on provincial tax and fee payments and remittances for affected businesses — such as retail and payroll tax deferrals — was one of the requests made in the letter. It also asked for emergency financial assistance or recovery grants and sought assurances that wildfire-impacted small businesses are eligible for Disaster Financial Assistance. It also requested co-ordination with federal counterparts to ensure Manitoba businesses are eligible for any national wildfire relief programs. Solberg said Tuesday she had yet to receive a response. Sala wouldn't talk about specific supports for businesses when brought up by the Free Press. 'Right now, the focus continues to be on keeping people safe and supporting individuals who've been impacted by the wildfires,' the minister said Tuesday. Sala noted there is $50 million in this year's budget for emergency expenditures and 'a number of relevant departments' have funding available. A separate budget for contingencies is $38.6 million. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor. 'This wildfire season has been worse than many in recent memory, so we are seeing steady use of our existing budget lines to help respond to these challenges,' the minister said. He said the government would have a better idea about the cost of this wildfire season in September. 'It's still early days. I can say that I think we budgeted accordingly and have the resources needed to make sure that we can do what we need to do to take care of Manitobans during this challenging time.' Despite the impact of U.S. tariffs and provincial wildfires hurting the bottom line, Sala said the province still aims to balance the books in his first term. 'We're still committed to balancing the budget,' Sala said. The leader of the Progressive Conservatives said the response from the provincial government was lacking. 'They can be committed all they want, but we all are clearly seeing that the NDP are saying whatever they have to say and not doing the hard work behind the scenes,' Obby Khan said Tuesday. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. He pointed to Lisa Naylor, the minister responsible for the Emergency Management Organization, who said Manitobans hosting conventions or planning family trips should postpone them until later this summer to ensure there are enough hotel spaces for evacuees. 'Dozens of businesses have called me today, and text-messaged me that this government seems to make announcements and policies without doing their proper due diligence and consultation,' Khan said. 'It seems like they haven't spoken to many businesses, many industry leaders and it's evident with the minister coming out and asking people to reconsider or forego their travel to Manitoba when many of these operators really rely on this tourism and summer revenue and some of them are nowhere near the fires.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Progressive Conservative leader Obby Khan. The president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce said Naylor's plea took some by surprise. 'I think that the government is trying to do the best they can in the current situation,' Chuck Davidson said Tuesday. 'Obviously with the wildfire situation and the number of people that have been evacuated… it's trying to do everything possible to make sure that there's accommodation.' At the same time, tourism operators can't afford to lose guests, Davidson said. 'Some of these businesses are going to need those additional revenues to make sure that they can continue to operate moving forward.' Naylor said Tuesday that the province is housing evacuees in 68 hotels and motels in 14 communities across the province. 'We're looking everywhere for options if they're needed,' Naylor said. 'We're really at the beginning of the wildfire season. We don't know how this is going to go, and we don't know what's going to happen next… So we are trying to keep hotel rooms and motel rooms available as much as possible for evacuees.' Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Vancouver Sun
31-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Could B.C. homeowners whose properties assessed at $2 over landslide risk be eligible for support after all?
A B.C. government policy document dated from 2020 seems to suggest that financial assistance could be made available to property owners whose homes were deemed unsafe after landslides. The document appears to contradict what six Chilliwack River Valley homeowners were told after devastating 2021 atmospheric rivers triggered slides on or near their properties — their homes were no longer safe to live in, but they would receive no financial help from the province. The document was obtained by Postmedia following publication of a recent story about the predicament of the six property owners. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It's not clear whether the policy was in place during 2021, but the B.C. Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness said late Friday the policy was reviewed in 2022. The homeowners have since learned that most of their property values have dropped to $2. The homes were not damaged in 2021, but slides triggered by the heavy rains from the atmospheric rivers that hammered the Fraser Valley and part of the B.C. Interior increased the slide risk to the six homes so much they were deemed unsafe by geotechnical reports commissioned by the Fraser Valley Regional District. The province had told Postmedia for the recent story on the six properties that homeowners did not receive financial assistance because buildings must sustain damage to be eligible for the B.C.'s disaster assistance program. But the four-page provincial policy document dated Aug. 18, 2020 says that 'actual damage can include a risk to life.' The 2020 policy document says a risk to life is to be determined by a qualified professional engineer who concludes that retention and occupation of the home on the land on which it stood before the disaster has a probability of death of an individual due to the landslide of greater than 1 in 1,000 per year. It notes the policy is intended to compensate for sudden unexpected disasters, not for losses that are the result of long-term ongoing situations. 'However, an affected residence that is on, adjacent to, or below a sudden unexpected landslide on land that prior to the event was not identified as having a significant landslide hazard may be eligible for (Disaster Financial Assistance),' said the policy document in its background and discussion section. B.C. emergency management ministry officials said Friday that in 2022 the province received legal guidance 'clarifying' that compensation cannot be provided to repair or replace a structure where there has been no damage. 'This review took place during the evaluation of claims from the 2021 atmospheric river,' the ministry said in a written response sent by public affairs officer Farah Tarannum. The province made no one available for an interview. The province also did not provide a copy of an updated policy as asked or respond to questions of whether risk of life was considered for the six properties, and whether those calculations were carried out by the province. The 2020 policy document said that Emergency Management B.C. will commission a geotechnical engineer to determine whether the damage was primarily caused by the disaster event or was the result of an active landslide, or the result of the presence of known high-hazard landslide terrain. The policy document is listed under the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and described as: Policy to determine eligibility for Disaster Financial Assistance for damages resulting from landslides, floods or land erosion, version 20.07. It notes relocation of a residence is an option. Chris Rampersad, whose home on Chilliwack Lake Road was deemed unsafe to live in, said Friday he did not know about the policy document from 2020. He said he had heard that Fraser Valley Regional District officials believed they had found a way the homeowners would be eligible for financial assistance from the province, but it was rejected. Rampersad has been left paying a mortgage for a property that is now assessed at $2, that he has been told is not safe to live in, that he can't rent out, and where he has been told there is no way to reduce the landslide risk. Rampersad and his neighbour Erv Warkentin have said they had no knowledge of the landslide risks when they bought their properties in 2019 and 2017. Rampersad's place was built in 1979 and Warkentin's in 1985. A large shop was approved to be built in 1996 on Rampersad's property, where a geotechnical report determined it was safe to do so. Patti MacAhonic, an elected director for the regional district that represents the Chilliwack River Valley, said Friday she believes the 2020 policy document shows there was a pathway for the province to help the homeowners financially. 'This is just ridiculous,' said MacAhonic, who has been trying to help the property owners. Hundreds of millions of federal dollars have flowed to the province to help offset the cost of damages to homes and other costs borne by B.C. residents hit by the deadly rainstorms in 2021. The so-called atmospheric rivers carry rain from tropical storms across the Pacific Ocean and are expected to increase in frequency and severity because of climate change. The federal government has estimated its share of the 2021 storm damage will be $3.4 billion . Policy on how homeowners can be helped in disasters is being strengthened. The idea behind buying out properties and relocating people is that it costs less in the long run because government is not paying repeatedly for damages from natural disasters. Recent federal policy changes open the door going forward to the kind of financial assistance that was denied the six property owners. Under new federal rules introduced earlier this year, disaster assistance funding could be available for a home that has not been physically damaged but is no longer safe to live in due to increased landslide risk under specific conditions, says Public Safety Canada. In response to Postmedia questions, the federal department said the increased landslide risk should be directly linked to a disaster that is eligible under the new program, like the 2021 atmospheric river event. 'And a suitably qualified professional would need to determine that the home is not safe for occupation,' said department spokesman Max Watson in a written response. If the province seeks to address the risk through risk reduction measures, or through a buyout or relocation, these could be eligible expenses under the federal government's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program, said the department. The new federal rules, however, are not retroactive. ghoekstra@
CBC
20-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
MHA says province looking at financial help after C.B.N. wildfire
Steve Crocker also weighs in on improving cellular service in the region Media Video | C.B.N fire shows still 'a lot of work to be done' on cell service coverage, says new N.L. tech minister Caption: Steve Crocker is the MHA for the area that saw 12 homes destroyed in a wildfire. Residents of Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove say a scary situation was made even worse because of poor, and in some cases, zero, cell reception. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. The MHA for Carbonear–Trinity–Bay de Verde says the provincial government is assessing the damage done by a raging wildfire in Conception Bay North last week. Steve Crocker's district includes Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove, where the fire destroyed at least 12 houses and hit about 45 structures in total. Crocker spoke with CBC News on Monday about the government's response to the event. CBC News asked whether the province is planning any financial help for the people affected by the fire. Crocker said some residents may be eligible for the federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program, but N.L. is talking about offering help at a provincial level. "That's a conversation we will continue to have through other government departments," he said. In the meantime, Crocker is encouraging people to remove debris from their properties and to keep their grass trimmed during the warmer months to lessen the damage from any possible fires in the future. He said a fire ban in the Conception Bay North region might be helpful, because this year "is going to be very bad." Cellular concerns But Adam's Cove residents like Pauline White have renewed their calls for improved cellular service in the area since the fire. "We had a cell phone that we couldn't use. There was no wi-fi, no cell signal. I couldn't get a hold of any of my family to let them know that we were OK. I couldn't let anybody know about the house," White told CBC News on Friday. On Monday, she said Eastlink customers in her town were told the company will not restore internet until May 29. CBC News has asked Eastlink for a response. The town also woke up without service from Bell on Sunday morning due to fire damage to the company's infrastructure, depleting its already spotty cellular service. Crocker — who is also the minister of industry, energy and technology — said cell service has been a longtime challenge in that region of the province. He said his department works closely with companies like Bell, but more work could be done. "Obviously it is a significant challenge," said Crocker. "And when you see circumstances like [what happened] this past week, it highlights the need." In an email, Sonja Pomeroy — a spokesperson for Premier John Hogan — said "Premier Hogan was regularly briefed on the wildfires and the impacts they were having on communities."
