Chamber flags areas of concern in provincial budget

The Brandon Chamber of Commerce says Manitoba’s 2026 provincial budget falls short in supporting business growth.

President Jennifer Ludwig said Friday that the budget is “less business-friendly than previous budgets.”

While the provincial measures — including free child care for low-income families and the removal of sales tax on some groceries — are designed to ease household financial pressures, they do not directly address the pressures facing employers, she said.

“We do acknowledge affordability seems to be the priority, which is not a bad thing,” Ludwig told the Sun. “Healthy communities and healthy businesses rely on strong social supports, but business owners are also dealing with rising costs and trying to grow to support the Manitoba economy.”

The success of the government’s investments will depend heavily on implementation, and businesses across Westman will be watching closely to understand how they are rolled out and what impacts they may have on employers and service providers, she said.

Among the key issues the chamber raised about the budget in a recent statement was the province’s proposed Economic Development Agency. While the chamber welcomes efforts to attract investment, Ludwig cautioned against duplicating existing services.

“In Brandon and Westman, we already have organizations like Rural Manitoba Economic Development and Brandon Downtown Development Corporation that support business attraction and funding,” she said. “The hope is that this is not duplication, but an enhancement working together to attract more business.”

The chamber also raised ongoing concerns about apprenticeship ratios, particularly in the skilled trades, despite increased funding for training programs.

As of late 2024, and continuing into 2026, Manitoba reinstated a 1:1 apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio for most designated trades, reversing the previous 2:1 standard. The change, which took effect on Oct. 30, 2024, is aimed at improving safety and training quality by requiring that each certified journeyperson supervise no more than one apprentice.

“What we’re seeing is that the apprenticeship ratio is causing strain on the ability to train and bring new workers into the workforce,” Ludwig said. “While increased investment is welcome, there are already pressures from previous policies, and the question is whether new funding will actually be effective under those conditions.”

In response to the budget, the chamber outlined three advocacy priorities: workforce development, economic alignment and fiscal responsibility.

Ludwig said the organization will continue to gather input directly from employers through its workforce development committee and use that feedback in consultations with the government.

“We meet regularly with local employers to understand what’s happening on the ground, and that helps guide our conversations with government.”

On economic development, the chamber plans to push for clarity around the new agency to ensure it strengthens existing efforts rather than “reinventing the wheel.” It will also continue annual pre-budget consultations with provincial officials to bring forward concerns from the business community, she said.

The chamber will also use its State of the Province Luncheon on May 14 as a key advocacy platform. The annual event typically features an address from the premier, followed by a question-and-answer session.

“We always use that opportunity to dig deeper and bring forward the issues affecting Brandon and Westman,” Ludwig said. “It’s a chance to raise the hot topics our members are dealing with directly.”

The chamber met with Finance Minister Adrien Sala in February ahead of last month’s budget presentation. During those discussions, the chamber shared concerns around rising costs, taxation and global economic uncertainty.

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