Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Budget 2023 takes a $5.7 billion dollar surplus just last December and sends it soaring with a dizzying $7.03 billion in new spending

 


I don’t know what ANYONE could possibly see as a benefit in the latest BC Budget, except perhaps those who will be on the receiving end of the NDP gravy train.

 

In fact, all this NDP government of Premier David Eby has done is pretty much a slight of hand with the financial resources of hard working British Columbians, and businesses, who have been MASSIVELY OVER-TAXED for the past year.

On November25th of last year then Finance Minister Selina Robinson announced (https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022FIN0078-001785) that the provincial government was running a five point seven BILLION dollar surplus.  She then went on to proudly announce that the government had doled out:

 

  • $395 million for ICBC rebates in summer 2022
  • $64 million for the School Affordability Fund in fall 2022
  • $1 billion for Climate Action Tax Credit and BC Affordability Credit increases in October 2022 and January 2023
  • $320 million for a one-time BC Hydro bill credit for BC Hydro customers this winter ... and ...
  • $100 million for enhanced BC Family Benefit payments from January to March 2023

 

Punched in on my calculator that works out to $1.879 billion dollars.

 

In addition to that, Eby’s government re-announced that there was to be up to $550 per month in childcare costs beginning last December (2022).

 

Now with todays latest NDP government Budget (https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023FIN0015-000244) current Finance Minister Katrine Conroy is continuing to shovel even more money of the back of the truck with the following:

 

  • an average of $2.13 billion / year for healthcare (including an average of $333 million a year for mental health and addictions services 
  • an average of $1.4 billion / year in operating and capital funding over three years – for more homes for people who rent, Indigenous people and middle-income families, along with new actions to tackle homelessness 
  • an average $154 million / year in additional funding for policing, enforcement, intervention services and access to justice throughout the province 
  • along with an average of $1.5 billion per year in new spending measures and tax credits to help people with the effects of rising costs and establish stable, sustainable support

 

My calculator churned those numbers around coming up with an astounding $5.184 BILLION in additional spending ... but that just for this year alone, the above noted spending is over the 3-year fiscal plan so triple that amount!!

 

So, we have the initial $1.879 billion announced last December ... plus what appears to be an additional $5.184 billion just for budget year 2023.

 

TOTAL .... SEVEN POINT ZERO THREE BILLION.

 

Budget 2023 takes a $5.7 billion dollar surplus just last December and sends it soaring with a dizzying $7.03 billion in new spending.

 

Let’s get one thing straight.  Last year (Budget 2022) the government OVER taxed us by billions.  Now they are going to continue OVER taxing us while going crazy on new and additional spending.

 

ALL THIS while British Columbians watch as the costs of groceries, housing, clothing, fuel and so much more is through the roof due to inflation.

 

Those on the lower end of the income scale may think of Katrine Conroy as Santa Claus, for handing out all of those fiscal goodies, but once the ever shrinking middle class will in fact be getting it in the ear as more and more is taken from them in increased taxation.

 

While it appears that there will be an additional $7+ billion in new spending this year, the project deficit will be coming in at $4.2 billion.  That means only one thing, one way or another, BC residents and businesses will be coughing up nearly $3 billion more in taxes and hidden fees.

 

Premier David Eby's government claims they are, “Putting money back into people’s pockets”, and that may work out for some, in my opinion, however, it will not be true for the vast majority of BC residents ... our wallets will simply continue getting cleaned out by governments at all levels.


Oh, and one more thing ... get ready for the next increase to the Carbon Tax ... it's coming April 1st.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Your government has a gambling problem (Troy Media)

Provinces call it “revenue,” but it looks a lot like exploitation of the marginalized The odds of winning Lotto Max are about 1 in 33 million. You’re statistically more likely to be struck by lightning than to win it. But your government is betting that statistics won’t hold you back; they’re counting on it. Across Canada, provincial governments not only regulate gambling, they also maintain a monopoly on lottery and gaming by owning and operating the entire legal market. That means every scratch card is government-issued, gambling odds are government-set, casino ads are government-funded and lottery billboards are government-paid. And these are not incidental government activities. They generate significant revenues that governments have powerful incentives to expand, not constrain. It would be one thing for our governments to encourage us to engage in healthy activities. We can quibble about whether the government should be trying to convince us to be more active or eat more vegetabl...
Post a Comment
Read more

US Tribes Using DRIPA to Expand Influence in British Columbia

The BC Conservatives are sounding the alarm after receiving multiple filings in the BC Supreme Court in which U.S.-based Indigenous tribes are relying on DRIPA, UNDRIP, and the Interpretation Act to assert greater recognition of Aboriginal rights and direct involvement in British Columbia affairs. “This is a clear and growing sovereignty crisis,” said Scott McInnis, Critic for Indigenous Relations. “The Premier himself has referred to the DRIPA situation as an existential threat to British Columbia, and has said amendments are non‑negotiable. We are now seeing exactly why.” Court cases reveal that American tribes are attempting to leverage DRIPA to gain standing and influence inside BC. “It is becoming increasingly clear that DRIPA is being weaponized in ways never transparently disclosed to British Columbians,” McInnis said. “Allowing U.S. tribes to expand their reach into BC governance is deeply concerning and completely unacceptable.” One notable case, brought by a group of Alaskan ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Seniors Waiting Years for Care: New Data Exposes Growing Long-Term Care Crisis in BC

Image Credit: Seniors Advocate BC     “ Eight years. That is not a wait time. That is a system failur e” Seniors in British Columbia are now waiting years, not months, for access to long-term care, according to figures confirmed during Health Estimates this week. Brennan Day, MLA for Courtenay-Comox and Critic for Rural Health and Seniors’ Health, says the numbers paint a clear picture of a system falling behind the needs of a rapidly aging population. “Yesterday, after repeated questioning, the Minister finally confirmed that 7,829 seniors are currently waiting for long-term care in British Columbia,” said Day. “That’s an 11 percent increase in just one year.” The delays are not measured in weeks, they are measured in years. Across the province, average wait times now exceed a year in many regions. In Vancouver Coastal Health, the maximum wait time has reached 2,825 days, nearly eight years. “Eight years,” said Day. “That is not a wait time. That is a system failure.” At...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more