P.E.I. budget draws mixed reactions from business groups, advocates

While those working with the P.E.I. Fight for Affordable Housing are excited to see a$10-million program to work with non-profit groups and housing co-ops to build new affordable housing units in P.E.I.'s provincial budget, they worry the money could be coming too late.

"It's something we have been calling for for a while and we think it's a good way to keep community groups in the process while building and maintaining affordable housing," saidCory Pater, a member ofthe P.E.I. Fight for Affordable Housing.

"It would have been great three or four years ago."

The program also includes keeping existing affordable rental units on the market, but there aren't many of those to save, Pater said.

"We're at a point now where we've lost so many units that looking at preserving them isn't going to be nearly as effective as it would have been had we gotten on the ball this earlier," he said.

"I think that it would require a substantial investment...in preserving units that already exist, a few of them that are still around that are affordable and almost much more of one in new units in order to kind of get things to a level where people can, people can be comfortable again."

Pater said the group wanted to see more money going into developingpublic housing.

Some representing small businesses on P.E.I. say there is almost nothing in the budget to help those running businesses. Staff with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said some businessesare under pressure due to increased costs and inflation.

"What we asked them is to change the tax structure a little bit for those who have made it through the pandemic and are in good shape. They need to reinvest in their business and expand and we asked them to increase the small business tax threshold from $500,000 to $1,000,000 down the road," said Frdric Gionet, a senior policy analyst.

"It hasn't been changed since 2009. So, that would help a lot of small businesses that are successful and it can reinvest in the community."

CFIB is encouraged to see no added fees in the budget for small businesses, Gionet said.

The Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce thinks there is a lack of investment in business in the budget, but the group is encouraged to see an increase in the basic personal amount Islanders are exempt from being taxed on.

"For years, our chamber has been advocating for the province to increase the basic personal amount and to re-evaluate its tax brackets to be more competitive," Chamber CEO Bianca McGregor wrotein an email.

Starting in 2025, the basic personal amount will jump $750 to $14,250, but the chamber wants to see it increased to $15,000.

"We note the budget did not dive much into general business or private labour market supports, however plans to accelerate housing starts is encouraging. Rising costs of doing business and labour shortages are a concern for our membership," McGregor wrote.

Blake Doyle, former president of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce, agrees that more should be in the budget to help small business owners.

He said it's hard for some businesses to find staff. With government projecting a decline in immigration, he worries there won't be enough workers in the province.

"It is going to be challenging for businesses to find the resources they need," he said.

How will P.E.I.'s 2024 budget affect Islanders?

8 months ago

Duration 5:01

Health care, education and housing were some of the biggest items in the P.E.I. government's 2024 budget. CBC's Kerry Campbell breaks down what it means for Islanders.

Doyle is happy to see increased spending in health care, which is a critical issue for Islanders. Increasing access might help the Island better retain its population and workforce, he said.

The budget also allocated $2.4 million to implement a gender-based violence action plan.

Danya O'Malley, executive director of P.E.I. Family Violence Prevention Services, said that money draws on federal money announced back in August as part of a 10-year national plan.

"The money being spread around to tackle this problem in alot of different ways is a really good thing,"O'Malley said.

Her organization will get some of that money and use it to implement new programming, she said.

"We're going to be using this money for prevention," she said."For us, prevention looks like working with children and youth."

O'Malley saidthe money will help the organization be a one-stop shop for Island families facing gender-based violence.

Over the last few years, the group has expanded by offering programs for men who are both victims of violence and perpetrators of violence.

The organization goes into all P.E.I. high schools delivering "healthy relationships" curriculum to Grade 10 students, O'Malley said, and the plan is to continue to work with that population.

"We haven't had in the past services for the children of the adults that are on our caseload," she said.

"Children are often hurt the most and receive the least. It's thought that they are just kind of resilient and they will bounce back, but ... violence in the early years has some real, longest-lasting impacts on brain development,impactson how they form personal relationships, how they trust, so intervention is important in order to heal and put them back on the right track."