(File photo/CJME News Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Chamber Supports Provincial Plan

Prince Albert Chamber among supporters of province’s affordability plan

Aug 25, 2022 | 12:00 PM

Early reviews of the Sask. Party government’s four-point affordability plan have been mixed, but you can count the Prince Albert and District Chamber of Commerce among their supporters.

The four-point plan includes a $500 cheque for every Saskatchewan resident over 18, a plan to reduce the debt by $1 billion, a change in the upcoming PST expansion, and a continuation of the small business tax rate reduction.

“We actually are quite supportive of it because a lot of our businesses have been hit by the pandemic,” said chamber CEO Patty Hughes. “There are a lot of things they are still trying to work through from it, supply chain disruptions, inflation, and the labor market.”

Among the four points of affordability listed by the province, the extension of the small business tax rate reduction was the most popular with chamber members. A week earlier, they had discussed what they wanted to see the government do to help them, and that was one of the points brought up.

“To continue on with that for another couple of years will really help our local businesses work through that, navigate that,” Hughes said. “It helps them save costs as they continue to work through those issues. That’s very supportive.”

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The second point, a reversal of the decision to include gyms and fitness centres in the PST expansion, affects some businesses very directly. Naturally, gym owners who’ve spoken to the chamber were pleased with that aspect.

“It has helped them a bit because they were quite concerned about that initially when it was put on,” Hughes said. “So to give them that relief, it helps get them back onto that same playing field they were on six months ago.”

While the first point in the province’s affordability plan — a $500 cheque for every Saskatchewan resident over 18 — doesn’t flow directly into the businesses’ pockets, it does have the potential for a big impact. According to Hughes, part of this is the timing.

“When you take a look at the timing of it — November, Christmas — there’s some added costs during that time,” Hughes said. “It is tax-free, so this will make a difference in a lot of people’s pockets during that time when potentially there will be some increase in the retail market. Hopefully they consider shopping local and putting it back into the economy.”

When asked if there was anything she wanted to see in the affordability plan that wasn’t there, Hughes said she was satisfied with the choices the province made. She also said that while this will help local businesses in several ways, there are still some issues with inflation that are setting them back.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP