The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released its Finance Minister Report Card today, ranking provincial finance ministers on spending, debt and tax relief in the latest provincial budgets.

Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala received an overall grade of F, tied for lowest in the country.

“Manitoba is the only province to hike taxes in its budget this year,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “Sala is making life more expensive for Manitobans this year with a sneaky bracket creep tax hike.

“Bracket creep means that inflation can automatically bump taxpayers into a higher tax bracket and raise their taxes, even though they can’t afford to buy more because prices have also increased.”

Sala received the following grades in each category:

Debt: D

• The Manitoba government is increasing the debt by $1 billion compared to last year’s budget. By the end of the year, the debt will reach $36.6 billion or about $24,268 per Manitoban, the fifth highest in the country.

Debt interest payments: F

• Interest payments on the debt will cost taxpayers $2.3 billion this year, working out to $1,554 per person, the second highest in the country.

Spending Increase: D

• The government is spending about 7.1 per cent more this year compared to last year’s budget. That’s the fifth highest in the country.

Tax Relief: F

• The government hiked taxes by bringing back bracket creep in this year’s budget. Bracket creep will cost Manitoba taxpayers $82 million this year. The government also introduced some other tax cuts, but these cuts save taxpayers less than bracket creep costs them.

“Manitobans are being saddled with some of the highest debt interest payments in the country and it needs to stop,” Haubrich said. “Sala needs to reign in spending and stop irresponsibly piling more debt onto Manitoba taxpayers.”

Overall ranking of provincial finance ministers:

You can find the full report card HERE.