Manitoba Tory leader suggests NDP could be mulling increase in sales tax

Manitoba Progressive Conservatives are suggesting the NDP is planning an increase in the provincial sales tax if that party wins next month’s election.

Tory Leader Brian Pallister says the New Democrats are promising about $500 million a year in new spending.

Pallister says that would require an increase in the PST of 1.6 percentage points.

The Tory math assumes the new spending would be funded entirely by a tax hike and not through increased revenues from economic growth, federal transfer payments or other measures.

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NDP Leader Wab Kinew has ruled out a sales tax increase, but Pallister says former NDP leader Greg Selinger said the same thing before raising the tax in 2013.

The Tories have not released their own full platform, but Pallister says that will come on Tuesday – one week before the election on Sept. 10.

WATCH: Manitoba PC leader Brian Pallister explains his party’s plan to eliminate probate fees and the provincial sales tax on wills if elected in the fall.

0:38 Brian Pallister promises to kill death tax