Budget will tackle possible coronavirus effects, says Manitoba government

It’s budget day in Manitoba and the Progressive Conservative government says the new fiscal plan will take into consideration the economic effects of the novel coronavirus.

Premier Brian Pallister says the budget will outline a number of scenarios, including reduced economic growth and what that could mean for the province’s bottom line.

With stock markets falling and organizers of large public events considering cancellations, Pallister says the province is preparing for any outcome.

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On the spending side, the government plans to spend $35 million for additional personal protective supplies — such as gloves, face masks and shields — for health-care workers and patients.

Pallister says the province is in a better position than it was a few years ago, because his government has added hundreds of millions of dollars to its rainy-day fund.

The fund had just over $100 million in 2016 and had reached $571 million at the end of the last fiscal year.

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