Provincial Finance Minister Carole James says it 91裸聊视频渇eels like a lifetime91裸聊视频� since she tabled the 2020 provincial budget in February, just four months ago.

She observed the economy had already been slowing down, with 91裸聊视频渕oderation91裸聊视频� in economic growth across the globe, and so took that into account in building the budget.

91裸聊视频淲e made sure we had a strong, resilient economic foundation to be able to build from,91裸聊视频� James said. 91裸聊视频淲e certainly knew there were going to be challenges ahead, when it came to moderation, but I don91裸聊视频檛 think any of us could imagine the kind of situation that we91裸聊视频檙e all living through now.

91裸聊视频淭his is unlike any challenge that we91裸聊视频檝e faced,91裸聊视频� James said. 91裸聊视频淐OVID-19 has impacted every sector, every family, every community, every part of our community.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲hen we91裸聊视频檙e talking about businesses being hit, that91裸聊视频檚 individuals and families as well, not only the business owners but in fact the employees.91裸聊视频�

James noted that more than 300,000 jobs have been lost in British Columbia because of the pandemic.

She was the guest speaker in a Surrey Board of Trade 91裸聊视频渄igital town hall91裸聊视频� via Zoom. Monday91裸聊视频檚 topic was 91裸聊视频淐OVID-19: Relief, Restart and Recovery for Surrey and B.C.91裸聊视频�

The finance minister said while she knows people are 91裸聊视频渒een91裸聊视频� to get back to work, 91裸聊视频渨e need to do that in a very planned, and a very careful, and a very measured approach.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 want to get ahead of ourselves,91裸聊视频� she said.

James said $1.5 billion of B.C.91裸聊视频檚 $5 billion COVID plan has been earmarked for economic recovery. 91裸聊视频淥nce again, I think it91裸聊视频檚 critical to note that we did that from the start.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 one-time money,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e will be gathering the feedback, as we are doing now, through ministries meeting with their sectors, through the premiers table and through other areas. Individual business ideas have been coming forward as well. We91裸聊视频檒l be making a determination around where those dollars can best be used.

James said while she 91裸聊视频渄oesn91裸聊视频檛 want to pre-determine any processes,91裸聊视频� she expects education will be 91裸聊视频渁 big discussion91裸聊视频� when it comes to how that money will be allocated.

91裸聊视频淒o we look at further training, and skills training for the kinds of youth who are having to re-tool for new kinds of jobs, perhaps, or new industries?91裸聊视频�

James said the government is tracking the impact the pandemic has had on particular sectors and age groups. For example, Stats Canada released employment-related figures last week, she noted, that show 91裸聊视频渢he youth are particularly impacted, particularly facing challenges, 18 to 24-year-olds. And that91裸聊视频檚 no surprise when you look at the sectors that are most impacted 91裸聊视频� retail, restaurants, bars.91裸聊视频�

On rent assistance for business owners, she said, last week the government brought in an emergency order to ensure that if a business is able to apply for the program and fit the criteria, but their landlord isn91裸聊视频檛 interested in applying, there will not be an eviction. 91裸聊视频淎nd that will stay in place as long as the federal program is in place and the emergency order91裸聊视频檚 in place.91裸聊视频�

The provincial government also brought in a $1,000 emergency benefit for workers and in July it will 91裸聊视频渂oost91裸聊视频� the climate action tax credit. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e increasing that payment.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e deferred everything from the employers health tax to the PST to the hotel tax, to the carbon tax,91裸聊视频� James said. 91裸聊视频淲e also cut property taxes. The school portion, which id the provincial portion of property taxes, we have cut by on the average about 20 per cent, which again gives that immediate relief.91裸聊视频�

She said that while we have a 91裸聊视频渃hallenge91裸聊视频� ahead, 91裸聊视频淚 do feel optimistic about our recovery.91裸聊视频�

James said the largest capital budget in B.C.91裸聊视频檚 history is contained in Budget 2020.

91裸聊视频淪o we have built in there the kind of infrastructure that also will assist as we look ahead, in to creating jobs. We have a large amount of infrastructure, for everything from hospitals to roads to bridges to transit, and that is in every corner of British Columbia, which will again provide us with a very good base to be able to provide that infrastructure spending and get those jobs going in British Columbia as well,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e not leaving people behind.91裸聊视频�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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