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Crossroads
This week
DUSTY DEED
DARRELL
NESBITT/CROSSROADS THIS WEEK
A Bilinsky Farms combine operator of Rossburn was among the grain producers throughout the region to take advantage of the upper 20°C temperatures, warm sunshine, and drying winds to put a final touch on the 2025 harvest season over the past week and a half of September. This John Deere combine rolled through a swathed crop of canola just east of the Parkland community on Thursday, Sept. 25, one of a number dotting the landscape.
Province projects higher deficit due to wildfires
RACHEAL FLINTOFT
Crossroads This Week
The Manitoba government has released its public accounts for the 2024-25 fiscal year and the first quarter report for 2025-26. The reports provide an update on the province’s financial health under the current NDP administration.
The public accounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, show a deficit of $1.15 billion. This is a 42% reduction from the previous fiscal year’s deficit and a $90 million improvement from the third-quarter update. According to the government, this was achieved through financial management and a moderately growing economy, which saw an increase in service sectors driven by population growth.
However, the first quarter report for the 2025-26 fiscal year, projects a new financial challenge. The forecast shows a net loss of $890 million for the year, which is $96 million more than the amount initially budgeted.
This increase is primarily attributed to the costs of fighting wildfires; however, other expenditures did contribute. The financial report indicates that emergency response expenditures related to the fire season are the main factor driving the projected deficit higher than planned.
The province’s next general
election is scheduled for October 2027, as per Manitoba’s fixed election date law. While the NDP’s government notes progress on past deficits, the financial impact of the recent wildfires presents a new and significant fiscal pressure. Total revenue for the 2025-26 fiscal year is projected at $25.1 billion, with total expenses at $26 billion.
