 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Last updated at 1:52 AM on 30/04/08 |
Budget good for west coast: minister 
CORY HURLEY
The Western Star
CORNER BROOK — The people of western Newfoundland will not only enjoy unprecedented tax deductions and increased seniors benefits as the rest of the province, but they will also see changes to ignite economic prosperity and well-being, according to Finance Minister Tom Marshall.
That belief comes on the heels of delivering Budget 2008 — a second straight “historic” document brought down by the Humber East MHA.
Fulfilling their re-election commitment of the last election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives have put the wheels in motion towards building a new hospital in Corner Brook. Money has been allocated for planning and site selection.
“That means government has now accepted this,” Marshall told The Western Star.
“Eventually, we will see a new hospital go up.
“Our hospital is old. It has outlived its useful life, in my view ...What we have is not good enough as the main secondary institution. It serves the whole west coast. It is certainly time for a new facility and I am delighted government is now accepted it as policy.”
Western Health is also getting an interventional angiography suite and will see the replacement of the analog mammography units — Corner Brook will get two digital ones, Marshall said. There is also money to expand orthopedic services here.
Also, $500,000 has been provided to being the implementation of a new governance structure for Sir Wilfred Grenfell College. Marshall said that will bring money for a new president and a secretariat for the Board of Regents, and, over time, the reorganization of the administrative level and supporting positions.
“I think this is the key to future economic development for the west coast,” he said. “It was so important that this happened because we always wanted to see the university take on a greater role in economic development on the west coast.
“I think they felt stymied under the old government structure ...so it was key to let the academic community in Corner Brook approve their own academic offerings.”
Marshall is proud the province has stepped up its share of the Municipal Capital Works Program. The new population-based program will see the province pay the brunt of a 70/30 agreement with Corner Brook on capital works initiatives, while municipalities such as Steady Brook and Massey Drive will be offered a 90/10 agreement, and Pasadena an 80/20 ratio.
Marshall also said there is money to build a temporary road from the dementia units to the long-term care facility to help keep the traffic off O’Connell Drive, while he is saving the rest of the road program in the city for an announcement when he speaks at the Greater Corner Brook Board of Trade luncheon on Monday.
The budget also included increased funding support for the Centre of Environmental Excellence, while the province announced financial support for the Ironman and East Coast Music Awards events to be held in Corner Brook.
|
30/04/08
|
Comments: |
|
This Conversation is Semi-Moderated. What is moderation?
|
| What does moderation mean? |
 |
The Western Star is committed to encouraging intelligent discourse among our readers and to creating a forum where diverse views and opinions on a wide range of topics can be aired. The forum you are in now is a result of our continuing efforts to facilitate a dynamic online conversation among our readers.
This is a semi-moderated or reactively moderated conversation. Once a reader follows the steps to register and submit his or her comment it goes directly to the website. A comment may be edited or deleted for reasons of content or language.
All readers wishing to join a conversation must first sign in and agree to the Terms of Usage, which explain the rules of acceptable content.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mary from NL writes: After reading this article I am a bit confused. The title says that the budget will be good for the west coast, but ironically the only area mentioned throughout the article was Corner Brook. Apparently according to the minister the whole west coast is comprised of Corner Brook. While I applaude the personal income tax break, insurance break and paying down the debt, the government failed to revitalize rural Newfoundland or even throw us a bone... even a small one would be nice. I live 4 hours from Corner Brook and might, just might, go there once a year. Again, it seems as though Newfoundland is comprised of the Avalon and Corner Brook, as always. They set a priority of keeping young, skilled workers in Newfoundland... I have insight for them. The majority of young people leaving Newfoundland are from rural towns. They are the ones that have to move to find work and to them there is no difference between St. John's and Calgary... they are still in a large city away from home, but only making more money in Calgary. Why not address rural economic development, instead of giving tax breaks to the large companies that will only set up in St. John's due to demographics anyway? This budget is good overall, but fails the residents of rural Newfoundland. What good is income and insurance tax breaks if you have no job?
|
| Posted 30/04/2008 at 9:33 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
|
DB from NL writes: Mary, government never could and never will be successful at job creation. If rural NL is depending on government to create jobs and keep young people at home then forget it, it won't happen. Most rural areas are dependent on one industry or one employer which is a risky economy. The young will be attracted away to the larger communities where opportunities in employment and schooling are greater. It is a shame but no government can turn that tide.
|
| Posted 30/04/2008 at 10:36 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
|
John from nl writes: I wish DB would elaborated on why no goverment can turn that tide. It is attitudes like that to blame for the past goverments failures in rural areas. But then again you can't call it a failure when they never even tried.
|
| Posted 30/04/2008 at 10:46 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
|
Shauna from NL writes: The only thing I wanted to hear in the budget was a complete elimination of tax on gas and home heating oil. To my surprise it wasn't in there. (Sarcasm) My guess is it will probably never happen, but it is one of the most important issues affecting all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians on a daily basis.
|
| Posted 30/04/2008 at 10:46 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
|
DB from NL writes: John, I guess I've been around too long and seen more than enough to have the opinion that gov'ts are inept when it comes to any kind of economic development. Every gov't since Joey has had some kind of 'rural renewal' but our population continues to decline. Our province is strongly tied to the world economy where our provincial gov't has little or no control - the world controls the markets, and the Feds control trade and the value of the dollar. The only thing the province can do is throw money either through tax breaks or spending. I like the tax breaks as opposed to spending because putting money in a politicians hand is trouble.
|
| Posted 30/04/2008 at 1:28 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
NOTE
The management of this site emphasizes that it is in no way liable for persons, physical or legal, who are hosted here. Moreover, the managers of this site may not be held liable for errors and omissions that may slip into the information displayed in these reader comments. Everyone who submits a comment should read, understand and agree to the Terms of Usage for this section.
|
|
|
|
|
|
8
