Opposition leaders promise to take action on payroll tax

Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Saturday, Sep. 24, 2011

LIBERAL Leader Jon Gerrard said Thursday he wants to phase out the province's payroll tax for universities and colleges with the ultimate goal of eliminating it completely for all businesses.

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LIBERAL Leader Jon Gerrard said Thursday he wants to phase out the province's payroll tax for universities and colleges with the ultimate goal of eliminating it completely for all businesses.

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This article was published 24/09/2011 (5219 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LIBERAL Leader Jon Gerrard said Thursday he wants to phase out the province’s payroll tax for universities and colleges with the ultimate goal of eliminating it completely for all businesses.

Gerrard made the election promise during a debate at the Winnipeg Convention Centre hosted by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

He said the tax, brought in by the NDP in the 1980s, hurts business growth and is a reason why few companies choose to relocate their head offices to Manitoba.

He said the first-year loss in revenue for the province for the first step of phasing out the payroll tax for universities and colleges would be $6.2 million.

At the debate, Progressive Conservative Leader Hugh McFadyen said a PC government would also look at reducing the province’s reliance on the tax.

Premier Greg Selinger said he wouldn’t touch the tax, but instead look at other measures to encourage business investment and growth. The payroll tax is paid by employers with a permanent business in Manitoba and based on remuneration that is paid to employees.