Day One | August 6th, 2024
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Capital Gains Tax revenue falls short: PBO reports $1.6 billion gap from Liberal projections
A new report from the?Parliamentary Budget Officer ?found that the Liberal government's? capital gains inclusion rate increase will generate $17.4 billion in revenue over five years, which is $2 billion less than the government's spring budget projection. The new policy makes two-thirds of capital gains taxable, up from the previous one-half. This change has faced opposition from business groups and physicians. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has consistently defended the tax increase as a measure needed to support increased government spending on housing. Although the inclusion rate change took effect on June 25, the legislation has not yet passed Parliament.?
Liberals see Q2 donation surge as Conservatives continue to lead in fundraising efforts?
Despite a slight increase in donations for the Liberal Party of Canada from April to June, the Conservatives still outpace all other parties combined in terms of?fundraising efforts . The Liberals raised nearly $3.8 million in donations, a slight increase from the previous quarter. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party brought in $9.8 million, a slight reduction from the previous quarter. The New Democratic Party (NDP) collected nearly $1.3 million, a slight drop from the previous quarter. The Bloc Quebecois raised just under $322,000, also seeing a small decrease. While the Conservatives typically dominate fundraising efforts at the federal level, higher than expected levels of fundraising place show support for a change in government is growing more popular amongst Canadians.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh proposes federal conditions on municipal funding to combat renovictions?
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh visited London, Ontario, on August 1, 2024, to promote his party's plan to combat "renovictions ." At a press conference, Singh called for federal housing funds should be contingent on municipalities enacting laws to protect tenants from renovictions. London is considering a by-law that would require landlords to obtain a "rental renovation license" before issuing eviction notices. Singh called for the federal government to repurpose existing affordable housing funds to help cover the estimated $500,000 annual cost for enforcing these anti-renoviction by-laws.?
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NDP fundraising surge tied to leadership race, UCP claims higher total
The Alberta?NDP narrowly outpaced the United Conservative Party (UCP) in central party fundraising during the second quarter of 2024 , according to Elections Alberta. The NDP raised $1.25 million, slightly more than the UCP's $1.24 million. This surge was attributed to the NDP's leadership race, which added 85,000 new members. However, the UCP claims a higher total when including constituency association donations, bringing their Q2 total to $1.41 million. Year-to-date, the UCP maintains a significant lead with $3.5 million raised compared to the NDP's $2.26 million. In Lethbridge, both parties had 69 donors each, with UCP supporters giving more on average. The fundraising numbers highlight the competitive nature of Alberta's political landscape as both parties gear up for future elections.
Alberta government keeps pension survey results secret, citing potential impact
Internal documents reveal that?Alberta finance and treasury officials expressed concerns about releasing data from the government's survey on a potential provincial pension plan . The survey, conducted in late 2023, gathered responses from over 94,000 Albertans regarding the province's proposal to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan. Officials worried that releasing the survey results could impact the ministry, particularly if the information became public. Despite the data being readily available, with an analyst reporting it took only 15 minutes to compile 400 pages of spreadsheet data, the government has consistently blocked attempts to access the survey responses through freedom of information requests. The finance minister's office claims the survey results will inform future steps on the pension plan issue, which is currently on hold pending a federal calculation of Alberta's potential share of CPP assets. At a Calgary Lougheed townhall, Premier Danielle Smith provided a glimpse into the survey results, stating that opinion was evenly split: roughly 33% in favor, 33% against, and 34% wanting more data. She committed to putting the Alberta Pension Plan to a referendum vote after receiving more information from the federal chief actuary and conducting a more thorough public debate.
Canada and Alberta invest $57 million in wildfire equipment and personnel
The Governments of Canada and Alberta have announced a?joint investment of over $57 million to purchase wildfire equipment and hire and train personnel to enhance the province's wildfire preparedness and response efforts . This funding, provided over five years under the Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program – Equipment Fund (FMWCC), aims to support Alberta in acquiring critical wildland firefighting equipment and telecommunications equipment, as well as investing in predictive services. The recent wildfires in Jasper and Jasper National Park have highlighted the need for increased preparedness and resources to combat the growing frequency and severity of wildfires across Canada. The FMWCC Equipment Fund, launched in 2022, facilitates the purchase of essential firefighting equipment and supports the hiring and training of personnel to strengthen fire management capacities and capabilities nationwide.
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Governments providing hundreds of millions of dollars for clean energy projects in N.S.?
To meet the province’s goal of getting off coal by 2030, major investments in clean energy projects were made across Nova Scotia, including?$192 million ?from the federal government. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced six projects including $117.6 million to install three 50-megawatt battery storage systems in Bridgewater, Spider Lake, and White Rock, and $25 million for three wind farm projects near Windsor, Higgins Mountain and Wedgeport, through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program. Minister Wilkinson was also in Cape Breton, where he announced a?$300 million investment to support hydrogen exports to Germany . As part of the Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance signed in 2022, matching funds provided by Germany will help Canadian companies access Germany markets. The provincial government also?green lit EverWind Fuel’s ?green hydrogen and ammonia production facility located north of Debert, the third and final project of their proposed projects. The approved project has drawn some criticism by Green Nova Scotia First, which argues it will not benefit Nova Scotians, as its focused-on exports.
N.B. falls short of annual goal for housing starts in the year since its housing strategy was launched
Since releasing its housing strategy in June 2023, N.B. has broken ground on 5,322 new housing starts, beating all records going back to the 1990s, but still?falling just shy of its goal of 6,000 starts per year . The province’s housing strategy, released by Housing Minister Jill Green, provides a three-year roadmap for safe and affordable housing across the province by investing in skilled trades positions, increasing the number of public housing units in the province, and incentivizing developers to participate in the N.B.’s rent supplement program. In addition to its goal of 6,000 annual housing starts, the strategy limited rent increases to 2.5% per year – a metric the that province has also failed to meet, with data from Statistics Canada showing that average rents in N.B. went up by?13.8% in the last year . According to economist David Campbell, the province’s challenges with meeting the goals laid out in its housing strategy can be attributed to a?population boom , labour shortages, and high costs of borrowing, which limits how many units developers can build. Minister Green ‘s office says they’re working on an update for the plan to address its shortfalls over the last year.
N.L. increasing funeral benefit after weeks of scrutiny over inaccessible cost of funerals
Newfoundland and Labrador’s government has committed to more than doubling its funeral benefit, upping the amount of funding offered to people on income support and old-age security benefits to help cover the costs of laying loved ones to rest to up to $5,000. Paul Pike, N.L.’s Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development says that the increased benefit is only to?accommodate the rising costs of funeral services , however, the move comes after weeks of public scrutiny following news of?an increasing number of unclaimed bodies ?being kept in temporary freezer units in the province’s largest hospital, revealed in emails and notes obtained by the N.L. NDP. This news prompted new coverage,?including commentary from members of the funeral industry ?about the high costs of funerals creating economic challenges for the bereaved. Both NDP Leader Jim Dinn and PC health critic Barry Petten?challenged ?Minister Pike’s claim that the increased benefit is tied to media scrutiny and expressed concern about whether the increased benefit would effectively address the inaccessibility of funeral services.
P.E.I. and Canada partner to protect P.E.I.’s agricultural industry from climate change related risks
The Governments of Canada and P.E.I. are?investing ?more than $1.3 million into the Agriculture Resiliency Program, a fund created to help the local agricultural industry proactively address risks associated with climate change. The program has three funding streams – agricultural resiliency, extreme weather preparedness, and producer wellness, all of which are?intended to fund research and support preparedness and resiliency efforts. ?P.E.I.’s Agricultural Resiliency Program is funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, $3.5 billion agreement between federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. Both Lawrence MacAulay, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Bloyce Thompson, PEI’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, have billed the program as a means of keeping P.E.I.’s agricultural industry competitive and sustainable.
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Stats show that reducing short-term rentals in B.C. won't fix housing prices ?
According to a new report from?Stats Canada , the percentage of short-term rentals in B.C. that could be converted to long-term housing nearly doubled from 2017 to 2023, surpassing any other region in the country. The report highlights that?despite recent provincial and municipal regulations to restrict short-term rentals ?and increase housing supply,?these rentals accounted for less than half a percent ?of housing units in Canada’s five largest metro regions in 2021, with the highest rate in Metro Vancouver at 0.45 percent. In Victoria,?hundreds of short-term rentals continue to operate illegally . The B.C. Ministry of Housing reports 1,697 listings, which is about 900 more than the city's issued licenses.??
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BC United wants the October ballot to include 'formerly the B.C. Liberal party'?
Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon is pushing to include?'formerly the B.C. Liberal party' ?on the October ballots due to?30 percent of voters ?being unclear about the connection between B.C. United and the B.C. Liberals. Although the party initially abandoned the Liberal name to resolve this confusion, Falcon now hopes to leverage its past identity to boost recognition and support. Despite spending $1 million on a rebranding campaign, internal polling reveals significant confusion about the new name. Former MLA Polak, who supported the name change to distance from the federal Liberals, criticized the rebranding as poorly executed, noting that it failed to effectively address voter confusion. A poll released Tuesday shows the?BC Conservatives closing the gap with the BC NDP , trailing by just three points before the provincial election, while BC United is currently in fourth place and has recently?lost another incumbent to the Conservatives .???
B.C. introduces virtual support and monitoring for seniors in long-term care?
The provincial government is launching a new?"long-term care at home" ?program to support seniors who prefer to stay in their own homes instead of moving to long-term care centers. The initiative?will initially roll out in Delta and Victoria , providing seniors with health technology such as medicine dispensers, robot vacuums, fall detection pendants, and communication devices. Health Minister Adrian Dix announced plans to expand the?new virtual care program to up to 130 seniors , targeting those not yet ready for care homes and on waiting lists, at a cost of $30,000 per senior compared to $90,000 for care home placement. He expressed confidence in the program's success and its potential to become a standard in senior care.?
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Ontario expanding police air support unit
The Ontario government is spending $134 million for five new police helicopters for the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa . These helicopters will supplement existing policing on violent carjackings, auto theft, street racing, and impaired driving. The Ontario Provincial Police will acquire two H135 helicopters to support Ottawa and Toronto Police Services, while three additional helicopters will be operated by Durham, Halton, and Peel Regional Police Services.
Ontario government providing $3.5 million to expand mass timber manufacturing
Ontario is providing $3.46 million to timber company Element5 to expand its operations as the province's first certified manufacturer of cross-laminated timber . This funding will triple the company's production and boost export sales by nearly 600%. Advanced wood construction, which assembles materials off-site, reduces on-site disruption, speeds up project completion by up to 50%, and cuts costs by up to 20%.
Ontario increasing access to free menstrual products in schools
The provincial government is ensuring schools offer free menstrual products to students . The Ministry of Education has announced a new three-year agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart to expand the Menstrual Equity Initiative, providing over 23 million free menstrual products to students over the next three years. Shoppers Drug Mart will also supply 1,380 dispensers in the first year to facilitate distribution in schools. The initiative will make free menstrual products available to all school boards and authorities across Ontario.
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Brampton city workers prepared for strike amid stalled negotiations
Brampton city workers, represented by CUPE Local 831, have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike if ongoing negotiations with the city fail. With their collective agreement expired since March 31, around?1,200 full-time and part-time workers ?demand fair treatment and comparable compensation to non-unionized staff. Despite ongoing talks, union president Fabio Gazzola expressed dissatisfaction with the city's response. The city, while committed to negotiating in good faith, has appointed a conciliator to mediate. A potential strike could disrupt various city services, including transit and fire departments.
Toronto vacant home tax overbilling and staff blunders uncovered
Toronto's rollout of the vacant home tax resulted in over?150,000 homeowners ?being incorrectly billed. Internal emails show that the city's CFO, Stephen Conforti, was unaware of the low response rate until two days before the deadline. Attempts to boost compliance, including extending the deadline and increasing public communication, were largely unsuccessful. Key measures, such as sending reminder notices, were rejected by senior staff. The city’s mishandling led to significant frustration among residents and undermined public confidence. Toronto is revising the program to prevent future issues, with improved internal communications and mechanisms to enhance public awareness.
Toronto increases fines for parking violations to ease congestion and enhance safety
Toronto has raised fines for over?100 parking offences , aiming to reduce congestion and promote safer roads. The new penalties, effective Thursday, target illegal parking, stopping, and standing, with fines for 123 specific offences. For instance, illegally parking in bike paths or pedestrian ways now incurs a $200 fine, up from $60, and parking in an EV charging stall without charging costs $75. The initiative follows demands for action after a cyclist's death and is intended to discourage illegal parking, encouraging alternative transportation. Approved by city council in April, these measures seek to support safer and less congested streets.
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Pablo Rodriguez contemplates bid for PLQ leadership
Federal Transport Minister?Pablo Rodriguez is considering running for the Quebec Liberal Party ?(PLQ) leadership, seeking support among PLQ members. Previously vice-president of the PLQ's youth wing in the 1990s, Rodriguez has not confirmed his candidacy but indicated an announcement might come soon. His decision could impact Justin Trudeau's federal cabinet, necessitating new appointments for Transport Minister and Quebec lieutenant. The PLQ leadership race starts January 13, 2025, with a new leader to be elected on June 14, 2025. Rodriguez’s move could also affect federal Liberal preparations for the next election.
Hydro-Québec's 2025 plan: Tariffs, efficiency, and solar initiatives
Hydro-Québec's 2025 plan ?proposes a 3% tariff increase for residential customers starting April 1, 2025, and varying increases for commercial and industrial sectors. To address rising energy demand, Hydro-Québec aims to triple its energy efficiency budget to $500 million by 2025, incentivizing consumption during off-peak hours and promoting solar panel installations with subsidies starting in 2026. Additionally, households consuming over 50,000 kWh annually will face higher tariffs from 2027, encouraging energy-saving measures. These measures are part of the utility's strategy to manage rising energy demand and support Quebec’s energy transition goals.
Quebec's immigration bottleneck: challenges and loopholes
Quebec's stringent immigration policies and prolonged processing times have led many?immigrants to bypass the province's system ?by initially settling in other Canadian provinces. This is facilitated by Ottawa's increased targets for francophone immigration outside Quebec. Once immigrants gain residency, they can legally move to Quebec, circumventing provincial quotas. Additionally, Quebecois families face long reunification delays due to provincial caps, prompting some to temporarily relocate to expedite the process. Despite these challenges, Quebec resists increasing its immigration limits, risking further complications and delays in the system.
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