Charlottetown, March 12, 2021 – Today, PEI Finance Minister Darlene Compton announced a reasonable provincial operations budget, which integrates and will implement many CUPE recommendations. The bulk of the budget focuses on healthcare improvements and many community-support measures.
“More than ever, it is time to focus on people and their well-being. It’s reassuring to see the PEI Government decided to not just maintain services and assistance residents rely on, but to invest in them,” said Gallant. “This is crucial for the coming recovery. I consider this a little victory,” said Leonard Gallant, President of CUPE PEI.
CUPE welcomes investments in childcare spaces and calls on the government to ensure that these spaces remain affordable and publicly run facilities. Healthcare investments, notably on access to care for rural residents, seniors’ care, mental health and addiction care will not go unnoticed. “A $4 million investment for 80 new front-line positions in our schools, including teachers, autism consultants, educational assistants, and bus drivers are well taken,” said Gallant.
Our union had advocated and lobbied government to develop a comprehensive public transit system in the province. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will now have the funds ($250,000) to have experts study and publish a public transit plan by summer 2021. “I call on the government to use the funds to increase the capacity of the public service to develop this plan, and not to privatize the consulting services needed on this important initiative,” said Gallant. “I am glad to see they listened to workers and will implement pilot routes in the coming September,” he added.
Government has also recognized it has to deal with the growing housing crisis. “While the rent supplement program is not the best way to deal with the issue and lacks ambition, I am glad to see government recognizes the need to do more on this file,” said Gallant.
“I was pleasantly surprised to see increased funding to Legal Aid and the Human Rights Commission to improve access to justice,” added Gallant. CUPE PEI also notes the positive increase made to the Black cultural society, Pride PEI, PEERS Alliance and to the Interministerial Women Secretariat. “This recognizes how the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on women and marginalized communities, and that no one should be left behind,” said Gallant.
“One big missing item which I would have loved to see is a more progressive taxation system. With a reasonable increase in revenues from corporate and top income earners, we could have top of the line childcare and health services to really kick-start our recovery,” concluded Gallant.