Caroline Wawzonek

Yes, please. Everyone, go book your staycation right now. That's great news. The strategy has four key priorities in it, and I don't want to get a jump on what I'm sure will be an exciting announcement in the next couple of weeks, but it has strategic priorities that I think do speak to precisely what the Member is looking at. Again, it's not the short-term reopening of borders. That involves the Chief Public Health Officer, as well, but it really does speak to how this industry can be ready for that reopening. In terms of looking at what infrastructure is needed, again, short-term, medium...

Thank you, Madam Chair. What is driving the costs is twofold. Number one, certainly, is in the number of individuals who require that care, and then the second simply being the increase in costs of care. Just speaking briefly to the volume, the volume does go sort of up in increments over time. With respect to the nature, though, of care, I'm not sure if that's the direction that the Member is seeking some information on. If it's that level of departmental detail, if I could just confirm it, then I would suggest that that's actually a question for the department of health.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was pleased to get that suggestion last year, probably around this time, and I am happy to receive it and be reminded again. The process of going through budget dialogues and putting some of the information out was very helpful to me in this role but, I think, also to the department. We will certainly make sure that we engage in this process. I think, having adapted to COVID-19, it will be earlier this year than last year. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is not an occasion where there will be a commensurate raising of taxes or introduction of a new tax to directly offset the $1.4 million revenue loss. What is hoped, however, is that, by helping the sector become more competitive and helping small businesses be more competitive, we will see economic growth, which then can ultimately help create more taxpayers in the form of more small businesses, which can hopefully offset the revenue lost from the tax rate change. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We are a little bit behind some of the other jurisdictions in terms of our business tax rate for small businesses. This finally is an opportunity to bring us a little bit more in line and make us more competitive with some of our colleagues across the rest of Canada. Up to this point, we were at or near, in fact, the very top of the pile. This is an opportunity to, again, make us more competitive, and it's a good time. I think one of the MLAs has already mentioned that it's an opportunity to give a bit of release at an occasion and during a context where there has been...

Yes, Madam Chair.

I'll take the positives out of that, Madam Chair, and leave it there. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, we will certainly make sure that there's a more fulsome discussion around what the tax impacts could be for introducing or otherwise modifying tax rates. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. At this point in the course of where we're at in our response to the pandemic and recovery from the pandemic, there was certainly a conscious decision that there would not be new taxes introduced in this particular budget, and there are no new taxes introduced in this particular budget. That's sort of a short-term response. I understand that the question really is looking at something much larger and much broader, and I have made inquiries with the department to look into what impacts there would be on individuals if we were to increase the tax burden for certain filers...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe the reduction is approximately $1.4 million.