It is possible to help alleviate the cost-of-living in New Brunswick could be in the near future, but the question is to whom.
“Well first of all its kind of late but we’ll have to wait for the details,” Liberal leader of the Opposition Roger Melanson said.
The cost-of-living sparked a debate in the house Tuesday between the premier and Melanson.
“It’s been about five months that the cost-of-living is going up every single month,” said Roger Melanson, during the debate.
Premier Blaine Higgs was quick to retort he had already mentioned that there will be an announcement Wednesday regarding cost-of-living assistance.
“We’re looking at a food and fuel problem that will indeed get to the most vulnerable people a program that could amount in the range of $20 million that can get out quickly,” said Higgs, during the legislature’s sitting Tuesday.
While details of Wednesday’s announcement are unknown, the Liberal opposition is concerned the relief could target only low-income earners.
“I got a sense that the working people that are struggling now may not be part of this plan but we’ll have to wait and see,” Melanson said.
“If you really break it down to the amount that the premier said he will announce tomorrow [Wednesday] $20 million is about 0.16 per cent of the government budget,” he said.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the province’s Liberal government already cut the gas tax, thanks to the province’s oil revenues.
“And it will be 7 cents so that’s about a 50 per cent cut in our provincial gas tax plus the HST so its around an 8 cent reduction,” Siobhan Coady, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Finance.
New Brunswick’s Liberal opposition agrees with the idea.
“I think the simplest way to not only help New Brunswickers that are struggling across the board is to lower the provincial gas tax,” Melanson said.
“And the premier seems to not want to do that but we’ll wait for the details tomorrow,” he said.
Liberals are wondering why the government only allotted the roughly $20 million in relief mentioned Wednesday.
“When you stop and think about it the increased cost of operating a vehicle is up 15 per cent in the province of New Brunswick,” Melanson said.