The Selinger government’s 2014 budget promises to make your winter commute safer through a new program, along with featuring no new major tax hikes.

A year after raising the PST, the province plans to hold the line on taxes in the budget released March 6. Even smokers won’t have to pay more on tobacco.

The budget includes a low interest loan program through MPI to buy winter tires. The program will not be mandatory. MPI said details of the loan program are not yet ready.

The Selinger government said it will move forward with a plan to eliminate school taxes for seniors by 2016, a year later than first promised. The province also pledges to freeze or reduce budgets in nine government departments while capping overall spending at two per cent.

"That isn't about providing people with less services. We aren't asking Manitobans to do with less," Finance Minister Jennifer Howard said. "We want them to have excellent services, but we need to get more efficient at providing those services."

Howard said the government is still on track to slay the deficit by 2016/17, which is projected at $357 million next year. The budget contained few new spending initiatives as most of them had been announced over the last few months including $5.5 billion on infrastructure over the next five years.

Other highlights:

  • The creation of a new “lean council” chaired by Rob Despins of Standard Aero, to provide advice to the government on ways to cut costs across government departments
  • Extension of administrative spending caps to all regional health authorities
  • Increase in the minimum wage from the current $10.45 set last year
  • Some fees will increase by $2.6 million, including veterinary diagnostic services, cottage rental rates and high-school equivalency courses
  • Revenue from a new hunting fee of $5 on every license sold will be directed to the Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund to ensure the health of wildlife populations
  • The provinces rainy day fund will drop from $275 million to $220 million to pay off debt
  • Under a new program, people on social assistance will receive an additional $50 to $70 a month based on family size
  • An improved tax credit of up to $5,000 to encourage employers to take on more apprentices and a new bonus for employers who take on apprentices for the first time

The Manitoba Child Care Association said the budget offers hope for families.

The province said it plans to create stronger links between child-care centres and schools.

The association said the two systems are fully integrated in other provinces, better serving children and their parents. The organization wants a similar model in Manitoba.

The budget also commits $5.5 million for new child care spaces.

One of the few big changes in the budget will seen housing allowances increase for welfare recipients, and Winnipeg Harvest said it will make a big difference.

Not all responses to the budget Thursday were positive, however.

Opposition Leader Brian Pallister says the government cannot be trusted to fulfil its new promises because it has broken previous ones. Liberal leader Rana Bokhari says she's disappointed the government hasn't taken action to pay down the debt.

- with files from The Canadian Press