Steinbach’s MLA expects the provincial budget will be top of mind as members of the legislative assembly meet for the first time this year.

In Kelvin Goertzen’s experience, the spring session tends to place a special emphasis on budget-balancing and he expects the COVID-19 pandemic will only highlight the need for fiscal responsibility. It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has put provincial coffers through the wringer however, Goertzen stresses, if not for the Progressive Conservatives’ balancing of the books in 2019, the present situation would be much worse.

“That allowed us to be in a better position to be able to deal with the challenges we are experiencing now, but the challenges are still real and we are obviously going to have to reset to get us back into that position of balance.”

As the legislature focuses more generally on economic recovery, Goertzen says he does have some personal hopes for the budget, namely for proper renal dialysis services to come to Steinbach.

“We’ve heard news during the Throne Speech about a dialysis unit and I think we will see more details about that as the days roll on.”

rocess.”

The legislature will reconvene at 1:30 PM today.