Broken Promises and Rising Bills: The Real Cost of The NDP

Let’s get right to it—why did we stop demanding results from the NDP government in Manitoba?

They made a long list of promises in the 2023 provincial election. Big promises. Promises that got them elected. People wanted change, and the NDP gave them slogans that sounded good. But fast forward to today, and I think it’s fair to ask: is life better in Manitoba?

The data—and our everyday experience—says no.

Let’s start with the issue that likely won the NDP the election: health care. They promised to fix it. They blamed the previous government for long ER wait times and said they had the plan to improve it. But here we are, with some of the worst emergency room wait times in Canada.

According to national data, 90% of patients discharged from Manitoba ERs wait between 13 and 19 hours. That’s the longest in the country. Patients admitted to the hospital from ERs wait up to 59 hours, the third longest. Quebec, often criticized for its bureaucracy, has a shorter median ER stay than Manitoba. Our 90th percentile wait times are off the charts. Over the past five years, the median ER stay in Manitoba has grown by nearly an hour.

So what’s changed? Very little. In fact, in many areas, things are worse.

Let’s move to affordability. Another key election promise. The NDP said they would lower the cost of living, and help families struggling with food prices. The opposite has happened.

Manitoba has seen food inflation rise for three straight years. In 2023, food prices were up 5.7%. In 2024, the increase was 3.7%—still one of the highest rates in the country. Essentials like baby formula jumped over 26%. A family of four is now expected to spend $16,833.67 on groceries in 2025, up almost $1,500 since the NDP took office. Manitoba grocery prices are higher than the national average, and in some cases, dramatically higher than other provinces.

That’s not affordability. That’s a growing burden.

And the tax burden is growing too, even if the government pretends it isn’t.

Let’s talk about bracket creep. Most Manitobans have never heard of it—but they’re paying for it. Bracket creep is a hidden tax increase. When tax brackets aren’t adjusted for inflation, people get pushed into higher brackets just because their wages went up slightly to keep pace with rising costs. Their purchasing power doesn’t improve—but their taxes do. It’s a sneaky way for governments to collect more without announcing a tax hike.

Manitoba’s income tax system hasn’t been properly indexed. So as inflation rises, people are taxed more on the same standard of living. It's a quiet drain on household budgets—one that politicians don’t like to talk about.

Then there’s Manitoba Hydro. The NDP said they would keep hydro rates affordable. But earlier this year, rates were approved to rise 3.5% in 2025 and another 3.5% in 2026. This comes after a 3.6% hike in 2024. That’s a compounding increase on a basic utility that people rely on year-round.

What about education taxes? Some school boards, under this government, have passed property tax increases ranging from 5% to 9%. These hikes hit everyone—families, seniors, and small business owners already struggling with rising costs. And the province did nothing to prevent them. In fact, they’ve backed away from previous commitments to reduce the education tax burden.

Now, let's talk about the budget. The NDP promised to balance it. But Manitoba Finance Minister Adrian Sala recently received an “F” grade from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Why? Because the deficit is growing, not shrinking. The government has increased spending without a credible plan to bring the books into balance. Manitoba’s debt load is rising, and there’s no sign of discipline.

This is the pattern: promise everything, deliver little, and then move the goalposts.

We wait longer in ERs. We pay more in taxes and utilities. We’re deeper in debt. Life is not more affordable.

And yet, the government continues to behave as though they’ve delivered on their commitments. They hold media events, issue polished statements, and point fingers at the past. But the data speaks louder than spin.

This is why people lose trust in politics. Not because we expect perfection—but because we expect honesty, accountability, and results. The NDP promised to govern differently. They promised transparency. They promised relief. Instead, they’ve offered excuses and delays.

The media hasn’t pressed them hard enough. Advocacy groups haven’t held them to the same standards they once did the PCs. Many voters are starting to feel like they were sold a bill of goods.

So again, I ask—why did we stop demanding better?

Every Manitoban has the right to expect that promises made during an election will be followed by action. Real action. Not panels. Not listening tours. Not slogans. Action that shows up in shorter wait times, lower bills, and stronger public finances.

We’re not seeing that. Not even close.

Governments should not get a free pass just because they’re new. If anything, new governments should be held to a higher standard, because they made the case that they had the answers.

The NDP has been in office long enough now to be judged on their record, not just their rhetoric.

Manitobans should demand better. And they should keep demanding it—until this government either delivers on what it said it would do, or is held accountable for breaking its word.

Because trust, once lost, is hard to regain. And right now, the trust in our provincial government is wearing thin.