Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Thursday 21 March 2024
The House convened for the presentation of Budget 2024-25 by Minister of Finance S. Coady. The budget motion was introduced and the Minister delivered a comprehensive budget speech covering fiscal management, affordability measures, health care transformation, infrastructure investments, and economic development initiatives. Following the speech, the budget debate was adjourned, Estimates totaling $9.7 billion were referred to Committee of Supply, and the House established committee memberships and assigned departmental estimates for review.
Routine Proceedings
Notice of Motion - Bill 73 (Loan Resolution)
S. Coady
Minister Coady gave notice of a motion to resolve into Committee of the Whole to consider a resolution relating to provincial borrowing, Bill 73.
Motion - Committee Membership
J. Hogan
Government House Leader moved by leave to establish membership for three committees: Government Services Committee (7 members), Resource Committee (7 members), and Social Services Committee (7 members). Motion carried.
Motion - Referral of Estimates to Committees and Division
J. Hogan
Government House Leader moved by leave to refer departmental estimates to the three committees: Government Services (7 departments/agencies), Resource Committee (5 departments), and Social Services (6 departments plus NL Housing Corporation). Advised that Social Services Committee will meet tomorrow at 9 a.m. in the Chamber to review Education estimates. Division was called on the motion; the vote was 20 ayes, 0 nays. Motion carried.
Adjournment Motion
J. Hogan
Government House Leader moved that remaining Orders of the Day stand deferred and the House adjourn until Monday, April 15, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. Motion carried.
Orders of the Day
Budget Motion 2024-25
S. Coady
Minister Coady moved that the House approve in general the budgetary policy of the government, seconded by the Premier. The motion was adopted and debate commenced.
Budget Speech 2024-25
S. Coady
The Minister delivered a comprehensive budget speech highlighting fiscal progress toward balanced budgets, the Future Fund ($358.8 million total contributions), no new taxes or fees, continued affordability measures (gas tax reduction, vehicle registration reduction, home heating supplement), record health care investments including Family Care Teams expansion and a new $620 million health information system, housing investments ($44 million new funding), education initiatives (completing elimination of 1.6 km busing policy, $10/day childcare continuation), infrastructure spending ($1.1 billion), poverty reduction measures ($41 million incremental), a new Seniors' Well-Being Plan ($10 million), small business tax rate reduction, economic development in critical minerals and wind-hydrogen (four projects with $200 billion anticipated GDP impact), and various sectoral investments. The budget projects a $152 million deficit for 2024-25 with balance achieved next year, revenue at historic highs, and 5.1% real GDP growth forecast.
Adjournment of Budget Debate
S. Coady
The Minister moved adjournment of the budget debate, seconded by the Member for Waterford Valley. Motion carried.
Lieutenant Governor's Message and Estimates Referral
S. Coady and The Speaker
Minister Coady presented a message from the Lieutenant Governor transmitting Estimates totaling $9,743,070,100 for fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. The Minister moved that the message and Estimates be referred to Committee of Supply, seconded by the Member for Mount Pearl North. Motion carried and the House resolved into Committee of the Whole.
Committee of the Whole - Progress Report
Multiple
The Committee of the Whole distributed budgetary documents to Members. Government House Leader moved that the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again. Motion carried. The Chair (S. Gambin-Walsh) reported progress to the Speaker, with the Committee to sit again tomorrow.
This is Tabled's summary of the sitting, written from the official record; Hansard is only ever quoted at the link above. Search Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard for the words themselves, or read this sitting in the archive.