District 8: Stanhope - Marshfield's candidates' promises on Affordability

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Affordability platforms

Here's what the candidates in District 8: Stanhope - Marshfield, and their parties, are promising.

Cell & Internet services

PC

Expand high-speed Internet access to remaining households by 2024

"Expand high-speed internet access to the remaining 4% of households by 2024" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

NDP

Recognise cell and Internet services as essential
Complete an Island-wide fibre high-speed network
Subsidise Internet packages for all families with students in school
Eliminate cell phone dead zones

Childcare

PC

Create a $20M fund to provide grants to Early Learning Centres to expand
Build childcare centres in all new public buildings, until wait lists are eliminated
Designate six more early learning centres this year
Create a pension plan for Early Childhood Educators this year
Start a national recruitment campaign for Early Childhood Educators to live and work in PEI
Give grants to private developers who build childcare centres into multi-unit buildings in under-served regions
Pilot a universal afterschool programme for K-6

"Work with existing providers and engage with our school system to pilot a universal afterschool program for grades K to 6 and develop an action plan to expand the program to all areas of the province" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24
Pilot extended-hour childcare facilities close to hospitals

"Pilot extended-hour childcare facilities that are in close proximity to our hospitals" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

NDP

Implement free, universal public childcare

"Go above and beyond the current federal child care initiative to establish permanent, free and universal public child care – creating jobs and helping Islanders get back to work." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09
Develop province-wide before- and after-school childcare programmes
Increase wages of childcare workers

Dental care and optometry

PC

Provide insurance for health, dental, and medications for part-time, seasonal, contract, and gig workers

"Create a Portable Health Benefits Program to provide health, dental, and medication insurance for workers who may not be employed full-time, year-round, or those facing barriers to insurance coverage like seasonal workers, contract employees, and gig economy workers." — peipc.ca, 2023-03-10
Expand the Eye See...Eye Learn Program to ages 0-12

"Expand the Eye See...Eye Learn Program to provide children with two free eye exams and two free pairs of eyeglasses between birth and age 12" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

NDP

Work with the federal government to create a universal dental care programme

Food prices

PC

Consider a universal breakfast program for schools

"Explore the creation of a universal breakfast program with the English and French language school boards" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24
Fund organisations that run community fridges

"Provide core funding to organizations that run community fridges and fund an umbrella organization to work with community leaders across the province" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

NDP

Provide a $30/week coupon for farmers' market of community-supported food purchases

"Introduce a market nutrition coupon, providing a minimum of $30/week toward farmers’ market or community-supported food purchases." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09
Call for an investigation into rising food prices

"Follow the federal NDP’s lead and call for an investigation into out-of-control food costs on Prince Edward Island." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09
Remove the $5.50 cost for the PEI lunch programme, and provide a free breakfast and lunch programme for all students

"Remove the suggested $5.50 cost of the PEI lunch program and implement a free breakfast and lunch program for all Island students." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Fuel and transportation costs

PC

Work with the federal government to reduce bridge and ferry tolls to $20

NDP

Provide an exemption for the gas tax

"Bring in a gasoline tax exemption, easing approximately 8.5 cents per litre for Island drivers." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Minimum wage

We don't have any PC policies on Minimum wage.

NDP

Increase the minimum wage to $17/hour, and tie it to inflation
Create a plan for providing a guaranteed livable basic income

Poverty

We don't have any PC policies on Poverty.

NDP

Raise incomes for Islanders receiving social assistance

"Raise social assistance rates to realistic levels that boost households above the Market Basket poverty line." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09
Create a plan for providing a guaranteed livable basic income
Extend inflationary support payments through 2025

"Extend inflationary support payments to individuals and families through 2025." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09
Broaden eligibility and double annual support through the PEI Home Heating Program until 2025

Prescription drugs & pharmacare

PC

Provide insurance for health, dental, and medications for part-time, seasonal, contract, and gig workers

"Create a Portable Health Benefits Program to provide health, dental, and medication insurance for workers who may not be employed full-time, year-round, or those facing barriers to insurance coverage like seasonal workers, contract employees, and gig economy workers." — peipc.ca, 2023-03-10
Reduce the co-pay for the generic drug programme to $5
Add more drugs to the formulary covered by the government

"Continue to work with the federal government towards a PharmaCare program by adding more drugs to the formulary covered by the government" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

NDP

Work with the federal government to create a universal pharmacare programme

Public transit

PC

Invest in an Island-wide transit system
Keep fares at $2/trip, and monthly passes at $10-$20

"Lead the country in low-cost public transit by subsidizing the transit system to $2 per ride or $10 - $20 for a monthly pass" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24
Add more routes

"Continue to make investments in the Island-wide transit system, keeping fares at $2 per trip and adding more routes, to make it more affordable to get to and from work." — peipc.ca, 2023-03-17

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NDP

Develop a regional and urban public transit network
Offer free public transit for people with incomes under $40K
Create a province-wide, publicly-owned transit system, run on renewable energy

Student loans

We don't have any PC policies on Student loans.

NDP

Convert government loans to grants

"Giving young people a chance by converting government loans to grants, so students aren’t graduating with massive debts." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09
Retroactively remove interest on provincial student loans

Tax measures and rebates

PC

Roll back property taxes to 2020 rates
Provide a $500 tax credit for volunteers with registered charities and non-profits
Increase the Seniors Tax Credit to $6,510, and raise the threshold to $36K
Increase the Basic Personal Exemption Amount to $15K over the next 4 years
Reevaluate the provincial income tax brackets

"In addition to raising the basic personal exemption amount to $15,000 over four years, we will also re-evaluate the provincial income tax bracket model to be more competitive and leave more money in the pockets of Islanders, especially low-income Islanders." — peipc.ca, 2023-03-17

NDP

Give back more of the provincial portion of the quarterly HST rebate to eligible Islanders
Lobby for a federal wealth tax

"Create a new bracket for PEI’s highest income earners, while lobbying for a federal wealth tax and closing of tax loopholes for the rich." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09
Create a new tax bracket for the highest income earners

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