Finance Minister Greg Dewar and Conservation Water Stewardship, Finance

minimum wage increases: Finance Minister Greg Dewar first budget focuses on infrastructure spending and skills training and continues a string of government deficits dating back to 2009, according to Winnipeg Free Press. The province expects to post a shortfall of $422 million this year and doesn't expect to balance the books on core government revenue and expenditures until 2018. Photo Store What you need to - Low income families will see their Rent Assist hiked to 75 per cent of median market rents this year - The minimum wage increases to $11 per hour from $10.70 in October.- Manitoba student loans are to be interest-free beginning in August- Health care spending rises 4.3 per cent to $5.6 billion- All government departments will see spending increases except for: Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, Agriculture, Conservation and Water Stewardship, Finance, Labour and Immigration and Mineral Resources- $15 million will be spent to modernize provincial parks, including Birds Hill, Grand Beach and Spruce Woods- The government projects a $422 million deficit in 2015-16- It revised its projected deficit for last year to $424 million - Core government spending, like on hospitals and schools, rises by 2.5 per cent to $12.86 billion- The tobacco tax went up by half a cent per cigarette at midnight, which adds $2 million a year to government coffers- As previously announced, the Seniors' School Tax Rebate will double to $470 for eligible homeowners - New tax credits will be offered for volunteer firefighter and search-and-rescue personnel - The caregiver tax credit will increase this year by 10 per cent to $1,400 from $1,275 - The Corporation Capital Tax on banks will increase to six per cent from five per cent, bringing the government $25.5 million in extra revenue More budget news Provincial budget News, views and analysis of Manitoba 2015 provincial budget Dewar makes no apologies for budget that relies on borrowing Highlights of Manitoba 2015 budget Where the money going: Manitoba Budget 2015 in graphs Three things to know from the 2015 provincial budget Manitoba spends! Budget by subject What your reaction to Thursday provincial budget Provincial Budget Day: What does it all mean Budget pledge not cast in stone: Selinger Manitoba largest universities applaud the 2015 budget The Selinger government is betting that if it keeps spending more money than it taking in, the payoff will be more jobs, higher wages and smoother roads. To help raise cash, the government is going after smokers -- raising the tax on each cigarette by half a cent -- and big banks. What the government can't raise through new taxes and higher fees to finance its spending, it will borrow. There are few other tax or fee increases. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.