Key Findings

Among both Manitoba citizens and business owners/managers, there is a clear consensus that the provincial government made the correct decision when it announced it will reduce the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) from eight per cent to seven per cent starting July 1. Fully six-in-ten Manitobans and two-thirds of businesses agree it was the right thing for the PC government to keep this specific 2016 election promise, compared to four-in-ten citizens (and one-in-five businesses) who feel this was the wrong decision.

There is a stark difference across party lines when it comes to whether reducing the PST was the right decision, as more than eight-in-ten PC supporters agree with their preferred party’s move. Still, one-third of NDP voters and nearly one-half of Manitoba Liberal and Green Party supporters agree the provincial government should have reduced the PST. Other demographic groups that tend to be more likely to support the PC government, including men and rural/northern Manitobans, are also more likely to agree with cutting the PST to seven per cent.

Support for reducing the PST is also fairly consistent across different types of Manitoba businesses, with those headquartered in the province being more likely to favour the cut than those with head offices elsewhere. (Due to the relatively small sample sizes for sub-groups in the business survey, differences should be interpreted with caution).

About the Probe Research Omnibus

For more than two decades, Probe Research Inc. has undertaken quarterly omnibus surveys of random and representative samples of Manitoba adults. These scientific surveys have provided strategic and proprietary insights to hundreds of public, private and not-for-profit clients on a range of social, cultural and public policy topics. The Probe Research Omnibus  Survey is the province’s largest and most trusted general population survey.

Survey Instrument

The survey instrument was designed by Probe Research.

Methodology

Between March 12 and March 24, 2019, Probe Research surveyed a random and representative sampling of 1,000 adults residing in Manitoba.

With a sample of 1,000, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are within ± 3.1 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Manitoba had been surveyed. The margin of error is higher within each of the survey’s population sub-groups.

Modified random digit dialing, including both landline and wireless numbers, ensured all Manitoba adults had an equal opportunity to participate in this Probe Research survey. A CATI-to-web approach was employed whereby a live-voice operator or interactive system randomly recruited respondents by telephone, inviting them to complete the survey via a secure online questionnaire.  In addition, 346 randomly recruited Probe Research panel members were included in this general population adult sampling.

Minor statistical weighting has been applied to this sample to ensure that age and gender characteristics properly reflect known attributes of the province’s population. All data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical analysis software.

About the Manitoba Business Leaders Index

The Manitoba Business Leaders Index is an annual scientific survey of senior business officials from across the province. The survey sample includes a stratified sampling of CEOs, presidents, business owners and designated senior corporate officers from 203 small, mid-sized and large commercial “establishments” as defined by Statistics Canada and the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics. This business sampling includes publicly traded and private companies from all major sectors of Manitoba industry.

Business listings have been developed based upon the most authoritative and up-to-date sampling sources available including various telephone directories.

Survey Instrument

The survey instrument was designed by Probe Research.

Methodology

Between March 11 and 29, 2019, Probe Research conducted a survey of 203 business owners and managers located throughout Manitoba. Respondents were contacted via telephone and had the option of completing the survey over the telephone with a live interviewer, or completing the survey online.

The survey sample was stratified to ensure representation from small enterprises (1-9 employees), medium-sized companies (10-49 employees) and large businesses (50+ employees). Quotas were also set based on the location of respondents, as well as business sector (services, manufacturing, resources). The sample does not include government departments/agencies, representatives of other public sector entities, or not-for-profit organizations.

With a sample of 203 one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are within ± 6.9 percentage points of what they would have been if all business owners/managers in Manitoba had been interviewed. The margin of error is higher within each of the survey’s population sub-groups.

All data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical analysis software.