Employers’ Council appoints new Executive Director
Latest NewsProductivity & Competitiveness August 31, 2022 |0
August 31st, 2022 St. John’s, NL – Jaclyn Sullivan has been chosen as the successful candidate for the Executive Director of the NL Employers’ Council. Sullivan is a long-time employee of the organization, serving as second in command for the last 14 years as manager of public relations and strategy. “Over the last decade, Jaclyn
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Employers’ Council reacts to ‘The Big Reset’
Latest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy May 14, 2021 |0
On Thursday, May 6th, Dame Moya Greene released the long awaited report from the Premier’s Economic Recovery Team. The report entitled ‘The Big Reset’ highlighted the dire financial crisis the province is facing and how we can ‘right the ship’. The NL Employer’s Council Executive Director, Richard Alexander, was in the news responding to the
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New poll shows public wants a plan to restructure government program and service delivery to be affordable
Latest NewsProductivity & Competitiveness February 3, 2021 |0
The vast majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians (85%) say it is important to them personally that government develop a plan to restructure and modernize government services to be affordable and sustainable. Only 4% feel this is not important. This according to public opinion polling conducted by Narrative Research from January 6-19, 2021. 77% of NL
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Employers’ Council presents to provincial tax Review Committee: Emphasizes urgent need to make taxes competitive
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy June 29, 2018 |0
This week, the Employers’ Council presented to the provincial Tax Review Committee, a five person committee appointed by government. The committee will make recommendations for reforms to the province’s tax system, to be considered prior to Budget 2019-20. Our presentation emphasized the urgent need to reduce the total tax burden on both citizens and businesses,
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Moody’s releases report today echoing Employers’ Council analysis that government plan is risky
Latest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy April 3, 2018 |0
In a report released today Moody’s substantiated the Employers’ Council’s analysis as risky. “The province’s forecast to balance the books by 2022/23 carries risks, and will be conditional on improving economic conditions and increasing oil prices, and on the government’s ability to consistently adhere to its expenditure controls. The province expects that the bulk of
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“Stay the course budget” brings modest tax relief to business, but does little to improve fiscal situation
Latest NewsPartnershipsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyReducing the “Payroll Tax” March 29, 2018 |0
Finance Minster Tom Osborne brought down his first provincial budget on Tuesday. Budget brings modest tax relief Removal of the payroll tax has been a longtime advocacy issue for the Employers’ Council. The Budget included an announcement that the threshold of the provincial payroll tax will be increased from $1.2 M to $1.3 M effective
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Minimum Wage now linked to CPI as recommended by Employers’ Council
Latest NewsMinimum WageProductivity & Competitiveness March 13, 2018 |0
On February 20th government also announced that the minimum wage in Newfoundland & Labrador will now be tied to the national Consumer Price Index (CPI). Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, Al Hawkins, announced that minimum wage would be increased by 15 cents to $11.15 on April 1st, 2018. All future increases will be
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Employers’ Council Reacts to Changes in Workers Compensation Benefits
Latest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessWorker’s Comp & OH&S March 12, 2018 |0
In late February Minister Sherry Gambin-Walsh introduced a bill in the House of Assembly to amend the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act to move the existing income replacement rate (IRR) – used in calculating the worker benefits – from 80 per cent to 85 per cent of net income. Maximum Compensable Assessable Earnings will
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Employers’ Council raises red-flag on tentative NAPE agreement with government
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy January 12, 2018 |0
Reports emerged this week that a tentative agreement between NAPE and government includes a wage freeze, buyout and elimination of severance for all NAPE employees, and a no-layoff clause for the term of the contract. The Employers’ Council has been in the media expressing concern about the no-layoff clause. “To put a no-layoff clause in a
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Employers’ Council releases “Another Way Forward”, an alternative to government’s fiscal plan.
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy October 26, 2017 |0
The Employers’ Council launched Another Way Forward today, an alternative to government’s fiscal plan developed with research from the Conference Board of Canada. This proposed plan relies less on tax increases and more on government spending reductions. The Conference Board found that NL has the second highest personal tax burden in the country. Another Way
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Employers’ Council reacts to tax review: Without action to reduce spending, committee may be set up for failure
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy August 23, 2017 |0
Yesterday Finance Minister Tom Osborne announced an independent review of the provincial tax code, to be completed in September 2018 with the final report expected in November 2018 for consideration prior to Budget 2019-20. Government stated that the main objectives of the review are to ensure the province’s tax system is competitive and fair, identify
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Spending reform still needed: Employers’ Council reaction to Budget 2017
Latest NewsPartnershipsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy April 7, 2017 |0
Finance Minister Cathy Bennett brought down her second provincial budget yesterday. -Due to higher than expected oil revenue, this year’s deficit was revised to $1.1 B, down from the $1.83 B deficit forecasted in last year’s budget. -Government committed to hit their deficit reduction target for 2017-18 through spending cuts of $283 million. Next year’s
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Employers’ Council counters CUPE’s protest against Public Private Partnerships
Latest NewsPartnershipsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy February 16, 2017 |0
The Employers’ Council has been in the media countering the Canadian Union of Public Employee’s (CUPE) campaign against Public Private Partnerships (P3s). CUPE’s comments paint a misleading and inaccurate picture of public private partnerships, and of government’s plans for the recently announced long term care facility in Corner Brook. “It is hard to understand why
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Employers’ Council ramps up BigGovNL campaign following cancellation of fall supplemental budget
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy September 9, 2016 |0
The Employers’ Council has ramped up our Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for Big Government campaign following the premier’s announcement that there will be no fall supplemental budget. During segments on both CBC Here & Now and NTV Evening News yesterday the Employers’ Council launched new BigGovNL online videos and TV ads. The satirical advertising campaign is designed to drive citizens to http://BigGovNL.ca to
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Employers’ Council Shadow Budget calls for $1B in cost savings over 4 years
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsPartnershipsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy April 14, 2016 |0
The NL Employers’ Council released a provincial Shadow Budget on April 13th, developed with research conducted by the Conference Board of Canada. The Conference Board examined spending in NL as compared to other provinces on a per capita or per GDP basis. They also measured the economic impact of tax increases and spending reductions to specific program
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WHY WAIT IN LINE? report on Partnership continues to make headlines
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsPartnershipsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy March 21, 2016 |0
Employer’s Council Executive Director Richard Alexander will speak to the Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, March 22nd about how partnerships with the private sector can help government deal with the current fiscal storm, improve services to the public, and spur economic growth. The Employer’s Council was on the West Coast this week sharing
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Employers’ Council calls for government partnerships with private sector
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsPartnershipsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy January 22, 2016 |0
The NL Employers’ Council held a press conference yesterday to release findings of a study into the need to increase partnerships with the private and not-for-profit sectors in the delivery of government services and infrastructure. The report, Why Wait in Line? Opportunities to improve government services and infrastructure in NL was written by Memorial University
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NLEC asks Liberal government for strong leadership and fiscal discipline
Competitive TaxationLatest NewsProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy December 23, 2015 |0
Finance Minister Cathy Bennett and Premier Dwight Ball released the mid-year fiscal update yesterday, confirming a record breaking deficit of nearly $2 billion. The NL Employers’ Council (NLEC) is encouraging the new government to show strong leadership on this issue. The massive deficit and $12.4 billion in net debt that the province is facing are
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NLEC reacts to Budget 2015
Competitive TaxationProductivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy May 4, 2015 |0
Finance Minister Ross Wiseman brought down the 2015 Budget for Newfoundland & Labrador on April 30th in the House of Assembly. NLEC Executive Director, Richard Alexander reacted strongly in the media to some decisions, in particular to oppose the two percent increase in the provincial portion of the HST. While they may have been overshadowed
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Premier announces public-private partnership on long term care – acknowledges NLECs work on issue
Productivity & CompetitivenessProvincial Government Fiscal Policy April 28, 2015 |0
Premier Paul Davis announced today at a press conference that government will add 360 new long term care beds through engagement with public and not-for-profit providers. In his speech, the Premier acknowledged the Employers’ Council’s call for improved outcomes in government program and service delivery, referencing both the organization’s pre-budget submission and recent Conference Board of Canada report. Increased involvement
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