Health-care, housing and affordability dominant themes in Speech From the Throne

Just like during the recent provincial election campaign, health-care, housing and affordability were the dominant themes in Friday’s Speech from the Throne as the new session of the PEI legislature opened.  In the Speech, government said it will have 30 Patient Medical Homes in place across the province by the end of 2024 to increase access to primary care; hire more nurses, more LPNs, more social workers, and more allied health professionals; and provide free tuition for students training to become RCWs, LPNs, RNs, and Paramedics. In regards to housing, the King government says it will create a Special Cabinet Committee on Housing to focus on immediately increasing housing starts over the next 24 months; invest in publicly-owned housing; and reduce wait times and red-tape to access building permits.  As for affordability, the PC government commits in the Speech to increasing the basic personal exemption amount to $15,000 over the next four year; increasing the Seniors tax credit; and rolling back property taxes to 2020 assessment rates.