5 things you need to know about Saskatchewan's 2022 budget

The 2022-23 Saskatchewan provincial budget has been released. Here are five things you need to know.

PST APPLIED TO CONCERT, EVENT TICKETS AS OF OCT. 1

It’ll take a bit more green to see the green and white at Mosaic Stadium as the province adds Provincial Sales Tax (PST) to event tickets like Rider games and concerts, effective Oct. 1.

According to the budget, the changes will follow the federal goods and services tax (GST).

The province expects to collect $10.5 million in revenue in 2022-23 and an additional $21.0 million annually.

• Sask. residents to pay PST on event tickets this fall

The PST applies six per cent to a range of different transactions in Saskatchewan.

TOBACCO TAX INCREASE

The Saskatchewan Tobacco Tax will increase from 27 cents to 29 cents on cigarettes and from 27 cents to 35 cents for loose tobacco.

The reasoning listed in the budget is to maintain tax equity through the western provinces.

ADDRESSING COVID SURGICAL BACKLOG

The province will spend $21.6 million to address the surgical waitlist caused by the COVID-19 pandemic with a goal of returning to pre-pandemic wait times by the end of March 2025.

• Sask. aims to cut surgical backlog, hire health care staff with record spending

It marks the first of a three year plan the province said will “deliver on the largest volume of surgical procedures in the history of the province”.

FILM GRANT BOOST

A total of $10 million will be available through the Creative Saskatchewan Production Grant Program as part of the budget, a significant increase from the $2 million previously available through the program.

• Sask. increases film and television production grant by $8M

The rise of streaming services “means the time is right to attract new investment from the film and television industry to Saskatchewan” according to the budget.

200 NEW EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS

Education spending in the budget includes funding for 200 additional educational assistants province-wide.

“The additional EAs will provide support to students and assist teachers in managing increasingly diverse classrooms,” the province said in a release.

• 200 new assistant positions created as part of record $2.88B education budget

In total $2.88 billion is going towards prekindergarten to grade 12 students and early learners in the budget.