Nearly half of Sask. struggling with cost of living, while Crowns report $409M income

Many Saskatchewan residents are concerned over the cost of living – while provincial Crown corporations are reporting hundreds of millions of dollars in income.

The cost of filling the tank of a half ton isn’t easy these days.

“I do know that there are a lot of people who struggle with stuff like that,” motorist Brooke Saleski told CTV News.

A new study from Angus Reid found that 46 per cent of Saskatchewan residents are struggling with the cost of living.

Another 21 per cent say they are uncomfortable about their finances.

“Saskatchewan people are really feeling the pressure, feeling hardest hit in fact across Canada,” NDP MLA and Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon explained.

Saskatchewan tops the list with Newfoundland and Labrador of provinces where people are struggling the most.

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According to Minister of Crowns Dustin Duncan, the government feels it has helped by not collecting the federal carbon tax on home heating fuel and through power rebates.

“We have had the opportunity on two occasions in the last couple of years to provide a rebate.”

Opposition calls for relief come as the four major Crown corporations report income totaling $409 million.

The NDP believes the province should share some of its wealth with taxpayers directly.

“It’s well past time that they extend some relief. Carla Beck and the Saskatchewan NDP we’re prepared and ready to suspend the 15 cent a litre fuel tax,” Wotherspoon added.

The government has other methods in mind.

“First and foremost we’re not looking at this point to go back to the rate review panel to do a rate application,” Duncan explained. “We are mindful of the challenges that people are having out there when it comes to affordability.”

The provincial government has not shown willingness to go far beyond what it has already done –focusing instead on applying political pressure toward elimination of the federal carbon tax.