Sask. Party prioritizes affordability, civility with opposition in Throne Speech

The Saskatchewan Party government said it will prioritize affordability in the coming months during its Throne Speech on Monday, that officially kicked off a short two-week sitting inside the legislature.

After being given a fifth straight majority government on Oct. 28, the Sask. Party says it will work to address the cost of living for residents by introducing legislation that will include personal tax relief, aiming to save a family of four $3,400 over the next four years.

Monday’s Throne Speech, titled "A New Beginning" followed through on that promise, with several other affordability commitments announced, including many that were promised during the campaign period ahead of the election.

Premier Scott Moe says Bill 1 of the new session will be known as “The Saskatchewan Affordability Act,” which will enact the affordability commitments the party made leading up to the Oct. 28 vote.

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"Voters delivered two messages this election. The majority of Saskatchewan voters voted for our plan for a strong economy and a bright future but many others voted for change and it is now our job to deliver both," Moe told reporters.

According to the Sask. Party, that will include the largest personal income tax reduction since 2008, which will be done by raising the personal, spousal and child exemptions along with the seniors’ supplement by $500 per year in each of the next four years, along with “fully indexing tax brackets.”

“As a result, a family of four will save more than $3,400 over the next four years and a senior couple will save more than $3,100,” Moe said in the speech.

According to the Sask. Party, that will mean an additional 54,000 people will no longer pay any Saskatchewan income tax.

In direct contrast to the Sask. Party’s claims, the opposition NDP labelled it as the “same old” throne speech from the “same old” Sask. Party.

“Regardless of who you voted for; people want action from their elected officials. They want results now,” said Sask. NDP Leader Carla Beck.

The party pointed out that none of the newly announced affordability measures will take effect before taxes are filed next year.

“Claiming to have heard voters' concerns while refusing to change course makes it clear that this is the same old Sask. Party government,” Beck added. “People are tired of the same old song and dance from these guys. They want better than this.”

Moe also said in the speech that Saskatchewan’s low-income tax credit will be increased by a total of 20 per cent over the next four years.

The province will continue to remove the federal carbon tax from home heating for one more year, double the active families benefit, create a home renovation tax credit, increase the first-time home buyers tax credit, increase the personal care home benefit by $1,000 per month, increase the disability tax credit, the disability tax credit supplement and caregiver tax credit by 25 per cent and raise the graduate retention plan benefit by 20 per cent.

The opposition NDP have been adamant and said it will continue to push the government remove its gas tax, which currently adds 15 cents a litre on gasoline and diesel, as well as nine cents per litre on propane and 1.5 cents per litre on aviation gas and jet fuel.

Other provinces such as Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba have temporarily removed their provincial gas tax in the past to address affordability concerns.

In a news release sent out minutes after the throne speech was delivered, the NDP vowed to bring forward an emergency motion Tuesday to immediately cut the provincial gas tax.

Healthcare

The Sask. Party was repeatedly hammered on the topic of healthcare during the provincial election campaign. Its defence mostly consisted of highlighting already established programs and promising healthcare infrastructure funding.

More than $2.6 billion in infrastructure funding has been promised over the next four years – while the government claimed its Health and Human Resources Plan has resulted in 1,160 more active practicing nurses and doctors licensed in 2023 than there was the year previous.

Notably, the Sask. Party will act on a persistent ask of the opposition NDP, in the form of a “first of its kind, patient-focused” nursing task force.

However, Beck says there is much to be done before the opposition is convinced the government’s approach has really changed.

“One of the major concerns from healthcare workers who are leaving and burning out is that this is a government that doesn't consult. We heard measures ... very ambitious measures in this throne speech, without consultation with those on the front line,” she told reporters following the speech.

Citing the performance of Regina’s Urgent Care Centre (UCC) the government has vowed to open additional UCC’s in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Regina.

The promise comes as Regina’s centre is still not able to operate 24/7 due to staffing levels. Its a concern to be sure, according to Moe, but the overall success of the model is reassuring.

"Even with its opening of 16 or 18 hours a day that it is today, it's rivaling in numbers of what is being seen by each of our emergency rooms at the Pasqua Hospital and Regina General Hospital," he explained.

“We're going to build on that successful model. We know we need to hire more physicians. We know we need to hire more medical health care professionals across the spectrum, and are working very hard to do that, and we're funding that as a government."

The new UCCs would be in addition to the five hospitals currently under development in Prince Albert, Weyburn, Esterhazy, Rosthern and Yorkton.

At present, the government claims 84 per cent of Saskatchewan people have access to a primary health provider, either a doctor or nurse practitioner.

The government has set a bold goal of ensuring every resident in Saskatchewan will have access to a primary health provider by the end of 2028.

Additionally, it vowed to reduce surgical wait times to no more than three months.

In 2007, 74,000 surgeries were performed in the province. That number rose to 95,000 in 2023, according to the government.

“However, that growth has not kept pace with the number of people needing surgeries and in recent years, surgical wait times have lengthened," the speech read.

To address the concerns, the government vowed to ensure that 450,000 surgeries will be performed over the next four years – equating to 112,500 surgeries annually.

"We can't even staff the urgent care centre in Regina," Beck said. "What I see here are ambitious goals, but no evidence of a plan, and certainly no evidence that they've actually listened to those who are on the front line about how we're going to actually retain the health care workers we have, let alone be able to retain new healthcare workers coming in to provide these surgeries."

The government will look to deliver on its campaign promises regarding healthcare.

They include providing cervix self-screening for HPV, a $3.5 million increase for breast cancer care, the development of a “Breast Cancer Centre of Excellence” in Regina and a $1 million grant for ovarian cancer research.

These promises are supplemented by a new fertility treatment tax credit and an expansion of no-cost glucose monitoring systems and supplies to seniors and young adults.

Education

In regard to education, the province plans to expand its specialized support classroom model.

The pilot program was announced during the labour dispute between the province and the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF).

Since its inception, the program has faced questions and criticism from educators.

Regardless, the province maintains that the program has shown “positive results” in the eight schools where it has been piloted.

"I toured the specialized support classroom in North Battleford, which was working very well, attuned to the needs that particular school had assessed as being the priority," Moe explained.

The government intends to expand the program to include 200 more schools across Saskatchewan.

Reading levels for Grade 3 students is also a priority of the government in their next term, with the government outlining in the speech that the Grade 3 reading level is the "single greatest predictor of future academic success" because it is when students transition from learning to read to reading to learn.

To act on this promise, the government intends to add more teachers and education support staff.

Additionally, more funding will be added for school divisions so that they may handle growing student enrolling and the "challenges of classroom complexity."

"It's incumbent on the government to make the investment in a model that largely looks like it's working and supporting teachers … ultimately, the goal is to support our students in their K[indergarten] to [Grade] 3 outcomes, but then allow school divisions and our teachers the flexibility to address the specific challenges that they might see in their K to 3 space, or in their classrooms," Moe added.

More schools are planned to assist with the issue – with the government highlighting 14 new or consolidated school projects and three major renovations.

A further nine new schools and two major renovations are in the planning stage.

In terms of childcare, expansion of regulated childcare spaces are planned – with 5,100 spaces currently under development and a target of 12,000 additional spaces planned by the end of the fiscal year.

New Speaker

The new Speaker of the Legislative Assembly will be Melfort MLA Todd Goudy.

Goudy takes over the role from former Sask. Party member Randy Weekes, who left the party in the summer after accusing several of his own party members of bullying and intimidation.

The Speaker is responsible for regulating and keeping order during debates and proceedings inside the legislature.

Its a role that will be under extra scrutiny, given the nature of Weekes’ exit from the party.

In a section titled “A More Respectful Assembly” the government highlighted the need for decorum and respect for those across the aisle.

"We should be proud of the work that we do in that assembly, but it should be policy focused work. Critiques of policy are, I think, fair and expected," Moe explained.

"Saskatchewan people expect the people on the floor of that assembly to critique one another's policy. That's, in fairness, the role of the opposition, and that's how we as governments traditionally will get to a better policy position is by that very critique."