The NDP says the Saskatchewan Party budget is mismanaging provincial funds and predicts poorly directed spending will be followed by cuts after the fall election."Let's be clear, this is an election budget. And we've seen this movie before. Big promises one year, followed by tax hikes and cuts to services the next year," Beck said."The Sask Party pulled this move back in 2016 when before the election, they promised the moon and they promised the stars only to pull the rug out with the largest single tax increase in the history of the province and devastating cuts to services that people in this province rely on."Beck expressed concern that another drought could undermine provincial finances. She said the creation of a marshal service, which will take $7 million each of the next two fiscal years, was a duplication of resources that would have been better spent on existing police forces."This is not just about how much you spent that they transcend this, this is about value for what we're getting. We have a government that has been spending up not just this year, but not getting value for the people of this province," she said.Beck pointed to other examples of "gross mismanagement" such as runaway costs on IT projects that don't work, sending Saskatchewan residents for mammograms in Calgary at ten times the cost of doing things at home, and paying $384,000 to hotels owned by Sask Party MLA Gary Grewal to house social service recipients.Overall, the province lost eight rural GPs, three pediatric specialists, four anesthesiologists, four obstetricians, two neurosurgeons, three pathologists/diagnostic radiologists, two neurosurgeons and a urological surgeon since Scott Moe came to power in 2018. Although the province is executing a recruitment and retention plan, Wotherspoon said the budget should have included an announcement of a task force on addressing the problem."We continue to see a government that is ignoring the solutions brought forward by health care workers and those who know their communities best," he said."Increased spending is one thing. But we need to be talking about how we can spend better, not just more."Wotherspoon pointed out that past expansions of what the PST applies mean people pay $1,500 more of it a year than they did before. He said the government should cut the 15-cent-per-litre gas tax, but also complained that deficit spending left debt servicing charges rising by $100 million."This budget offers no relief. And you can't trust it. They've gone back on their word before. And if they were more interested in fixing problems in our province, not just saving their own hides, they would have acted on these fronts long ago," he said."It's sad but not a real surprise that this tired, out-of-touch government brought forward a budget without a single cost-of-living measure."In a press release, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer pointed out this year's budget will provide $17 million for the first full year of the Saskatchewan Employment Incentive Program to make life more affordable for working families with lower incomes."Saskatchewan homeowners will continue to receive additional relief this year due to our government's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas and electric residential home heating," Harpauer said. "This is expected to save Saskatchewan homeowners $400 per year on average."Additional supports for homeowners to help with affordability and improve housing availability include the renewed PST Rebate on New Home Construction Program and the recently introduced Saskatchewan Secondary Suite Incentive Grant Program.The budget earmarks a record $1.5 billion for the Ministry of Social Services, up $112.4 million (7.8%) over last year.The implementation of the Provincial Approach to Homelessness will continue, supported by an increase of $16.7 million. This includes a $7.2 million increase to support ongoing emergency shelter operations across the province and a $9.5 million capital investment to continue developing supportive housing spaces in Regina and Saskatoon.The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will invest $83.4 million to repair and maintain provincially-owned housing units, including an additional $9.6 million in provincial funding to prevent and reduce vacancies and respond to the increasing demand for social housing.This budget also supports people with disabilities and includes funding to support the changing needs of adults with intellectual disabilities, including support for residential and day programs, along with new group homes.Monthly benefits will increase 3% for Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability and Saskatchewan Income Support clients.For seniors, the Personal Care Home Benefit monthly income threshold will increase by $100 to $2,500 to help make living in a licensed care home more affordable.Post-secondary students will have $46.5 million in financial supports, including a new grant to help reduce financial barriers to completing post-secondary education for low-income students with dependents.
The NDP says the Saskatchewan Party budget is mismanaging provincial funds and predicts poorly directed spending will be followed by cuts after the fall election."Let's be clear, this is an election budget. And we've seen this movie before. Big promises one year, followed by tax hikes and cuts to services the next year," Beck said."The Sask Party pulled this move back in 2016 when before the election, they promised the moon and they promised the stars only to pull the rug out with the largest single tax increase in the history of the province and devastating cuts to services that people in this province rely on."Beck expressed concern that another drought could undermine provincial finances. She said the creation of a marshal service, which will take $7 million each of the next two fiscal years, was a duplication of resources that would have been better spent on existing police forces."This is not just about how much you spent that they transcend this, this is about value for what we're getting. We have a government that has been spending up not just this year, but not getting value for the people of this province," she said.Beck pointed to other examples of "gross mismanagement" such as runaway costs on IT projects that don't work, sending Saskatchewan residents for mammograms in Calgary at ten times the cost of doing things at home, and paying $384,000 to hotels owned by Sask Party MLA Gary Grewal to house social service recipients.Overall, the province lost eight rural GPs, three pediatric specialists, four anesthesiologists, four obstetricians, two neurosurgeons, three pathologists/diagnostic radiologists, two neurosurgeons and a urological surgeon since Scott Moe came to power in 2018. Although the province is executing a recruitment and retention plan, Wotherspoon said the budget should have included an announcement of a task force on addressing the problem."We continue to see a government that is ignoring the solutions brought forward by health care workers and those who know their communities best," he said."Increased spending is one thing. But we need to be talking about how we can spend better, not just more."Wotherspoon pointed out that past expansions of what the PST applies mean people pay $1,500 more of it a year than they did before. He said the government should cut the 15-cent-per-litre gas tax, but also complained that deficit spending left debt servicing charges rising by $100 million."This budget offers no relief. And you can't trust it. They've gone back on their word before. And if they were more interested in fixing problems in our province, not just saving their own hides, they would have acted on these fronts long ago," he said."It's sad but not a real surprise that this tired, out-of-touch government brought forward a budget without a single cost-of-living measure."In a press release, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer pointed out this year's budget will provide $17 million for the first full year of the Saskatchewan Employment Incentive Program to make life more affordable for working families with lower incomes."Saskatchewan homeowners will continue to receive additional relief this year due to our government's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas and electric residential home heating," Harpauer said. "This is expected to save Saskatchewan homeowners $400 per year on average."Additional supports for homeowners to help with affordability and improve housing availability include the renewed PST Rebate on New Home Construction Program and the recently introduced Saskatchewan Secondary Suite Incentive Grant Program.The budget earmarks a record $1.5 billion for the Ministry of Social Services, up $112.4 million (7.8%) over last year.The implementation of the Provincial Approach to Homelessness will continue, supported by an increase of $16.7 million. This includes a $7.2 million increase to support ongoing emergency shelter operations across the province and a $9.5 million capital investment to continue developing supportive housing spaces in Regina and Saskatoon.The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will invest $83.4 million to repair and maintain provincially-owned housing units, including an additional $9.6 million in provincial funding to prevent and reduce vacancies and respond to the increasing demand for social housing.This budget also supports people with disabilities and includes funding to support the changing needs of adults with intellectual disabilities, including support for residential and day programs, along with new group homes.Monthly benefits will increase 3% for Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability and Saskatchewan Income Support clients.For seniors, the Personal Care Home Benefit monthly income threshold will increase by $100 to $2,500 to help make living in a licensed care home more affordable.Post-secondary students will have $46.5 million in financial supports, including a new grant to help reduce financial barriers to completing post-secondary education for low-income students with dependents.
