Legislative Report
(14 May 2009)

Spring Session Focused On The Economy

Your Saskatchewan Party government focused on keeping the province’s economy strong and steady during the spring session of the provincial legislature. We delivered one of the only balanced budgets in Canada, provided historic property tax relief and further increased our record investment in infrastructure.

While most other provinces were plunged into deficit, our economy remained relatively strong. Recent job numbers showed Saskatchewan is the only province with more people working over the last year. While we are not immune to the effects of the global recession, our diversified economy, tax cuts and infrastructure spending helped keep our economy strong.

The balanced 2009-10 budget provided more than $100 million in property tax relief for Saskatchewan people. By increasing the government’s share of education funding and setting a province-wide mill rate, our government passed along significant tax savings to many property owners. Combined with last fall’s income tax cuts, we have provided families and individuals with more than $700 million in tax relief.

Building on last year’s $1 billion Ready for Growth infrastructure program and the $500 million “economic booster shot” announced earlier this year, we invested a further $1 billion in infrastructure. That included $100 million in per capita funding for every Saskatchewan municipality to allow them to proceed immediately with projects such as sewer or road repairs. Through investing in highways, schools, nursing homes and the province’s first Children’s Hospital, our government is taking action to ensure a secure future for Saskatchewan people.

During the spring session of the legislature, our government continued to keep the promises we made leading up to the 2007 election, which included a long-term solution for municipal revenue sharing. We announced a new revenue sharing formula which provides funding to municipalities based on 90 per cent of the PST this year, then one percent in future years. Municipal leaders praised our solution as long overdue.

Over the last 11 weeks, our government took action to address 16 years of neglect of rural Saskatchewan. We announced a $71.4 million assistance program for hog and cattle producers. We acted on our promised review of Crop Insurance, through higher coverage and lower premiums. The improvements to Crop Insurance are part of a $177.5 million increase to the Ministry of Agriculture’s total budget. That is a 58 per cent increase over last year. Within three years, rural Saskatchewan will have 100 per cent high speed internet coverage and 98 per cent cell coverage. We are spending $630 million on highway construction, the largest ever single-year investment.

Our government took further steps to assist Saskatchewan families. We announced 1,000 more child care spaces, which will provide parents with more options. We listened to disabled persons calling for a new, dignified, less-intrusive income support program. That program comes into effect this fall. Your Saskatchewan Party government implemented Rapid Response Teams to support families affected by layoffs. We provided funding for Habitat for Humanity homes across the province.

In just 18 months our government has kept more than 100 of the promises we made during the last election campaign. With almost all of those promises kept, MLAs will be meeting with constituents over the summer to get their ideas on what our government should be doing to keep Saskatchewan moving forward.

When a legislative session comes to an end, MLAs are often asked who won: the government or the opposition. The answer is neither. It was the people of Saskatchewan who won.

Past Legislative Reports