Larissa McEwen

Saskatchewan saw a 1.5 per cent increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in May 2024 compared to May 2023. This has continued the trend of the Saskatchewan ranking among the lowest CPI growth compared to 2.9 per cent across Canada. 

Saskatchewan saw a 1.5 per cent increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in May 2024 compared to May 2023. This has continued the trend of the Saskatchewan ranking among the lowest CPI growth compared to 2.9 per cent across Canada. 

The Government of Saskatchewan announced today that 27 new permanent nurse practitioner (NP) positions are now available, with applications being accepted until June 10, 2024.

The provincial government allocated $4.5 million in this year's budget for these positions to increase access to primary care in underserved areas.

The Ministry of Health collaborated with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Saskatchewan Association of Nurse Practitioners (SANP) to prioritize 25 communities that require additional NP services, including Lanigan and Kelvington.

Despite a rain delay throughout the province, seeding progress has greatly advanced over the past week, according to the latest crop report from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Seeding is now 94 per cent complete, up from 77 per cent last week. This is behind the five-year and ten-year average.

The southeast and southwest are the furthest advanced, sitting at 96 per cent complete. This is compared to 84 per cent last week and is the same as the five- to ten-year average.

As part of Canadian Environment Week, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment has launched an educational campaign to reduce illegal dump sites across the province.

"Illegal dumping remains a significant challenge—one that threatens public health, damages the environment, and harms our communities," said Environment Minister Christine Tell. "We hope this campaign encourages communities to protect natural spaces, reduce clean-up costs, and send a clear message that we value our environment."

Nacel Canada’s homestay program is looking for host families for 25 French teenagers aged 14 to 17 who are set to visit Saskatchewan this summer.

The teens will stay for four weeks in July, with another group arriving for four weeks in August. The host family can be located anywhere in the province and will receive a stipend as compensation. 

“They’re here to experience Canadian culture, improve their english, and enjoy time with a Canadian family,” said Debbie Ackerman from Nacel.

A three-day blitz conducted by inspectors from the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol (SHP) and SGI resulted in a significant number of commercial vehicles being removed from the road.

Saskatchewan’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) has risen by 1 per cent in April 2024 compared to the previous year. This is the second-lowest increase among provinces and is behind the national average of 2.7 per cent.

The province saw exports totalling over $101.9 billion for 2022 and 2023 combined. This is a 52.2 per cent increase from the previous two-year period of 2020-2021, which saw $66.9 billion in exports.

In March 2024, building permits in Saskatchewan totalled $176 million. This value represents the dollar amount of construction permits issued for both residential and non-residential buildings.

Statistics Canada data indicate that Saskatchewan's GDP reached an all-time high of $77.9 billion in 2023, increasing by $1.2 billion, or 1.6 per cent. This places Saskatchewan second in the country for real GDP growth, surpassing the national average of 1.2 per cent.

Urban housing starts in Saskatchewan have increased according to recent numbers released by Statistics Canada. 

Housing starts refers to the number of housing projects started in a particular month. In March 2024, the number of urban housing starts in Saskatchewan increased by 12.1 per cent, compared to March 2023. Housing starts for single-family dwellings also increased by 35.7 per cent, and multiple units increased by 3.8 percent compared to March 2023.