Below you'll find MLA Tim McLeod's Report from the Legislature for August 29, 2024.
The views expressed below are solely the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of Golden West.
Saskatchewan’s future is bright due to our strong and growing economy. Statistics Canada's latest retail trade figures for June 2024 placed Saskatchewan second among the provinces for year-over-year growth. The province's retail trade sales increased by 3.4 per cent in June 2024 over June 2023 (seasonally adjusted), totaling $2.1 billion.
In housing starts, Saskatchewan ranked third among the provinces in July 2024 compared to July 2023. These figures highlight the province's thriving economic landscape and commitment to fostering growth and development that benefits everyone.
This growth shows that our efforts to create a competitive and stable business environment while attracting record new investments are paying off. That means, our province is well-positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities, ensuring Saskatchewan remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Inflation in our province remains low with the recent Consumer Price Index numbers showing a 1.6 per cent increase in July 2024 compared to July 2023. This is the lowest year-over-year inflation rate in Canada. Our government will continue to stand up for Saskatchewan by opposing the Trudeau/NDP coalition carbon tax and refusing to collect and remit the tax on home heating.
A strong and growing economy allows our government to make strategic investments in areas that matter most to the people of Saskatchewan, including the need for new and expanded infrastructure. Construction on the Regina General Hospital parkade has reached the 80 per cent mark and is on track to provide a safe and convenient parking option.
Our government has allocated $22.4 million to this project, which will provide a total of 1,005 stalls – an increase of 686 parking spots. The four-level parkade is targeted for completion in late 2024 and will soon better serve patients, hospital staff and visitors.
Progress on our province’s ambitious Health Human Resource (HHR) Action Plan continues with recent recruitment success, including the two new perfusionists hired. Perfusionists are in high demand and work closely with cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists and other members of a patient’s operating room team.
Investing in our healthcare workforce and recruiting these highly sought-after professionals allows us to address the needs of our rapidly growing population and improve healthcare delivery. The HHR Action Plan reflects our commitment to supporting Saskatchewan’s health professionals and advancing care for all residents.
Additionally, fourteen new physicians are now practicing across Saskatchewan after completing the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program in May. Thanks to the SIPPA program, a total of 307 doctors are now serving the province in rural communities, with 74 per cent practicing in rural communities.
Attracting and retaining top talent in rural Saskatchewan is crucial for a robust healthcare system, and SIPPA has been pivotal in achieving this goal. Our government is committed to supporting this program and welcoming these dedicated professionals as they contribute to the health and well-being of our province.
Recognizing the importance of quality education, our government continues to prioritize responding to the needs of the early years sector. Over the next two years, nearly $35 million will be invested to continue delivering tuition-free early childhood educator (ECE) training, professional development and student financial support.
Through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, this funding will create more than 4,000 tuition-free training seats, allowing educators to advance or start their careers and obtain their ECE Certifications.
It will also support more than 5,300 professional development seats, helping educators gain knowledge to excel in their roles. This ensures that quality early learning and childcare programs are always provided for our province’s youngest learners.
Construction has begun on Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s new campus in Saskatoon. The new Skilled Trades and Technology building will be the first part of the new campus to be constructed, with earthmoving and upgrading utilities for this project underway.
Thanks to Saskatchewan’s strong and growing economy, our government can deliver modern, innovative infrastructure that supports our students and helps them reach their full potential for a bright future.
With these investments in place, we will continue to build and protect a strong and growing Saskatchewan. As always, I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, concerns or feedback, contact my office at 306-692-8884 or mjnorthmla@sasktel.net.