Below you'll find MLA Tim McLeod and MLA Megan Patterson's Report from the Legislature for August 21, 2025.
The views expressed below are solely the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of Golden West.
August always brings vacation and back-to-school travels. Before your next road trip, visit the new Weekly Orange Zone Construction Update. Posted every Friday at 10 a.m., this report gives motorists the latest road changes and information on ongoing highway construction across Saskatchewan. With the most recent information, motorists can plan the quickest and safest routes to their destinations. The Highway Hotline is also available all year round. While it is often linked to winter months, it is a great tool for travel in all seasons.
Harvest in Saskatchewan has officially begun and it is also important for all drivers to keep watch for large equipment on the roads and highways. Supporting the safety of our farmers and producers is a top priority for our government. The Farm Stress Line is available 24/7 to provide free, confidential support, toll-free. We wish everyone a safe 2025 harvest. Please remember to take good care of yourself. Working safely includes taking frequent breaks, getting adequate meals and sleep, keeping fire suppressing equipment on hand, watching for power lines when moving machinery and more.
Thanks to the hardworking people of Saskatchewan who continue to grow our economy, Statistics Canada recently released data showing the value of building permits in Saskatchewan increased by 37.4 per cent from June 2024 to June 2025 (seasonally adjusted). This places Saskatchewan second among the provinces for year-over-year growth. As our economy grows and more people choose to live, work and raise a family in Saskatchewan, our construction sector will continue to see strong gains. These numbers demonstrate that our government’s commitment to creating opportunities for our residents and ensuring all industries achieve success.
Also ranking second among all provinces, Saskatchewan values of goods purchased in large quantities (wholesale trade) rose another 5.1 per cent from spring 2024 to spring 2025. When businesses do well, it creates more jobs, more investment and increased capacity across our key sectors.
Our province has the lowest unemployment rate among all provinces at 5.0 per cent, well below the national average of 6.9 per cent. Saskatchewan continues to lead the nation in employment gains.
In keeping with our government's promise to make health care more accessible, pharmacists in our province can now dispense appropriate alternative prescriptions to patients. For example, if a patient's prescription heartburn medication is unavailable, a pharmacist can now substitute it with a different medication.
Our government has committed to funding up to 50 per cent of the cost of improvements to Grain Millers Drive, north of Yorkton. Grain Millers Drive is a vital transportation corridor that supports significant economic activity in the region. The planning study is a step forward in regional collaboration, with the city and the rural municipalities working closely with the ministry to ensure the road can safely accommodate increasing traffic volumes and support long-term economic development. Grain Millers Drive provides access to Grain Millers Oat Mill and Richardson Oilseed, the largest canola crush facility in North America. Louis Dreyfus Company operates a canola crush facility nearby and has plans to add a new pea protein production facility which will be situated on Grain Millers Drive as well.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has lifted the provincial fire ban due to improved conditions. The public is reminded that provincial parks, municipalities and RMs may still have local fire bans, restrictions or advisories in place. A list of fire restrictions in provincial parks and recreation sites can be found on the Sask Parks website and the SPSA interactive fire ban map.
Our government will continue investing in the people and industries of Saskatchewan. We work every day to provide a strong, safe and secure quality of life for all.
For more information or assistance, please feel free to reach out to our constituency offices. We look forward to hearing from you.