The 2023-24 provincial budget for Saskatchewan has been released, with the Sask. Party government flaunting a projected surplus.
Donna Harpauer, Minister of Finance, said they are forecasting a total revenue of $19.7 billion, with $18.7 billion set aside for expenses and $1 billion leftover as surplus.
“With a growing economy and strong finances in Saskatchewan, our government will pay down up to $1 billion in operating debt this fiscal year, reducing interest costs and investing those savings into needed services, programs and capital,” Harpauer said.
She said they still aim of having the budget balanced by 2026-27.
The expenses are up by 5.9 per cent compared to last year’s budget.
Transfers from the federal government account for 18 per cent of the total revenue, which is up from 10.4 per cent last year.
Taxation revenue is up 19 per cent, with the province saying this is largely due to higher corporate income tax revenue.
The gross taxpayer-supported debt is forecasted at $18.1 billion, with the government saying this is $409.4 million lower than the third-quarter forecast.
Government business enterprises (GBE) debt is set to increase to $12.8 billion from the $11.7 billion forecast in last year’s budget.
The province said GBEs include Crown corporations, and the debt is categorized separately due to the expectation that their debt be paid back from the cash flow they generate.
It added this debt is increasing due to capital investment for infrastructure.
Here’s a rundown of the expenses:
- Agriculture — $1.4 billion
- Community development — $866 million
- Economic development — $367 million
- Education — $4 billion
- Environment and natural resources — $254.4 million
- Financing charges — $812 million
- General government — $540 million
- Health — $7.1 billion
- Protection of persons and property — $968 million
- Social services and assistance — $1.7 billion
- Transportation — $645 million
Spending on health is increasing again to $7.1 billion.
Some of the spending points the province highlights are $22 million for 250 full-time positions and expanding part-time positions in rural and remote parts of Saskatchewan, and $11.9 million to recruit internationally-trained health-care workers.
“This budget delivers a 6.7 per cent increase to the Ministry of Health to $6.9 billion, strengthening the health-care system and taking significant steps to further attract, train and retain doctors, nurses and other key health-care professionals in a growing province,” Harpauer said.
More than $4 billion is going towards education in Saskatchewan, with the province saying this is 6.2 per cent higher than last year’s budget.
Out of that, $3.1 billion will be going to support pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 schools, early learning and child care and libraries.
“More than 189,000 students are attending kindergarten to Grade 12 in Saskatchewan, the most in more than 20 years,” Harpauer said.
The province’s 27 school divisions will see an operating fund of $2 billion, with the Sask. Party government saying this is $49.4 million higher than last year.
Sask. DLC, the province’s new distance learning corporation aiming to give kids access to online courses, is getting $23 million for its start-up and operation.
Early learning and child care in the province will see $382.4 million, with the funding to be used to reduce child care fees for kids up to the age of six down to an average of $10 a day.
Social services and assistance will see $1.7 billion, up 2.5 per cent from last year’s budget.
“Saskatchewan’s growing economy means more people are working in this province and fewer people require income assistance.”
“At the same time support is increasing for those who need it,” Harpauer added.
The province said people who receive Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) will get $30 more per month through living income benefits.
It added that $7.7 million is going towards two Indigenous-led pilot projects that provide wrap-around services and supportive housing for people who are homeless in Saskatoon and Regina, as well as continued funding for community partners who offer permanent shelter spaces and after-hours services.
The budget has $968.5 million going towards protection of person and property, with the province noting this is 3.5 per cent higher than last year.
“Operational funding for second-stage housing ensures women in dangerous situations can safely leave and stay away from abusive partners,” Harpauer said.
“This budget includes a new investment of $876,000 over three years to support survivors of interpersonal violence with the expansion of counseling services for clients living in second-stage housing.”
The new Saskatchewan Marshals Service is getting $7 million, with the province saying this will increase policing capacity.
About $3.2 million is going towards expanding the warrant enforcement and suppression team and the crime reduction team, with focus on Prince Albert and the Battlefords area.
The Sask. Party government says it is investing in the economy, noting the Saskatchewan mineral exploration tax credit is increasing to 30 per cent from 10 per cent.
The budget has $548.2 million for the Ministry of Agriculture to fund programs, services and research.
The province said the AgriStability compensation rate is increasing to 80 per cent from 70 per cent for 2023.
It adds that they are aiming to increase tourist expenditures by 50 per cent in the province by 2030.
About $3.7 billion is being invested into capital, with the province saying there will be 1,000 kilometres of highway improvements.
The budget has $337.6 million set aside for health care capital, which includes infrastructure projects, long-term care bed replacements, health sector maintenance and equipment.
Around $152.3 million is going towards education capital, which includes renovations, expansions and new schools.
“This budget is about more people, more jobs, and more opportunities,” Harpauer said.
“More doctors, more nurses, and more surgeries. More students, more schools, and more affordable child care. More support for seniors, for young people, and for people with disabilities. Safer families and safer communities. A growing economy, a brighter future, and a growing province whose best days are still ahead.”
Official Opposition leader Carla Beck said she’s been thinking about health-care workers that are struggling, people selling their homes because they can’t keep up with utility cost hikes and parents who are cutting back in every way they can, but still flinching when they walk into a grocery store.
“This budget shows the Sask. Party is wildly out of touch with the priorities and concerns of the people who call this province home,” Beck said.
She said this budget doesn’t help students, health-care workers, or parents.
“If you’re like so many in this province, doing everything right, but you still find yourself living paycheque to paycheque, you find yourself up at night wondering how you’ll cover the next utility hike, I’m sorry to say this is not a budget that helps you.”
Beck said the Sask. Party is not listening.
She said she was hoping to see some investment in the K-12 school system, adding that the current investment doesn’t even meet inflation.
Beck said there’s also no real investment in helping the homeless, or post-secondary education.
“When the province is bragging about how well they’re doing there should be some reflection in the budget, and in how people in this province are feeling. But I don’t see that.”