Affordable living in Sask.: Key bills pass, awaiting federal reply

Including support from the NDP, the Saskatchewan Party government’s two affordability bills were rushed through and passed Thursday.

The first, the Saskatchewan Affordability Act, makes many of the tax changes the Sask. Party campaigned on in the provincial election. The second, keeps the carbon tax off of home heating in the province.

Finance Minister Jim Reiter said the government wants the tax changes to come into effect next month, so people can start seeing relief in the new year. However, because the federal government collects income tax for the province, the federal government will also have to fast-track the changes.

Reiter had written to the federal ministers responsible earlier in the week and as of the morning of December 5, hadn’t heard back yet.

980 CJME has reached out to the ederal government for comment.

Premier Scott Moe on Thursday said he would hope and urge the federal government to make the changes. He then went on to say the federal Liberal government has had it’s time, and that there needs to be a federal election. Legally, the next federal election is due in 2025.

“This is an opportunity for us, I think, to come together, whether it be in this province, or across Canada,” said Moe.

The last federal election was held in September 2021.

The Sask. NDP supported the government’s affordability bills, despite the NDP’s attempts at affordability motions being blocked by government earlier in the sitting.

“We do respect and understand that Saskatchewan people need relief,” said Sask. NDP Leader Carla Beck.

She said her party heard a lot about affordability on the doorstep, including from people who’d never dealt with such concerns before.

“When there’s something on the table, when there’s a fix or something that stands to benefit Saskatchewan people, they expect the members of this legislature to work together and deliver that,” said Beck.