Sask. premier gives budget sneak peek at SARM convention

WATCH: Saskatchewan Premier spoke to hundreds of municipal leaders across the province Wednesday and gave a sneak peek at what’s to come in the province budget.

Premier Scott Moe signaled some upcoming announcements when the provincial budget is revealed next week.

Speaking to delegates at the 120th annual Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) convention and trade show Wednesday, Moe said the province won’t be altering the education property tax mill rate despite property rates increasing in many areas across the province because 2025 is an assessment year.

“We’ve made every effort this year,” Moe said. “The education budget is going to increase, quite likely substantially. But the education property tax on your ratepayers and our collective constituents is not.”

During the annual bearpit session, where delegates can approach a microphone on the floor and ask questions of any cabinet minister, Moe stepped in to answer a variety of concerns ranging for local issues to plans for mental health, property damage and education.

Moe said the municipal revenue sharing program will increase to $361.8 million, up $21.5 million or 6.3 per cent from last year.

“A program that is not present in any other province in Canada,” Moe said. “Three hundred and sixty-one million dollars that will be transferred to our municipalities -- unencumbered, no strings attached.”

Moe recommitted to the province’s healthcare human resource action plan to get more people out of emergency rooms. He called emergency room occupancy the most expensive seat in the healthcare system.

Bill Huber, SARM president, said rural municipalities across the province have a good relationship with the province overall. There are always disagreements or more he wishes the province could do for his members, but his main gripe is with the federal government.

“I think we’ve got a cabinet and a premier and a government that’s open to listening to us,” Huber said. “We need to change quite a few things, and I put a lot of the blame on the federal government in the last few years.”

Huber said he spoke with federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay about the upcoming 100 per cent retaliatory tariffs China is putting on canola on March 20.

“His answer to me was, ’Well, we have to represent all of Canada,’” Huber said.

“Well, they’ve done a pretty good job with Eastern Canada -- Quebec and Ontario in the past number of years. But truthfully, Saskatchewan, Alberta have been neglected.”

Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck had her chance to speak with delegates in the afternoon Wednesday. She took the opportunity to urge all levels of government to help build Canada’s economic future considering ongoing trade troubles with the United States.

However, she says issues like healthcare and education which Moe highlighted in his speech, were largely ignored well before tariff threats began.

“While I have empathy for all of those who are making budgets right now, and the level of uncertainty that that is faced,” Beck said.