New figures from Statistics Canada show that the Sask. Party’s hike on PST is still hurting investment in the Saskatchewan construction industry, while other provinces are showing increases.
“The construction industry is vital to Saskatchewan’s economy, but what we are seeing is the Sask. Party’s PST hike having a negative effect on the industry and is putting many jobs at risk,” said NDP Finance Critic Cathy Sproule.
The rest of Western Canada saw growth in new housing construction while Saskatchewan saw a decrease. Our neighbors to the West in BC and Alberta saw a 17.5 and 9.5 per cent increase respectively in new housing construction compared to February 2017, while Saskatchewan saw a decrease of 10 per cent during that same time.
For non-residential building construction, Saskatchewan was the only province to post a quarterly decrease and saw investment decline by $14 million. For the same time period, BC saw an increase of $58 million and Alberta saw an increase of $12 million.
“With the Sask. Party piling on debt and having no plan to stimulate or grow the economy in this year’s budget, it’s no wonder Saskatchewan has one of the slowest rates of job growth in the entire country and more families are leaving to find better opportunities in other provinces,” Sproule said.
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.