The announcement leaves homeowners with a 16.8% higher bill next month
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for SaskEnergy Erika Ritchie and Critic for SaskPower Aleana Young called on the Sask. Party government to scrap their proposed 23% utility rate hike announced in a surprise press release and give Saskatchewan families a much-needed break.
“Helping Saskatchewan families make ends meet during 40-year high inflationary pressures should be the top priority of the government,” said Ritchie. “The last thing the Sask. Party should be doing is shocking homeowners by raising the cost of energy 16% with three weeks' notice.”
The Sask. Party government announced that it is implementing a rate increase affecting residential energy bills by roughly 16.8% on August 1, 2022, 2.9% on June 1, 2023, and 3.0% on June 1, 2024. This comes as SaskPower rates are set to increase 8% over the next year.
“This government continues to offer no relief for Saskatchewan families while sitting on massive resource revenues,” said Young. “Instead, they’re making life more expensive, whether it’s increasing sales taxes, higher fees or these massive utility hikes. Maybe instead of taxpayer-funded, invite-only separation tours, the Sask. Party government should focus on the crushing cost of living and the real issues currently facing Saskatchewan people.”
The Official Opposition calls on the government to stop the rate hike and provide immediate relief to the many families, farms and businesses left behind by the affordability crisis.
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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.