Building permits take another hit from PST on construction

The Saskatchewan NDP is continuing its push to scrap the Sask. Party’s tax hike on construction labour after yet another Statistics Canada report shows that the value of building permits is falling.

“The PST expansion was a punch in the gut for our province’s construction industry,” said NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon. “Moody’s Analytics has already forecast declines in home values for each of the next two years. We’ve also seen investment in residential and non-residential construction decrease. It’s clear this harmful policy is hobbling an important driver of our economy.”

This month’s Statistics Canada report shows that the value of residential building permits in Saskatchewan dropped nearly 41 per cent year over year, which was the steepest drop in the entire country. The government’s May job statistics show that 1,400 jobs were lost in construction year over year.

“Every single monthly report from the government this year has shown a major year-over-year decrease in the number of construction jobs,” Wotherspoon said. “It’s absolutely shameful that the Sask. Party has allowed this to become the norm. This harmful tax needs to be scrapped immediately before more people are put out of work, and more businesses look for projects elsewhere.”

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