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.
More Affordable Housing, Rent Control Also Part Of Plan Being Developed By Beck’s Team
MOOSE JAW – Carla Beck’s team is in Moose Jaw today committing that, should they form the next provincial government, her team will restore direct-to-landlord rent payments for Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) and Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) clients.
PRINCE ALBERT – Yesterday, Carla Beck’s team released the first phase of their plan to deliver big, bold changes in healthcare for Saskatchewan, which starts with prioritizing primary care. Today, MLA Keith Jorgenson, Associate Shadow Minister for Health, has brought the plan to Prince Albert to discuss how it can revitalize healthcare for residents in the area.
Four-Pillar Plan Will Build Healthcare Homes, Connect Local Services and Bring Care Closer to People
SASKATOON – Carla Beck’s team is unveiling the first phase of its plan to transform the province’s struggling healthcare system — guaranteeing every Saskatchewan resident access to a primary care team that knows them, coordinates their care and is responsible for them over time.