In the last provincial budget, the Sask. Party bragged SaskPower would bring in $126 million this year. But the government’s own mid-year report now shows the Crown utility is barreling toward a $165.6 million loss — a staggering and historic $291.9 million collapse.
“Clearly, there is only one place this incompetent Sask. Party government will turn to cover their losses and that’s ratepayers,” said Carla Beck, Saskatchewan NDP Leader. “We know that, after 18 years of the Sask. Party, families are already dealing with greater financial anxiety than anywhere else in Canada and four-in-10 are borrowing money or draining their savings just to put food on the kitchen table.
“Now, they’re staring down a hike on their power bills. I am calling on Scott Moe to come clean today on just how high he will jack up power bills to cover for his government’s incompetence and mismanagement.”
SaskPower Shadow Minister Aleana Young wrote to Minister Jeremy Harrison on Wednesday also demanding an answer on the pending power bill hike.
“It’s not a matter of if rates will go up, but when,” Young said. “Saskatchewan people are already paying some of the highest power bills in Canada.
“Moe and his rogue Ministers have had 18 long years to build a reliable grid, 18 years to add new generation, 18 years to keep the lights on and grow our economy. Instead, they’ve left us with aging plants, sky-high bills, and an electricity system that’s stuck in reverse. They have failed on every front and now they’re desperate.
“It’s time to build the future. Saskatchewan deserves better than an end-times government that has no plan but to send families, farms and small businesses the bill for its failures.”
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