Second lowest job growth shows Sask Party’s COVID response is letting people down

Job numbers released by Statistics Canada today show that Saskatchewan’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is amongst the weakest in Canada. The province’s monthly increase of just 600 jobs or 0.1% (seasonally adjusted) is the second worst in Canada.

“New Democrats have urged Premier Moe and this Sask. Party government to protect jobs and small businesses, but clearly not enough has been done,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “We know that Saskatchewan's economy was already shrinking before COVID – and now the Premier’s lack of action to put Saskatchewan workers and businesses first is making things worse.”

According to Statistics Canada, unemployment in Saskatchewan increased by 7,700 month over month and 40,300 year over year.

“The Sask. Party has let Saskatchewan businesses and workers down by not acting to protect our economy and keep workers on the job,” said Meili. “We need all hands on deck now to secure our economic recovery."

Specifically, Meili laid out three key actions the government could take right now:

Put Saskatchewan businesses and workers first with a Sask First procurement plan that keeps jobs right here in Saskatchewan,
Make the Saskatchewan Small Business Emergency program more accessible, as NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon urged earlier this week, and
Put 800 Saskatchewan workers in Regina back in good jobs after six months of lock-out at the refinery.

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