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.

Latest posts

NEAR-DECADE OF SASK. PARTY FAILURES LEFT PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY ILL-PREPARED FOR LAST YEAR’S WILDFIRE CRISIS

Scott Moe, Tim McLeod Dodge Accountability Yet Again

SASKATOON – A near-decade of failure to prepare by Scott Moe, his ministers and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency were exposed during last year’s wildfire crisis, says a scathing report that Carla Beck’s team continues to analyze.

SASKATCHEWAN CHILDREN & YOUTH VICTIMIZED BY VIOLENT CRIME HAD CANADA’S HIGHEST RATE OF LATER ENCOUNTERING POLICE

Carla Beck’s Team Calls On Scott Moe, Sask. Party Break Vicious Cycle By Investing In Supports and Intervention For Young Victims

REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is calling on Scott Moe and the Sask. Party to provide significantly more support for child and youth victims of violent crime after a new Statistics Canada study found Saskatchewan had the highest provincial rate in Canada of youth victims later encountering police as accused persons.

SCOTT MOE MUST URGENTLY ADD RESOURCES TO OVERRUN FRONT LINES OF SASKATOON DRUG CRISIS

Saskatoon Fire Report 680 Overdoses In April, More Than 22 Per Day
SASKATOON – Critical first responders continue to urge the provincial government to provide additional support for local organizations working to address Saskatoon’s toxic drug crisis.

SCOTT MOE’S $26-BILLION COAL CATASTROPHE COULD COST SASKATCHEWAN $160M IN ADDITIONAL HEALTHCARE COSTS: REPORT

Pembina Analysis Comes As Medical Experts Across Canada Also Warn About Impacts of Backwards Sask. Party Plan
REGINA – Independent analysis from the Pembina Institute estimates that Scott Moe’s catastrophic $26-billion coal plan could cost Saskatchewan over $100 million in additional healthcare costs.

NDP Caucus Office