The Saskatchewan provincial budget handed down Wednesday brought out the full range of reactions from interested organizations.
It ranged from cautious optimism from business organizations, appreciation for funding from municipalities, and far more skeptical reactions from labour groups. Here is a roundup of some of the reactions to the budget:
Municipalities
From a municipal standpoint, both the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities expressed appreciation that the province lived up to their earlier announcements of municipal revenue sharing.
In their news release, SUMA noted municipal revenue sharing will increase by $10 million to $251 million for 2019-20. They said urban municipalities welcome the additional funding.
“Urban municipalities understand the difficulties of preparing a balanced budget with limited resources,” said SUMA President Gordon Barnhart in a news release.
“We appreciate the provincial government’s recognition of hometowns, through direct funding such as revenue sharing and shared funding such as the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.”
SUMA was also happy to see the province contribute up to 33 per cent of funding for municipal infrastructure projects through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and also were pleased with funding for transit assistance and investment in Saskatchewan’s northern highways. But they expressed disappointment the PST would continue on municipal construction projects, and also that the budget did not address the cannabis excise tax.
Representing the rural municipalities, SARM expressed their support for municipal revenue sharing, which they call “a dependable funding resource that RMs count on to serve their communities.”
SARM also expressed appreciation for an increase in funding to the Pest Biosecurity Programs. Funding for rat control by $350,000, which they said would result in $3.2 million allocated to the agricultural programs administered by SARM. They were satisfied the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program would maintain funding at $14 million. And SARM welcomed the funding to address rural crime as well as $30 million to mental health services.
“Safe communities are always top of mind for every municipal leader” said Ray Orb, president of SARM, in a statement. “Whether it be safer roads, tools for crime prevention or access to health services, it all contributes to a stronger Saskatchewan.”
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation expressed appreciation for the province living up to its pledge to balance the budget, but expressed concern about the debt.
“When Scott Moe campaigned to be premier, he signed a taxpayer protection pledge to balance the operational budget by 2019 and today he delivered on that promise,” said Todd MacKay, Prairie Director for the CTF in a news release.
“The next promise in the pledge is to start reducing the debt and the province needs to control spending to make that a reality.”
MacKay particularly called out the government for taxes.
“It’s important to remember that Saskatchewanians will pay $1.1 billion in higher taxes due to the PST hike of two years ago. Here’s the reality – the operational budget is balanced because Saskatchewan taxpayers are paying a lot more tax.”
CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business was pleased to see the budget balanced.
“Overall, this budget sends the right signals to Saskatchewan entrepreneurs,” was the reaction Marilyn Braun-Pollon, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s Vice-President, Prairie & Agri-business, in a statement.
“Small business owners were looking for three things in today’s budget: a balanced budget, with sustainable spending, without hiking taxes.”
Braun-Pollon also welcomed the province’s commitment to reduce spending and reduce the size of government..
“We welcome the government’s reduction in the size of government, through finding efficiencies and workforce attrition, which will result in $35 million in savings in 2019,” stated Braun-Pollon. “We know that 93 per cent of CFIB members support reducing the size/cost of government in this way.”
The CFIB also pointed to the need for tax relief in future budgets.
“We can’t forget how we got back to balance, which included over $908 million in tax hikes in the 2017 provincial budget,” said Braun-Pollon. “We know the 2017 budget impacted business confidence. That’s why small business owners will be looking for much-needed tax relief in future budgets as the province’s finances improve.”
Saskatchewan Medical Association
The Saskatchewan Medical Association welcomed the support for mental health initiatives in the budget.
“The budget brings mental health spending to more than six per cent of total health spending, not including spending on addictions,” noted SMA President Dr. Siva Karunakaran in a release. “We hope that some of the increased spending includes the hiring of more psychiatrists to meet the pressing need for more timely access to mental health services in Saskatchewan.”
The SMA also pointed to the increased spending and opening of the $400-million, 284-bed Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford as important steps.
Saskatchewan Association for Applied Behaviour Analysis
The Saskatchewan Association for Applied Behaviour Analysis expressed their support for the increase in the increased support for families of autistic children under the age of 6. The government announced they would increase the amount available per child per year from $4,000 to $6,000 in yesterday’s provincial budget.
“The individualized funding model has really helped families with young children on the spectrum access the specific treatment their child needs, no matter where they live,” said Brianna Dellezay, president, in a statement said. “While $4,000 was a good start, an extra $2,000 a year will certainly help, and we applaud the government for taking that step.”
Western Canadian Wheat Growers
Western Canadian Wheat Growers were happy with the provincial budget and the province’s stance opposing the carbon tax.
“WCWGA believes we don’t need more and more funding from government. We need a government that will fight for us and has the proper rules and regulations in place that allows us to remain competitive on the international level. This government has done that by strongly opposing the carbon tax,” said Director Daryl Fransoo in a news release.
One item in the budget that got a thumbs-up from the Wheat Growers was introduction of the Saskatchewan Value-added Agriculture Incentive program. “Encouraging business investment to expand the provincial agricultural portfolio through crushing, milling and processing increases job opportunities and other value-add opportunities here in Saskatchewan,” said Fransoo.
STF
“It’s a start, but there’s much more work to be done,” was the reaction from Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation President Patrick Maze.
The news release from STF noted the budget increased money to the province’s 27 school divisions by 1.4 percent, including $14.5 million to cover enrolment and inflationary increases. While the money was welcomed, Maze did not sound particularly enthusiastic.
“A 1.4 percent increase in the overall education budget is barely sufficient to deal with the enrolment and inflationary pressures we’ve experienced since the austerity budget of 2017,” Maze said.
“Today’s budget at least provides some evidence the Minister has heard the serious concerns raised by STF members about the lack of supports available in classrooms across the province.”
Unions
The harshest reactions to the budget came from the province’s labour unions.
“This budget continues the drastic underfunding of our public services while corporations and high-income earners continue to get off the hook by not paying their fair share,” said Tom Graham, President of Canadian Union of Public Employees - Saskatchewan, in that news release. “And let me be crystal clear: It was not this government that balanced the budget, but the working people of Saskatchewan who have had to pay more and get less.”
“The Sask. Party government missed an opportunity to create the good jobs that our economy needs,” said Saskatchewan Federation of Labour President Lori Johb in a news release, pointing to the need for jobs that “are long-term, pay a decent wage, include benefits, and allow people to retire with dignity.”
The SFL suggested the government sign fair deals for workers in the public sector, end privatization, increase public services, have a plan to phase-in a 415/hour minimum wage, and raise corporate and high-income tax rates.
The Saskatchewan Government Employees Union took a more “cautiously optimistic” tone, in their words.
“It’s about time the Sask. Party is finally starting to listen to us and the people of Saskatchewan that years of staff and service cuts have been very harmful to the province,” said SGEU President Bob Bymoen in a statement.
But Bymoen said there was “still a long way to go” to bring front line services and staffing levels back to where they were.
“Unfortunately, with this government, the devil is in the details; what they say doesn’t always become reality. We are somewhat encouraged to see them say they are putting more funds into new staff in corrections and social services, but we will believe it when we see it. And after years of cuts, this is only a partial solution to restoring services and the workers who deliver them.”
