Saskatchewan Minute: Arbitration Dates, Job Statistics, and a School Cellphone Ban

Saskatchewan Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Saskatchewan politics.

This Week In Saskatchewan:

• The Province says that new labour force statistics are positive and indicative of a strong provincial economy. With a 5.4% unemployment rate, the lowest in Canada, and 22,900 new jobs added year-over-year as of July, the province is outperforming the national average. Employment grew by 3.9% in Saskatoon and 1.8% in Regina, with notable increases in wholesale trade, education, and health care jobs. Saskatchewan also leads in low inflation and saw significant gains in retail trade and construction investments.
  
  
• A global potash company based in Saskatchewan is urging a speedy resolution to the potential rail strike that could disrupt Canada's supply chain. The Canada Industrial Relations Board has ruled that rail workers are non-essential, allowing for a possible strike starting August 22nd. This decision could halt the transportation of critical goods like chlorine and propane. Saskatchewan-based Nutrien warns that such a disruption might negatively impact food security and agricultural operations globally.
  
  
• Saskatchewan is launching two new incentive programs to boost the development of critical minerals in the province. The Critical Minerals Processing Investment Incentive and the Saskatchewan Critical Minerals Innovation Incentive will provide $500 million in funding until 2029. Companies must invest at least $10 million to qualify for incentives. The programs aim to enhance the mining of minerals like lithium, helium, copper, and zinc.

Last Week In Saskatchewan:

• The Saskatchewan government said it will ban cellphone use in classrooms for all students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 starting in the 2024-25 school year. High school teachers can request exemptions from school administration for specific instructional needs. Students with medical or special learning requirements can also apply for exemptions. School boards will manage the implementation, aiming to minimize distractions and improve learning environments.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) and the provincial government have set dates for binding arbitration hearings to resolve their ongoing contract dispute. The hearings will be held from December 16th to 20th in Saskatoon, with Daniel Ish, a former law professor, serving as the arbitrator. This process involves a neutral third party reviewing proposals from both sides and issuing a final, binding decision. The arbitration follows months of contentious negotiations and job actions by teachers, who have been without a contract since August 2023. The move to arbitration came after teachers rejected a second contract offer from the government.
  
  
• Saskatchewan has started to transition to a new 911 system, allowing people to send photos and videos when reporting emergencies. The Province is the first to shift all its primary 911 centers to the Next Generation 9-1-1 network, meeting a new federal requirement. The upgrades are being paid for by the 911 service fee.