Saskatchewan Minute: Housing Recommendations, Inflation Rate, and a Financial Literacy Course

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

This Week In Saskatchewan:

• Saskatchewan’s Grade 10 students are taking a new financial literacy course. Financial Literacy 10 aims to equip students with essential personal finance skills to make informed decisions and support the province's economic growth. The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with local education councils, is providing professional development sessions for teachers to implement the curriculum effectively. Saskatchewan Distance Learning (Sask DLC) is also supporting the rollout by offering free online resources for educators. Feedback from teachers will help finalize the curriculum by January 2026.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan government is touting its low inflation rate, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August 2024 showing just a 1.1% increase over the previous year, the lowest among all provinces and well below the national average of 2%. Officials attribute this to the Province's refusal to implement the carbon tax. Saskatchewan’s real GDP reached a record high of $77.9 billion in 2023, growing by 1.6%, ranking second in the country. Private capital investment is expected to rise by 14.4% in 2024, the highest projected increase in Canada.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commission is investigating two cases of unauthorized access to private records. In the first case, three Saskatoon police officers were found snooping through the service’s records management system for personal, non-work-related information, affecting nine individuals. The Saskatoon Police Service acknowledged the breach and committed to following the Commissioner’s recommendations. In a separate case, a pharmacy student at the University of Saskatchewan accessed the medical records of 114 people during an internship.

Last Week In Saskatchewan:

• The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan has withdrawn from the Métis National Council due to concerns with the Métis Nation of Ontario's membership practices. The Saskatchewan group argues that the Ontario organization includes individuals who do not meet the historical definition of Métis, and this undermines the council's original mandate. This decision follows a similar departure by the Manitoba Métis Federation over the same issue. The withdrawal raises questions about the future of the national council, as it now lacks sufficient founding members to hold meetings. Despite the split, the council expressed a commitment to continuing its advocacy work.
  
  
• Ahead of the upcoming provincial election, stakeholders in Saskatchewan's housing sector have released a policy blueprint aimed at addressing housing affordability. The document, titled "Secure Homes, Strong Future," calls for the next provincial government to implement several measures, including reducing the provincial sales tax on new construction and reinstating home renovation tax credits. With the province's population growth straining housing supply, leaders are emphasizing the urgent need for more housing units to meet rising demand. Finance Minister Donna Harpauer said that the province will review and evaluate all recommendations, though it is unlikely that every suggestion will be adopted.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative, a long-standing organization supporting filmmakers in the province, has announced that it will temporarily close due to a $60,000 deficit. The closure is expected to last until April 1st, 2025, during which time the cooperative plans to develop a new strategic plan and hire new leadership. While the organization is closed, it will still offer volunteer-based services to help filmmakers.