Saskatchewan Minute: Issue 102

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

📅 This Week In Saskatchewan: 📅

• Saskatchewan has joined nine other provinces and territories in signing a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen Canada’s electricity transmission infrastructure, a move officials call a “historic step” for energy security. The agreement aims to improve connections between provincial grids, unlocking economic opportunities, supporting growing demand, and enhancing reliability for communities and industry. Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison highlighted that stronger east-west transmission links will benefit Saskatchewan residents and allow the province to export power. The agreement also calls for federal support for building transmission corridors and a national strategy for a pan-Canadian grid, though Quebec has not yet signed, citing provincial jurisdiction over resources. System planners will now develop a strategy with costs and timelines for the intertie projects.
  
  
• Premier Scott Moe is praising a new $2.6-billion uranium trade deal between Canada and India, calling it beneficial for the province’s economy and Northern Saskatchewan. The agreement will have Saskatoon-based Cameco supply nearly 22 million pounds of uranium to India over nine years, from 2027 to 2035, supporting India’s 24 nuclear reactors and its plans for additional reactors. Moe highlighted the deal’s economic benefits, including employment, capital planning, investment in the north, and increased provincial royalty revenues. The trip also included agreements between Indian and Saskatchewan educational institutions and the establishment of a joint “pulse protein centre of excellence” for agricultural innovation, though tariffs on Canadian lentils and yellow peas remain unresolved.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan government has announced eligibility changes for its $10-a-day childcare program, impacting families with six-year-old children born between January 1st and April 1st. While a recent agreement extension initially appeared to broaden eligibility, daycare operators received notice that these specific children will no longer qualify for subsidized rates starting April 1st. Daycare owners expressed concern over the lack of notice, noting that sudden fee increases may violate their licensing requirements to provide one month's warning to parents. Families affected by the change could see monthly costs quadruple, rising from $217.50 to over $800. Education Minister Everett Hindley defended the new terms as a successful negotiation with the federal government, while the Saskatchewan NDP characterized the situation as a significant oversight that creates an immediate financial burden for parents.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan NDP says that the provincial government blocked the introduction of Bill 612, which seeks to reduce electricity and auto insurance costs amid rising living expenses. This legislative tension follows recent rate hikes: a 3.9% increase for SaskPower and a planned 3.75% annual increase for Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) through 2027. The opposition argues these changes disproportionately affect households reliant on vehicles and highlights a projected $1-billion provincial deficit. Conversely, the government maintains the SGI adjustment is a responsible measure to address rising vehicle repair costs after a decade of static rates. Minister Jeremy Harrison explained that while the Auto Fund previously returned surpluses to members, current financial pressures now require these increases to maintain the fund.
  
  
• Saskatchewan faces challenges with its resource-dependent budget, as oil revenue remains highly volatile. Finance Minister Jim Reiter suggests reducing this reliance, though experts describe resources as the province's "bread and butter". The 2025-26 budget estimated oil at $71 US per barrel, but prices frequently fell below this mark, with each $1 decrease costing the province $17.9 million. Opposition critics have also often dismissed projections as overly optimistic, and have noted that recent price increases are largely driven by geopolitical conflict. As the government prepares to table the next budget on March 18th, officials maintain that fiscal planning relies on the best available estimates at a specific point in time.

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