Saskatchewan Minute: Issue 118

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

📅 This Week In Saskatchewan: 📅

• Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison says Saskatchewan welcomes the federal government's new energy strategy because it places nuclear power at the centre of Canada's plan to double electricity capacity by 2050. Speaking on Tuesday after attending Monday's strategy announcement in Newmarket, Ontario, Harrison said he appreciates Ottawa recognizing the Province's role in the global nuclear supply chain and looks forward to working with the federal government as Canada's only uranium producer. Saskatchewan currently has three active mine sites in its Athabasca Basin and recognizes 57 advanced exploration uranium properties, according to its energy and resources ministry. Earlier this month, Saskatchewan-based producer Cameco announced it is looking to raise its share of the Cigar Lake Operation to around 57.4% by acquiring just more than half of TEPCO's 5% stake in the joint venture, with partner Orano taking its share to around 42.5%. Cameco vice-president Cory Kos said there is real momentum behind nuclear unlike anything the industry has seen before, but cautioned that it takes 10 to 20 years to bring new production online. Earlier this year, Denison Mine's Wheeler River and NexGen Energy's Rook I were granted construction approval, the first new uranium mines approved in over two decades. Harrison said the Province expects its nuclear sector to keep growing.
  
  
• Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner Grace Hession David says her office will begin publicly identifying people in government and public services who willfully violate the privacy of others. In her annual report, released Thursday, Hession David said the office has adopted a zero tolerance approach for willful breaches under provincial legislation and will now name those who breach the personal information and personal health information of residents who trust institutions to keep their data safe. She framed the move as a way to raise awareness of privacy breaches, arguing that the worst consequence of a breach, whether through unwarranted snooping on databases or attacks by cyber criminals, is the loss of trust in government institutions, local authorities, and health care providers. The report also flags concerns about the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, pointing to excessive data collection, data sovereignty, and a lack of informed consent when personal information is eventually shared.
  
  
• The 2025-26 annual reports for Saskatchewan's Crown corporations, released Tuesday, showed mixed results, with SaskPower and the Saskatchewan Auto Fund reporting losses while SaskTel and SaskEnergy posted profits. SaskPower recorded a net loss of $114 million, a $190 million swing the Crown attributed to the end of the federal carbon tax on bills as of April 1st, 2025, while reporting a debt ratio of 78.9% and a capital program that included $1.1 billion on growth projects such as new generation and expanded grid capacity. SaskTel reported net income of $104.7 million on operating revenues of $1.4 billion, and SaskEnergy reported net income of $96 million, up from $82 million the previous year. The Saskatchewan Auto Fund drew down its rate stabilization reserve by $93.3 million, leaving a balance of $633.6 million, with SGI citing rising repair costs, extreme weather, and wildfires. Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison said the Province has the second-lowest utility bundle in Canada and is committed to keeping life affordable through its Crown corporations. The NDP criticized the results, with SaskPower critic Aleana Young saying the government has increased SaskPower's debt by nearly $3.8 billion over five years and is diverting Crown dividends that would otherwise fund public services. Young argued that Saskatchewan families and small businesses will pay for what she called a historic mess at the utility.
  
  
• Saskatchewan's photo speed enforcement program has stalled after the vendor that ran it, Redflex Traffic Systems operating as Verra Mobility Systems, ended its contract with SGI early and removed its equipment at the end of May. SGI, which had leased the cameras under a contract dating to 2020, described the move only as a "business decision" by the vendor and said it is working to transition to a new supplier but has not finalized a contract. The Crown corporation would not confirm whether every camera is gone, saying enforcement locations will be temporarily inactive during the transition and that drivers should assume photo enforcement remains in place. The Province has 27 camera locations, with nine cameras rotated among them, including one moved between six separate sites on Ring Road in Regina. Revenue from the program is split between the provincial General Revenue Fund, SGI's costs, the host municipality, and the Provincial Traffic Safety Fund, which funds driver safety grants elsewhere. SGI said the program issues an average of $1.3 million in fines each month when operational. The Saskatoon Police Service said it will add affected areas to its traffic enforcement rotation as time permits, while Regina police said their road safety work continues as usual.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan government has reported a third case of an inmate being mistakenly released from a provincial correctional facility since early March. A 26-year-old inmate was accidentally released from the Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford Integrated Correctional Facility on March 19th due to what officials described as an administrative error, and is now considered unlawfully at large. The inmate had been in custody on assault and confinement-related charges, though the government said she is not believed to pose a risk to public safety. The incident follows two similar mistaken releases from the Prince Albert Correctional Centre, including one involving an inmate facing weapons-related charges who was accidentally released on May 28th.

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