Saskatchewan Minute: Job Growth, Flood Maps, and CRA Comes Calling

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

This Week In Saskatchewan:

• Saskatchewan is taking the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) to court over attempts to seize $28 million from the Province's bank account. This comes after the Province stopped collecting the federal carbon tax. Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre criticized Ottawa for targeting Saskatchewan's finances, alleging unfair treatment compared to exemptions to the tax granted to Atlantic Canada. The Province is seeking an injunction to halt the CRA's actions.
  
  
• The Province is raising rebates for ranchers using guard dogs, increasing the amount from $100 to $400 per dog, or the full cost of the dog if less than $400. According to the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board, the adjustment addresses increasing costs associated with maintaining these dogs, which range from $1,000 to $1,200 annually per animal. The rebate applies to approved breeds without requiring proof of training, helping ranchers mitigate losses attributed to wildlife predation, which in recent years have resulted in significant compensation payments from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation.
  
  
• Saskatchewanian Jessica Campbell is making history by becoming the first woman to join the coaching staff of an NHL franchise. She was appointed as an Assistant Coach for the Seattle Kraken. Campbell previously served as an assistant coach for Seattle’s AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley and has a strong background in player development and international coaching, including with Germany during the 2022 IIHF World Championships.

Last Week In Saskatchewan:

• SaskPower has launched Saskatchewan's inaugural battery energy storage system in Regina, aiming to enhance grid flexibility during peak demand periods in extreme weather. This $34-million project, partly funded by the federal government, utilizes large ion batteries housed in modified shipping containers at a Fleet Street substation. With capacity to power 20,000 homes for an hour, the facility represents SaskPower's initial step toward integrating 3,000 MW of renewables by 2035, with further expansion in energy storage capabilities anticipated across the province.
  
  
• The Province and the federal government have allocated $4.5 million each to enhance flood maps in Saskatchewan, supplementing an existing $9 million commitment from the Water Security Agency and Natural Resources Canada. This funding will support the development of detailed flood mapping projects, crucial for communities in planning emergency responses and identifying mitigation strategies. Communities like Moose Jaw, Regina, Melfort, Tisdale, Estevan and Cumberland House are some communities actively engaged in developing flood maps.
  
  
• Saskatchewan reported significant job growth in June, adding 14,400 new positions - 7,300 full-time and 7,100 part-time jobs - compared to the previous year. The province also reached record highs in total employment, with 619,100 people employed and a labour force of 651,100. Saskatchewan's unemployment rate dropped to 5.5%, the third-lowest nationally. Bucking national trends, Saskatchewan education, accommodation, food services, and professional services sectors saw notable job increases year-over-year.