Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili says now is the time to invest in critical infrastructure to help beat COVID-19.
He says it’s important that the province invest in hospitals to cut down wait times and invest in schools to decrease class sizes to help curb the spread of the virus.
Meili says the Sask. Party has put the province in a bad spot to fight the second wave of COVID-19.
“So far, Scott Moe’s plan has seems to be just to cross his fingers and hope for the best, unfortunately, he has no plan to make the investments we need to ensure that people in the province are safe, and that our economy can whether the storm,” said Meili. “Instead, all he’s offering the people of Saskatchewan is more cuts, deep cuts to healthcare and education. What Scott Moe and the Sask. Party have in mind, is just downright dangerous.”
Meili says, if elected Premier, his plan would be:
- Making sure that families get the care they need, including seniors in our long-term care facilities, with a $100 million investment to end short-staffing in primary, acute and long-term care.
- Reducing class sizes, making schools safer by hiring more teachers, EAs and caretakers with a $125 million investment.
- Creating 8,800 new childcare spaces to increase access for working families in this critical time, and making childcare more affordable with $25/day childcare.
- Making our healthcare facilities and schools safer by increasing spending by 50 percent to begin clearing the $5 billion deferred maintenance backlog.
Meili says his plan shows the leadership that the province needs during the pandemic.
“We’re not yet out of the woods, we need an NDP government who recognizes the challenges we face, has a plan to address them, and will make the investments to put people first,” said Meili. “This is action that can’t wait, now is the time to invest in keeping people safe and getting our economy moving again.”
With the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the province, Meili encouraged people to keep practising proper hygiene and following provincial health guidelines.