The Sask. Party Government released its provincial budget for the 2023-2024 year on Wednesday which saw a $1 billion surplus.
The majority of that surplus will be going toward healthcare, education, social services and assistance, and agriculture. The government is also putting down $1 billion on the province’s operating debt.
Various organizations had mixed opinions on how the budget will continue to promote “Growth that works for everyone”.
HEALTHCARE
After it was announced that $7.1 billion was being given to healthcare in the province, representatives with CUPE felt the budget failed to provide needed investments in the sector.
“Saskatchewan’s public services have been starved for years by the Sask. Party government,” said Judy Henley, President of CUPE Saskatchewan. “(Wednesday’s) budget is nowhere close to what is needed to fix the crisis our public services are facing due to years of cuts, underfunding, and privatization.”
Henley questioned exactly what the government’s plans for increased health spending would be focussed on.
“Any funding increases in healthcare need to be invested directly into the public system,and not put towards costly privatization schemes that do nothing to fix the crisis the system is facing.”
Tracy Zambory, President of SUN, says the budget was a disappointment in her new release on the SUN website.
“This budget does nothing to recognize the severity of the registered nursing shortage and the threat that poses to the safety of patients,” she says.
“There’s nothing of retention, nothing to incentivize this healthcare workforce to stay in Saskatchewan, particularly mid-career and senior nurses… We did not ask for a “travel pool” of registered nurses who would be deployed all over Saskatchewan at the whim of the employer.”
EDUCATION
The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) says they’re baffled with with the $4 billion allocated for the education sector in the provincial budget.
“Government either doesn’t understand the issues or doesn’t think they are important,” says STF President Samantha Becotte.
“I hear from parents and teachers every day. There is a serious concern for student well-being because school divisions simply don’t have enough funding to meet students’ needs. These decisions have a critical, lasting impact on the future of our province.”
Becotte says that STF was looking for an increase of 5 per cent in the budget but an increase of only 2.5 per cent was presented.
In a news release from the STF it says, “This does not keep pace with rising costs and will result in further cuts to services and supports that children need. A minimum of 5 percent was required to maintain last year’s funding levels. This comes at a time when the public school system is already struggling to manage the impact of chronic underfunding, record-high
enrolment and rising costs.”
The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) says it feels the government may fall short of covering pressures due to inflation and enrolment growth.
“The operating increase announced in the 2023-24 budget does not cover the expenses that school divisions are facing,” said Jaimie Smith-Windsor, president of the SSBA.
“This budget contributes to the existing instability and continuing erosion of the publicly funded education system and school boards are increasingly concerned about that.”
The SSBA says that the funding does not keep up with the rate of inflation and the operational funding doesn’t cover the actual costs, the funding isn’t there to pay for any investment in achieving high-quality outcomes for students.
“We have been advocating for adequate and sustainable operational funding for quite some time and we have noticed that the ability of boards to deliver services to students has been eroded over the last several years,” Smith-Windsor says.
“School boards are facing uncertainty and may have difficult decisions to make, once again.”
OTHER REACTIONS
The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce (SCC) says that it’s pleased with most aspects of the budget like seeing no new taxes or increases.
However, it says the government fell short on a few things like corporation tax reduction, PST reform, Municipal/rural Infrastructure investments including highways, internet/broadband support, as well as increased funding in healthcare and education.
“Business is the driver of Saskatchewan’s strengthening fiscal position,” said Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.
“It is critical to address PST and Corporate Tax reform to enhance competitiveness.”
The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) says the government did nothing to give workers a real raise.
“Saskatchewan workers are being overwhelmed by a cost-of-living crisis,” said Lori Johb, President of the SFL.
“Scott Moe chose not to give workers a real raise, despite raking in billions of extra dollars due to high oil prices.”
The SFL states that the Sask. Party government should have raised minimum wage and rolled back the utility hikes set to take effect April 1.
