Build and Protect. That is the theme of the Government of Saskatchewan’s 2023 Throne Speech to kick off the legislature’s fall sitting.

Premier Scott Moe explained what his government is building upon.

“We will continue to build a strong province, a strong economy, strong communities, and build strong families.”

“We will protect what we have built from risks like global uncertainty caused by wars and unrest that we see occurring around the world And protect from a federal government here at home that seems intent on shutting down many important parts of our economy.”

During the upcoming legislative session, the government announced

• To promote new home construction and help with rising costs, new homeowners will qualify for a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) rebate for new home construction, retroactive to April 1st, 2023 and introduce a secondary suite program to increase rental availability.

• Protect Saskatchewan’s economic autonomy by using The Saskatchewan First Act to refer the Federal Clean Electricity Regulations, the Clean Fuel Standard and the oil and gas emissions cap to the Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal.

Mental Health and Addictions

• Implement a new action plan for mental health and addictions, which includes the creation of 500 new addiction treatment spaces across the province
• Expand mental health services for children and youth in Estevan, Weyburn, Carlyle, Oxbow, Regina, Saskatoon, North Battleford, Humboldt, Prince Albert, Kindersely, Yorkton, Swift Current and Moose Jaw.
• Implement the new Provincial Approach to Homelessness.
• Create 30 new Complex Needs Emergency Shelter spaces in Regina and Saskatoon.

Health

• Continue to implement the Health Human Resource Action Plam to recruit, train, incentive, and retain healthcare workers across the province
• Expand the Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program to include Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton, and The Battlefords.
• Continue to reduce the pandemic-related surgical backlog.

Education

• -Continue to build new schools in Regina, Saskatoon, Lanigan, and La Loche
• Continue to expand online learning opportunities for students through the Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre.
• Continue to add more childcare spaces.

The Throne Speech also outlined several bills the government will introduce, including the raising of the legal age of smoking and vaping from 18 to 19, consistent with the age for alcohol and cannabis consumption, as well as expanding presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters to include six additional types of cancer, relieve human trafficking victims of negative credit factors incurred through coercion, and a bill to protect individuals rights to wear a poppy in all Saskatchewan workplaces.