Legislative Report
August 10, 2023

Strong Credit Rating for Saskatchewan Affirmed

Our province has received more good news about its economy; Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed Saskatchewan’s Aa1 (stable) credit rating and outlook. Along with the AA (low) rating from DBRS Morningstar and the AA rating from S&P Global Ratings, Saskatchewan’s strong financial outlook has now been affirmed by all three major rating agencies. Our government will continue to be fiscally responsible by paying down debt while investing in programs and services that impact the lives of Saskatchewan people.

HHR Action Plan Update

One of the major priorities for our government is the health care system. Through the Health Human Resources Action Plan, our government continues to increase health care training opportunities for Saskatchewan students and graduates. As post-secondary students head back to school this fall, we wanted to remind you of some of the opportunities available for those seeking career opportunities in health care here in Saskatchewan.

Approximately 550 new training seats have been added to 18 high-priority occupations, building upon the addition of 150 nursing seats announced in 2022. The College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan has added four seats to its undergraduate program for this year as well, with plans to add another four next year.

More educational opportunities are available through interprovincial training agreements. Saskatchewan students can access 15 seats at the University of Alberta in the Speech Language Pathology program and four seats at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in the Environmental Public Health Program.

Our government recently announced a new bursary program for students and recent graduates of paramedic programs who commit to joining Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Saskatchewan. The Final Clinical Placement Bursary is available to students in eligible health disciplines and has already seen a high uptake with 100 bursaries approved since April.

Beginning later this month, Saskatchewan will begin implementing an accelerated, streamlined pathway for internationally-educated nurses that shortens licensure timeframes from months to 14 weeks. Nurse recruits from abroad will be supported through the process, from recruitment through to their work placements and settlement in a new community.

Saskatchewan is a great place to pursue a career in health care; for more information on any of these opportunities, please visit www.Saskatchewan.ca/HHR.

Drought Assistance for Producers

This year has brought dry conditions to Saskatchewan and our government is committed to supporting farmers and ranchers. The Water Security Agency (WSA) just announced it will make water and vacant land available to support farmers and ranchers. For more information, producers can contact the WSA’s Client Service Centre at 1-866-727-5420 or client.service@wsask.ca.

Earlier this summer, the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) doubled its low yield threshold, allowing farmers to salvage their cereal or pulse crops as livestock feed. For more information on this initiative, contact the SCIC at 1-888-935-0000 or visit www.scic.ca.

Our government has also reached out to the federal government and asked for an AgriRecovery assessment to determine what assistance could be provided to producers. The province also requested an early designation of the federal Livestock Tax Deferral Program to provide producers facing potential feed shortages with more options as they consider if they need to liquidate part of their herd.

Our government continues to stand up for Saskatchewan’s best interests. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact my constituency office at using the link provided on this page.