$1 billion surplus shows Sask. Party leaving workers behind

Today’s announcement that the province remains on track to report a surplus of over $1 billion while still doing nothing to address inflation and the affordability crisis shows that the Sask. Party doesn’t care about the struggle workers and their families are facing to make ends meet.

“This is a deliberate choice by the Sask. Party government to hoard money to make themselves look good instead of using this opportunity to help working people and families, and invest in health care, education and public services,” said SFL President Lori Johb. “Instead, the Sask. Party chose to move forward with tax and utility hikes while giving everyone a one-time payment that doesn’t even cover the cost of inflation and that many still have yet to receive despite the announcement being made almost four months ago.”

The SFL continues to call on the government to provide workers with relief from inflation by immediately raising the minimum wage to $15, scrapping PST and utility rate hikes, and providing relief from high fuel prices.

“These are all actions that the Sask. Party could take immediately to provide long term relief and make things easier for working people in the province,” Johb said. “The Sask. Party hasn’t been able to budget for a surplus in years. They’ve spent a decade using their deficits and poor financial planning as an excuse to hike taxes, lower wages, privatize public services and make deep cuts to health care and education.

“Now that there is money to invest, they’re choosing not to and instead are still moving forward with their usual tax hikes and cuts while leaving workers behind to face a once-in-a-generation inflation crisis on their own. It’s shameful, and it just goes to show that the Sask. Party’s priorities are all about making themselves look good and not about working people.”

Johb also said that today’s surplus announcement is also further proof that the Sask. Party’s plan to move forward with privatizing money-making public liquor stores and firing 400 workers across the province doesn’t make any sense.

“How can the Sask. Party possibly justify closing these stores and firing hundreds of dedicated, hard-working public servants while at the same time reporting that the province is facing a surplus? It makes no sense, and just goes to show that the Sask. Party cares more about moving forward with their agenda of privatization instead of actually providing good public services to the people of Saskatchewan.”