Provincial Point of View
December 11, 2017
THE CONCLUSION OF THE FALL SITTING OF THE LEGISLATURE MARKED THE END OF AN ERA IN SASKATCHEWAN
The conclusion of the Fall Sitting of the Legislature marked the end of an era in Saskatchewan as it was final sitting for Premier Brad Wall.
Premier Wall was elected on a vision for Saskatchewan that would secure a better quality of life for its residents. Saskatchewan has seen that vision unfold during a decade of growth in which we emerged as the second-fastest growing province in Canada with a population of 1.15 million.
During that time, our growing province produced the second-best job creation record in Canada – nearly double the national rate of job growth.
The growth of our province under the leadership of Premier Brad Wall has enabled us to provide record tax relief for low-income individuals and families.
Through strategic investments we have been able to recruit and retain 750 more doctors, over 3,000 more nurses, and we have been able to reduce surgical wait times to among the shortest in Canada.
Investments in hospital projects have doubled. This includes the new Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon and the new hospitals in Moose Jaw and North Battleford.
We have opened 15 new long-term care facilities for seniors across the province and have tripled the Seniors Income Plan benefit from $90 to 270 per month.
Today there are 40 brand-new or replacement schools with investments in 25 other major school renovations.
We have hired 875 more teachers and 164 more student support teachers.
With enrolment growth of 10 per cent, we have also increased K-12 operating funding by 32 per cent.
Operating and capital funding for post-secondary institutions has increased by 40 per cent over 10 years.
We have added 6,000 new childcare spaces.
And we have more than doubled revenue sharing funding to municipalities from $127 million in 2007 to $258 million in 2017-18.
Growth has always been, and always will be, the north star for our government.
It’s all about securing a better quality of life for all Saskatchewan people. Together, by this measure, we have had some success.
Thank you, Premier Wall!
