A NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS!
It is an exciting time of year as teachers and students head back to the classroom. I wish everyone a great school year.
Please be aware of the new school zone speed limits and take extra caution everyone as kids head back to school.
I came across a few back to school tips for parents that I am happy to share: Of course, these won't be applicable to everyone.
1. Prepare and plan ahead of time
One of the most crucial back-to-school tips for parents is to first make a list of items that contains all of the necessary clothing, lunch boxes, backpacks, and materials that can be purchased ahead of time. Make sure you don’t go shopping at the last minute.
2. Plan bedtime and wake-up routine in advance
Starting a bedtime routine two weeks prior the start of school is an important back-to-school tip for parents. Preparing children for bedtimes will help them stick to a regular sleeping routine and will relieve you of one concern. Make sure your kid receives a minimum 8-10 hours of sleep each night.
3. Prepare a weekly meal planner and to-do list
The easiest strategy to ensure a stress-free morning routine is to prepare a to-do list for an entire week including the meal preparation and your kids outfits, and keeping a watch on your kids weekly school time-table. This will save your and your kids last minute hustle bustle.
4. Prepare a safety first mindset
The safety first approach is a crucial aspect of preparing your children for the first day of school. Make sure your children are aware of the surroundings as well as their own physical safety. The parents should teach their younger ones their name, how to spell it, their phone number, and the phone number of a responsible adult.
5. Communication is the key
Communicate with your kids to know their sentiments, and how you can offer help to make their first day of school a memorable one. This discussion will make your kid’s back to school journey cheerful.
6. Meet the new teachers
It is critical to visit your child’s school at least one week before the start of the new school year. Allow your child to become acquainted with the new classrooms and new teachers. Try to find a way to meet with the teachers one-on-one.
7. Discuss bullying with your children
Teach your kids to deal with bullies by reporting them to a teacher, counselor, or yourself. Explain to them the harmful effects caused by bullying. Make sure they respect their batch mates.
8. Setup a storage unit
Setup a storage unit by choosing an appropriate location to store everything relevant to school, such as your kids outfits, bags, and school accessories. This method will help you and your kids to locate the things whenever needed. Allow your kids to stock the school materials and keep it clutter-free.
9. Create a pleasant environment at home
It is very important to create a friendly and positive atmosphere for doing homework once school starts. Set up a permanent study room for your kids which is free from distractions and provides a peaceful and positive learning environment.
10. Create a list of enjoyable after school activities for kids
Allow your kids to participate in innovative after-school activities in addition to their homework to keep them entertained. Playing board games, creating artwork etc. are some examples.
SASKATCHEWAN ANNOUNCES AFFORDABILITY PLAN
August 23, the Government of Saskatchewan announced a four-point affordability plan to help people address the rising cost of living.
"Higher global commodity prices are driving growth in Saskatchewan's economy, creating jobs and improving our budget position," Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Donna Harpauer said, who released the province's 2022-23 First Quarter Financial Report and four-point affordability plan today. "However, higher commodity prices are also driving up the cost of almost everything you buy. Saskatchewan people own the resources. Saskatchewan people should benefit when resource prices are high. That's why we're going to use higher resource revenues to help address rising costs and to retire up to $1 billion of the province's debt."
Point one of the plan is the Saskatchewan Affordability Tax Credit payment. All Saskatchewan residents who are 18 years of age or older as of December 31, 2022, and who have filed a 2021 tax return as a resident of Saskatchewan will receive a $500 Saskatchewan Affordability Tax Credit cheque this fall.
Saskatchewan residents who have not filed a 2021 tax return are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. The cost to Government of the tax credit is estimated at $450 million, with an estimated up to 900,000 cheques to be mailed.
Point two of the plan is the removal of fitness and gym memberships and some recreational activities from the planned October PST expansion on admissions, entertainment and recreation.
PST will not be charged to residents under 18 years of age participating in recreational activities including golf, curling, hockey, tennis, basketball and similar formal sporting activities where the individual participates in a league or service where a round, game or match are completed. These activities will be taxable for individuals 18 years of age and older.
PST will not be applied to fitness classes as well as personal training and other fitness activities offered through municipal recreational facilities. PST will not be applied to arts, cultural and sports programming and league of membership fees like gymnastics fees, art classes, or acting classes, for example.
Businesses that qualify as small suppliers for GST purposes will be exempt from collecting PST.
PST will be applied to ticket admissions to sporting events, concerts, trade shows, fairs, rodeos, movie theatres, professional water parks and entertainment admissions like escape rooms, batting cages and arcades.
This change will reduce PST revenue this year by an estimated $3 million.
Point three of the plan extends the small business tax rate reduction, at 0 per cent retroactive to July 1, 2022 and delaying the restoration of the rate to 2.0 per cent to July 1, 2024. This will help small businesses as they continue to recover from the pandemic, while facing new challenges like inflationary pressures, interest rate hikes and supply chain issues.
It will save small businesses $93.1 million over the next three years, on average $3,000 for each small business. There are approximately 31,000 small businesses in Saskatchewan.
Point four is the retirement of up to $1 billion in operating debt.
Debt is now forecast to be $1.7 billion lower by fiscal year-end than projected at budget, the province's projected surplus provides the ability to retire up to $1 billion in debt, and the province no longer needs to borrow for operations due to the improved financial position.
Debt retirement and lower borrowing results in lower financing charges due to an estimated $49 million decrease in interest costs.
"Helping Saskatchewan people through a time of higher costs, as well as taking the prudent measure of retiring debt, strikes the right balance and helps our province move forward," Harpauer said. "That's growth that works for everyone."
Information about the Saskatchewan Affordability Tax Credit (SATC) and PST changes is available online at www.saskatchewan.ca/affordablity and at Tax Information Updates. The Ministry of Finance tax information line is 1-800-667-6102 for information on the SATC and PST changes. Individuals can also email satc@gov.sk.ca for information about the SATC.
