With snow across our province, just a good reminder spring is hopefully on the way!
DID YOU KNOW?
One of the first signs of spring is the beautiful prairie crocus. (we all anxiously await seeing these crocus')
Growing in locations with plenty of sun (like open prairie, roadsides and hillsides), prairie crocuses often bloom before the snow is gone, adding some colour to the landscape. It’s saucer shaped blooms create a nice cozy place for insects to warm up helping them survive the early spring.
By blooming so early, the crocus guarantees itself the attention of available pollinators, like small bees and other insects. The crocus attracts them with the abundance of pollen in their bright yellow centres.
LEGISLATIVE REPORT
Strong and growing communities are the foundation of a strong and growing province. That’s why Saskatchewan’s 2024-25 Provincial Budget invests in our province’s strong and growing communities - so that Saskatchewan can continue to grow and remain the best place to live, work and raise a family.
For cities, towns, villages and municipalities throughout Saskatchewan, the budget provides a record increase of $42.4 million in Municipal Revenue Sharing. This is an increase of 14.2 per cent from last year for a total of $340.2 million in unconditional support for municipalities in the province.
Municipal Revenue Sharing was introduced in our government’s first budget in 2008 to help support municipalities across the province. This funding is provided predictably with no strings attached because locally-elected leaders are most familiar with the needs of their communities.
An additional $350.1 million – an increase of $2 million – will be directed to infrastructure programs in the province, including funding for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, Canada Community-Building Fund and the New Building Canada Fund.
The budget also provides a $900,000 increase to the Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency for total funding of $12.3 million to maintain its capacity for property inspections.
Investing in municipal and regional transportation infrastructure is a large priority in this year’s budget. A $29.5 million investment will support municipalities and industry partners in making investments in the provincial transportation system, supporting economic growth and safety on rural and municipal roads.
Funding from this year’s budget will also support community airport improvements and help short line railways maintain and upgrade their networks. Transportation infrastructure is important in keeping our families safe while travelling, connecting communities, and getting our exports to market, helping to further grow Saskatchewan’s communities.
Community safety remains a priority for our government and will receive significant investments in this year’s budget. The budget for the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety is $719.4 million. Together, they will work to maintain and promote public safety in Saskatchewan communities.
More than $228 million will fund RCMP operations in the province, an increase of $4.3 million, while the RCMP’s First Nations Policing Program will receive $21.6 million. The budget also provides $23.1 million for 160 municipal police positions, including 17 Combined Traffic Services positions funded by SGI and other public safety initiatives.
The budget includes $7 million for the Saskatchewan Marshals Service to continue implementation and hiring; the Marshals are expected to begin operations in 2026. The ministry will also receive $200,000 to enhance and expand the Saskatchewan Police College.
An investment of more than $250 million will be provided to the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General to support the province’s justice services and community wellbeing, including $31.7 million for programs and services to reduce interpersonal violence.
The Saskatchewan Firearms Office will receive $12.4 million, which includes $3.0 million to establish a ballistics laboratory in Saskatoon.
The budget continues investment in First Nations and Métis communities throughout Saskatchewan. More than $255 million in targeted funding will be provided for First Nations and Métis people and organizations, which is an increase of $6.1 million over last year.
An investment of $91.2 million from gaming payments will support Indigenous-led social and economic initiatives.
To support the well-being of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ Community Response Fund invests $800,000 for grassroots organizations to develop and deliver projects that help prevent violence and promote safety.
In an effort to continually enhance consultations related to the duty to consult, the budget provides an increase of $930,000 to support First Nations and Métis communities in participating in the consultation process.
Our government is committed to investing in community growth, contributing to a high quality of life in communities across Saskatchewan. As we continue this work, I look forward to hearing your feedback. You can reach my constituency office at ken.cheveldayoff.mla@sasktel.net or call 306.651.7100.
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK 2024
Every April, we celebrate and recognize National Volunteer Week. It provides a chance to celebrate the vibrancy and impact of volunteerism in our communities. Saskatchewan is well known for the importance of every volunteer and each contribution they make in so many aspects of our communities.
This year's theme, Every Moment Matters resonates with me as I witness so many acts of volunteerism right here in our constituency of Saskatoon Willowgrove.
Whether it is participating in community groups, connecting with a senior, organizing food drives or garage sales, coaching teams, it starts with grassroots community groups. The examples are endless and the individual acts of volunteering and participation create major impacts to many.
Volunteering matters. Thank you to the many volunteers for your spirit and commitment to making our communities vibrant places to live, work and raise a family. Let's recognize and celebrate every volunteer for their contribution to strength the well-being in our communities and throughout our province.
This week, the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal was presented to 10 recipients by Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty.
CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND DEDICATION OF OUR VOLUNTEERS
The Government of Saskatchewan is joining Sask Sport, SaskCulture and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association in thanking our province's volunteers and celebrating their accomplishments.
Across the country, April 14 to 20 is being celebrated as National Volunteer Week. This year's National Volunteer Week theme is Every Moment Matters.
"National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize the incredible contributions that more than 330,000 volunteers in communities across Saskatchewan make to our quality of life," Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said. "Saskatchewan is well known across the nation for our volunteer ethic, as almost one out of every three Saskatchewan residents volunteer in some way."
Celebrating the Contributions and Dedication of Our Volunteers | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan
