THRONE SPEECH 2024: A NEW BEGINNING
The first session of the new Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly opened today with a Throne Speech that promised a new beginning.
Premier Scott Moe said the Throne Speech responds to the two messages that voters delivered in the recent provincial election.
"Many Saskatchewan people voted to re-elect our government to keep our economy strong and our future bright, while many others voted for change," Moe said. "My government will deliver both."
The Throne Speech focuses on two specific areas where Moe said the government needs to do better: health and education.
In health, the government will:
- Shorten surgical wait times by ensuring that 450,000 surgeries are performed over the next four years;
- Open additional urgent care centres in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Regina to provide timely access to mental health and addictions services and take pressure off emergency rooms in hospitals;
- Continue to increase the number of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals in Saskatchewan;
- Work to ensure everyone in Saskatchewan has access to a primary health provider - a doctor or a nurse practitioner - by the end of 2028;
- Engage with nurses throughout the province by creating a patient-focused nursing task force;
- Provide women with the option to do cervix self-screening at home for the human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer; and
- Expand coverage for glucose monitoring to seniors ages 65 and older and young adults ages 25 and under.
In education and child care, the government will:
- Expand its specialized support classroom pilot to 200 more schools throughout the province;
- Focus on improving reading levels, specifically in Kindergarten to Grade 3;
- Increase funding to school divisions and add more teachers and support staff to help meet the pressures of growing student enrolment and the challenges of classroom complexity; and
- Provide funding for 12,000 additional new childcare space developments.
The Throne Speech also delivers on the government's election campaign commitments to make life more affordable. These include:
- The largest personal income tax reduction since 2008;
- Increasing the Low-Income Tax Credit by 20 per cent;
- Removing the carbon tax on home heating for another year;
- Doubling the Active Families Benefit;
- Creating a Home Renovation Tax Credit;
- Increasing the First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit;
- Increasing the Personal Care Home Benefit by $1000 a month;
- Increasing the Disability Tax Credit, the Disability Tax Credit supplement and the Caregiver Tax Credit by 25 per cent; and
- Increasing the Graduate Retention Plan benefit by 20 per cent to a maximum of $24,000.
Moe said Bill 1 of the new legislative session will be The Saskatchewan Affordability Act - legislation to enact the government's campaign commitments to make life more affordable.
"We will also fulfil our campaign commitment to strengthen The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act and other legislation to provide the police with additional authority to shut down nuisance properties and address disruptive behaviour on public property," Moe said.
"This is in addition to many other steps our government is taking to make our communities and neighbourhoods safer - more police officers, more mental health support and more access to recovery spaces."
The Throne Speech also includes the rest of the government's campaign commitments, including:
- Keeping the small business tax at one per cent;
- Creating a young entrepreneur bursary;
- Developing a new investment tax incentive;
- Creating a new $5,000 Class 1 Truck Driver Training rebate;
- Doubling the Community Rink Affordability Grant to $5,000 per ice surface; and
- Creating a new School Playground Equipment Fund to help fund 50 per cent of the cost of new playground projects.
The Throne Speech also includes a commitment to work to improve the tone and decorum of the Legislative Assembly.
"The recent election and this Throne Speech mark a new beginning for our government," Moe said. "We will work to deliver on all the commitments we made in the election campaign and we will work to address those areas where voters told us we need to do better."
CELEBRATING EDUCATION WEEK IN SASKATCHEWAN
This year's Education Week theme is Learning is a Journey. Join the Government of Saskatchewan during the week of November 24 to 30, 2024, as we celebrate student success and the important role education professionals play in guiding, teaching, inspiring and shaping the minds of Saskatchewan learners.
We encourage communities, schools and school divisions across Saskatchewan to use this week to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our students. This week we also honour the teachers and school staff who positively impact our students, our future and our province through education.
"Education inspires a passion to learn, encourages creativity, teaches teamwork and helps build the next generation of leaders and innovators," Education Minister Everett Hindley said. "Thank you to our dedicated education professionals for providing our students with the skills, knowledge and opportunities they need to experience the best journey of learning and growth."
The Government of Saskatchewan would also like to celebrate and acknowledge approximately 1,300 school bus drivers who ensure over 70,000 Saskatchewan students get to and from school safely each day by proclaiming November 25, 2024, as Bus Driver Appreciation Day. School bus drivers are an essential part of the education system as they ensure students can access the learning opportunities they need to thrive.
WINTER SAFETY CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES A NEW HIGHWAY HOTLINE AD
The Ministry of Highways officially launched its winter safety campaign with a new Highway Hotline ads about its new road condition terminology and a reminder about how to keep snowplow operators and drivers safe.
"I would like to thank everyone who checks the Highway Hotline to help them make an informed decision before they travel," Highways Minister David Marit said. "Knowing current road conditions and maintaining respectful distances from snowplows and other motorists help everyone arrive safely at their destinations."
Winter Safety Campaign Launches and a New Highway Hotline Ad | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan
