2024 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S POST SECONDARY TEACHING AWARD RECIPIENTS
Four of Saskatchewan's top post-secondary educators are receiving the Lieutenant Governor's Post-Secondary Teaching Award for excellence in teaching and commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative student experiences.
"I am grateful to the Ministry of Advanced Education for administering these awards, which help bring attention to the importance of expert educators in the field of post-secondary education," Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty said. "I congratulate this year's recipients, who have distinguished themselves by exhibiting exceptional skill and enthusiasm for their work."
The 2024-25 recipients are:
- Shannon Forrester, University of Saskatchewan - Distinguished Teaching Award.
- Dr. Amrinderbir Singh, University of Saskatchewan - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Teaching Award.
- Dr. Colin Laroque, University of Saskatchewan - Indigenous Teaching Excellence Award.
- Dr. Benjamin Hoy, University of Saskatchewan - Innovative Teaching Award.
"I extend my sincere thanks and congratulations to the exceptional educators and leaders being recognized today for their commitment to student success," Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. "We should all be proud of the world class post-secondary sector in Saskatchewan and a large part of that is due to the academic faculty and staff who support our students and prepare them for rewarding careers in our province."
2024 Lieutenant Governor's Post Secondary Teaching Award Recipients | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan
GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN INTRODUCES MORE AFFORDABILITY MEASURES
The Government of Saskatchewan is taking action to ensure the province remains the most affordable place to live, work, raise a family and start a business in Canada.
Following up its commitment in the recent provincial election, the government introduced The Saskatchewan Affordability Act in the Legislative Assembly today. The Act will enhance Saskatchewan's status as the most affordable place in Canada to live, work, raise a family and start a business by implementing 13 affordability commitments.
"During the recent election campaign, we heard concerns from Saskatchewan citizens about the cost-of-living pressures they are facing today," Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Jim Reiter said. "We know these issues are not unique to our province, but we are taking action to make life more affordable for all Saskatchewan residents and families, while ensuring we still maintain a strong economy."
The Saskatchewan Affordability Act introduces the largest personal income tax reduction in the province since 2008 by raising the personal exemption, spousal exemption, child exemptions and the seniors supplement by $500 a year, for the next four years. This is in addition to annually indexing the province's income tax brackets and basic tax credits to offset the impacts of inflation.
These changes will allow a family of four earning $100,000 to save more than $3,400 over the next four years, while two seniors with a combined income of $75,000 will save more than $3,100. Upon full implementation, over 54,000 residents will no longer be paying provincial income tax.
The Saskatchewan Low-Income Tax Credit will also increase by five per cent annually for each of the next four years, in addition to annual indexation adjustments. This will benefit more than 300,000 individuals and families in our province.
"The Saskatchewan Affordability Act will reduce income taxes for every resident, family and small business in our province," Reiter said. "It also includes additional targeted reforms that will support seniors, families with children, new post-secondary graduates, persons with disabilities, caregivers, first-time homebuyers and people undertaking home renovation projects."
This legislation will also make homeownership more affordable. For those setting down roots in their communities, the Saskatchewan First-Time Homebuyers Credit maximum benefit will increase by 50 per cent. The Home Renovation Tax Credit will allow homeowners to save up to $420 per year in home renovation expenses, while seniors undertaking home renovations will be able to save up to $525.
To help ensure Saskatchewan remains one of the best places to grow a small business, the small business tax rate will remain at one per cent. More than 35,000 small businesses in the province will benefit from this change, saving more than $50 million in corporate income tax annually.
The Saskatchewan Affordability Act will benefit persons with disabilities and caregivers. The Disability Tax Credit and the Disability Tax Credit supplement for children under 18 will both increase by 25 per cent, in addition to indexation. The Caregiver Tax Credit will also increase by 25 per cent, in addition to indexation, which provides financial support for families who care for adult children or parents with physical or mental impairments.
Other measures in The Saskatchewan Affordability Act include:
- Doubling the Active Families Benefit, and the income threshold to qualify for that benefit, making it more affordable for more families to access children's sports, arts, cultural and recreational activities.
- To help ensure more young people stay to live and work in Saskatchewan, the Graduate Retention Program's tax credit benefits will increase by 20 per cent.
The commitments in The Saskatchewan Affordability Act are in addition to the more than $2 billion in affordability measures already included in each and every provincial budget. Additional affordability initiatives will be released in the 2025-26 Provincial Budget, including increasing the Personal Care Home Benefit; increasing the earned income amount for the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) Program; offering a refundable tax credit toward the costs of an eligible fertility treatment; introducing the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Investment Tax Credit; and introducing a Class 1 commercial driver's licence training rebate.
WATER SECURITY AGENCY REMINDS PUBLIC TO VERIFY ICE THICKNESS THIS WINTER
With colder temperatures arriving and ice beginning to form on our waterbodies across the province, Water Security Agency (WSA) is reminding the public about ice safety. Ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness and its strength can vary considerably from one area to another. The date that ice becomes safe at a particular site varies from year to year, requiring the verification of the thickness each year as opposed to relying on past experiences.
As a guideline, you need at least 10 cm (four inches) of ice to walk on, 20 cm (eight inches) to drive a snowmobile or ATV on, 30 cm (12 inches) to drive a car or light truck on, and more than 30 cm (12 inches) to support a heavy truck.
Be aware that any activity on ice has risks and guidelines are provided to help individuals make a decision about whether to venture onto the ice. Thickness is just one consideration when evaluating ice safety. Clear, hard ice is the only ice recommended for travel.
Also avoid ice that:
- looks slushy;
- has thawed, then froze again;
- is near moving water;
- is layered, caused by sudden temperature changes; or
- has structures on it, such as pressure ridges.
Ice thickness can be unpredictable and difficult to assess at times. To be sure, always check the ice thickness before you travel on it.
GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO KEEP FEDERAL CARBON TAX OFF HOME HEATING
Keeping the Federal Carbon Tax Off SaskEnergy Bills Will Save Families $480 in 2025
Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy Jeremy Harrison introduced The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2024, which will fulfill the government's commitment in the recent provincial election to extend the carbon tax exemption on home heating.
"Our government is protecting Saskatchewan families' ability to affordably heat their homes this winter and ensuring fairness for those same families who were left out in the cold by the Prime Minister's decision to exempt the carbon tax from home heating oil," Harrison said. "Our government will keep fighting until the carbon tax is removed everywhere, on everything, for everyone."
In response to the federal government's decision to stop charging the carbon tax on home heating oil, which primarily benefits families in Atlantic Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan ensured fairness for Saskatchewan families by removing the carbon tax on home heating, effective January 1, 2024.
The removal of the federal carbon tax from residential SaskEnergy bills is saving the average Saskatchewan family approximately $400 in 2024. Due to the expected increase in the carbon tax on April 1, 2025, from $80 to $95 per tonne, the continued removal of the federal carbon tax from residential SaskEnergy bills will save the average Saskatchewan family approximately $480 in 2025.
The Bill proposes to amend The SaskEnergy Act and The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2023, to repeal a sunset clause which is set to take effect on December 20, 2024, thus ensuring that the Government of Saskatchewan remains the sole registered distributor of natural gas for the purposes of the federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act throughout 2025 and beyond.
