75-Minute Debate (27 November 2025)

From Hansard (27 November 2025)

To view this section on video, click here and start play at 11:19:00 AM.

Government’s Record on Economic Growth

Megan Patterson (Sask Party - Moose Jaw Wakamow) moved the following motion:

That this Assembly supports the government’s work in creating a framework for strong economic growth.

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to speak today about the framework that this government has created for strong economic growth. Creating an environment where the private sector can flourish is actually the founding principle upon which this party was created. The first guiding principle is that economic growth and job creation through the private sector, not the government, is the engine of the economy.

We are blessed with natural resources, but it is the guiding principles of our party and the hard-working people in our province that come together to create a strong foundation for our economic framework. This government uses building blocks to elevate our strong foundation to create an ecosystem for economic growth. Important building blocks include targeted incentives, diversified markets, low costs, and stable regulations.

Our investment-attracting strategy is actually the Saskatchewan advantage. And it includes keeping our small-business tax rate low at 1 per cent, keeping utility bundle costs among the lowest in the country, and maintaining a transparent and predictable regulatory environment. In addition to the lowest small-business tax rate, Saskatchewan is one of the highest small-business income tax thresholds in Canada at 600,000.

Another important building block in our framework of economic growth is the elimination of the carbon tax. We’ve removed the carbon tax for everyone, becoming the first carbon tax-free province in Canada. This strategic policy decision makes our jurisdiction extremely attractive to energy-intense resource companies. It also makes life more affordable for families across our province.

Why is this framework to stimulate economic growth so important? Why am I talking about it for 15 minutes? Well it’s not only important, but it’s crucial because it’s only with a strong private sector that the government can generate the revenue that we need to deliver investments in health care, education, highways, and the social programs that our citizens rely on.

Another example of the targeted incentive building block is the SME [small to medium-sized enterprise] investment tax credit. I was happy to be at the SME investment tax credit announcement at Pile O’ Bones brewery. This tax credit will offer a 45 per cent non-refundable tax credit to individuals or corporations who invest in the equity of an eligible industry to assist with scaling up operations or expanding.

Another example of an important building block for economic growth is our young entrepreneur bursary program. Developed in partnership with the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, the Moose Jaw Chamber of Commerce awarded four local businesses this $5,000 bursary.

Kelsey Byers is a proud Indigenous entrepreneur and founder of Hometown Healing massage therapy. Kelsey will use this grant to grow as a young entrepreneur, deepen her experience, support community health, and strengthen Indigenous representation in health care.

Montana Falasca, another recipient, launched MontanasPhotoWorks, which is a photography and videography business specializing in lifestyle, branding, weddings, portraits, and creative storytelling. They are using the bursary dollars to expand into a creative studio and event space to offer even more value.

Rylan Wheaton Photography offers photography and videography services to individuals and businesses primarily capturing weddings, landscapes, artwork, and events.

The final recipient of this bursary in Moose Jaw was Kolter Mealing. He runs The Blue Line Hockey Shop, which is a quick, one-stop hockey shop offering skate sharpening, profiling, and equipment repairs, with a focus on custom skate comfort and fit. With this bursary they are expanding fitting services and are enhancing their customer rewards system to recognize customer loyalty and add value for every athlete in Moose Jaw.

These economic building blocks that this government has put in place are supporting start-ups, but they’re also attracting strong and significant investment in our province. Examples of the recent investment in our province include of course the BHP Jansen potash mine, which is the largest single mining investment in Saskatchewan history; the commitment by K+S to double potash production at the Bethune mine; the construction of two new uranium mines, Denison mine and NexGen Energy. They’re ready to go, just awaiting federal approval.

There is a new Cargill canola crushing plant being built at the Global Transportation Hub. The Louis Dreyfus Company is more than doubling the facility’s canola crushing capacity and adding a new pea protein isolate production plant at the same site. Richardson International is doubling its Yorkton canola crush plant as well.

So many investments in this province. I have to take a break. The east central Saskatchewan net zero copper mine is another important development. This will revive base metal mining, contributing to critical mineral supplies for clean energy and electrification under a net zero emissions design.

These building blocks are working. In 2024 Saskatchewan had the second-highest level of total capital investment growth among the provinces, reaching nearly $20 billion. A strong economic framework is critical because it creates opportunities for our citizens through job creation. When businesses thrive, they employ people, support families, and invest in communities.

One of our government’s guiding principles is to provide a strong social safety net which protects those in need while encouraging individuals to become self-sufficient. It’s not about providing individuals with a hammock but a safety net, and the opportunity to reach their potential and achieve the lives they aspire to.

Our province continues to show strong labour market growth. Nearly 20,000 jobs were added year over year in March, leading the nation with a 3.4 per cent job growth rate. Saskatchewan also has the lowest unemployment rate among provinces at 4.9 per cent, well below the national average of 6.7 per cent. Mr. Speaker, our economic framework is working. Year-over-year full-time employment increased by 5,400 jobs, an increase of 1.1 per cent.

I was happy to have the opportunity to bring greetings on behalf of this government at the SaskAbilities event celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month, otherwise known as DEAM. The goal of DEAM is to promote and bring awareness to the economic benefits of hiring people with disabilities.

A quote from Elle’s Cafe, an inclusive employer, that she had about her employee Colton, who is legally blind:

Colton’s unwavering determination and his positive and grateful attitude became a daily source of motivation for our entire team. He demonstrated that many obstacles can evolve into chances for growth and wisdom. This has motivated us all to surpass our own limits when facing challenges that seem minor in comparison.

Inclusive employment is another building block in our economic framework. The Accessible Saskatchewan Act came into force in December of 2023. This Act will work to remove barriers in the workplace, enabling individuals with disabilities to contribute economically and giving them a sense of purpose.

Markus is another example of an individual who benefited from inclusive employment. Markus has always wanted to work, but he couldn’t find a job that was the right fit. Then SaskAbilities came into his life, and he realized he could be happy working part-time and using his training in interactive design and technology. Through his résumé-writing and interview skills that he learned from Partners in Employment, he secured a job at Code Ninjas.

A quote from Markus is:

Before Partners, I really had no idea of what I could handle and what I couldn’t. This was a huge issue for me. I needed to start somewhere that I could be confident, and Partners helped me find that [says Markus]. This job is something that I can actually say I’m really, really good at. I’m super stoked about going into work every day and doing a good job every day.

Inclusive employment programs like Partners in Employment are another important building block in our economic framework.

There are also more women working in Saskatchewan than ever before. Female employment reached an all-time high of almost 290,000, which is up 4.1 per cent. I am pleased to share that we have reached an agreement with the federal government on child care. We will continue to support female employment in this province and strong families through affordable child care, both of which are key building blocks in our economic framework.

This strong economic framework is also delivering in and around my constituency in Moose Jaw Wakamow. At the Moose Jaw night at the legislature we highlighted several businesses that have taken advantage of our business-friendly ecosystem.

Simpson Seeds took advantage of a targeted incentive to build a new pulse processing facility. Donald’s Fine Foods was also represented. They made a multi-million-dollar commitment to open a new sow harvest and processing facility in our community, the first new pork processing facility in Canada in over a decade. Once fully operational, they expect to employ nearly 500 people in Moose Jaw.

Companies like JGL and Golden West Trailer continue to expand their businesses, hire more people, and make significant investments in our community, such as a $30,000 sponsorship that both companies made, totalling $60,000, to sponsor the Rockefeller Christmas tree and the Moose Jaw Health Foundation. This government will continue to create a framework with the necessary building blocks to foster innovation, growth, and economic security for Saskatchewan families.

The steady and decisive leadership of our Premier is at the helm of our strong economic framework. He provides the clarity and consistency and determination that Saskatchewan needs to compete and thrive. Our Premier has been tireless in advocating for new trade opportunities from potash and pulse crops to uranium, opening trade offices and doors in key markets around the world. We now export to 161 countries.

He recognizes that we won’t always see eye to eye with our partners on everything, but he understands that protecting and growing Saskatchewan’s economy requires maintaining productive relationships. His commitment to diplomacy and engagement has strengthened ties with India and other countries. It is our Saskatchewan Premier that has contributed to repairing Canada’s broader relationship with India, work that will deliver significant benefits for our country and our province.

The foundation we’ve built, grounded in the party principles that we have, strengthened by the building blocks, combined with our Premier’s strong leadership, have set the framework for strong economic growth in this province. And the results speak for themselves.

Mr. Speaker, today is a great day to be alive and a great day to live in Saskatchewan. And with that I’ll read the motion:

That this Assembly supports the government’s work in creating a framework for strong economic growth.

Thank you.

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After 65 minutes of debate, there is a 10-minute question and answer period. The following section begins at 12:28:40 in the video.

Keith Jorgenson: — Thank you so much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My question is for the member from Moose Jaw Wakamow. Could the member from Moose Jaw Wakamow please tell us why her government raised the PST from five percentage points to seven percentage points, increasing the tax burden on the people of Saskatchewan by 300 per cent?

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the question. So our government actually implemented $2.5 billion in affordability measures in this last budget, and we do it each and every year. And actually we also implemented the largest personal income tax cut in this last budget, and we actually took 54,000 families off of the income tax roll entirely.

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The following section begins at 12:33:20 in the video.

Keith Jorgenson: — Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My question is for the member from Moose Jaw Wakamow. We’ve had 68,000 young people leave our province for other provinces. If this economic framework is so successful, why are they driving our young people away?

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and thank you for the question. Actually it was when the NDP were in power that we saw the biggest outward migration in this province. I was actually one of those people. When I graduated from university, everyone left the province and so did I. But I came back.