Revenues are down and expenses are up, but the provincial government avoided any tax increases in today’s budget that outlines its plans to spend just over $14 billion in the next year.
Nearly $190 million will be devoted to improve the quality of life for Saskatchewan’s First Nations and Metis people.
The grand total is $189.2 million, a modest 2.4% increase over last year. The biggest increase is a doubling of funding from $3 million to $6 million to pay for initiatives contained in the final report of the Joint Task Force on First Nations and Metis Education and Employment.
Finance Minister Ken Kravetz says it will make a difference:
“We have a strategic plan overall to ensure that First Nations and Metis people can take advantage of opportunities whether they are in job opportunities or educational opportunities, so we have doubled the funding from last year’s $3 million to $6 million this year — and I think it is going to bring about some very positive results.”
Opposition Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon is not so sure. He says the money is not nearly enough to make any meaningful progress to close the gap and improve employment outcomes for Saskatchewan’s growing Aboriginal population:
“We see again just a small fraction of an investment in advancing the recommendations of the task force, so that is inadequate.”
The budget does include money for the renewal of Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital, as well as planning for more long-term care beds in La Ronge.
Gaming agreements will also provide $3 million more in funding, increasing to $76.6 million.
But there are also some funding cuts. Northern engagement loses its $500,000 budget, while the First Nation and Metis Engagement Fund will be cut from $900,000 to $400,000 and funding for First Nations and Metis initiatives and institutions will be cut $600,000 to $29.2 million.
Money for Treaty Land Entitlement is also way down from $2.2 million to $400,000 — but that is largely because the number of outstanding claims is way down.