Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili says the high cost of energy continues to be a major concern for northern residents.
Meili was in La Ronge Wednesday for a short visit.
The NDP Leader said the problem has been exacerbated by SaskPower’s recent decision to cancel its net metering program.
“The other thing we’re hearing a lot about is affordability,” he said. “In this area, power bills have been going way up and that’s something that’s a challenge for people. And we’re seeing the Sask. Party, as people are trying to lower their power bills by getting into solar, they’re not continuing with that program, that’s a real concern.”
Meili and a group of NDP MLAs, including Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette, made stops at the La Ronge Health Centre, Northern Lights School Division and Northlands College.
He also said people in the north continue to be harmed by the government’s failure to put forward a suicide prevention strategy.
“We know that across the province mental health is a growing challenge and in particular in northern communities, who’ve seen economic hard times, are seeing lots of social challenges and the suicide rates among our young people are way, way too high.”
Vermette put forward a private member’s bill on a suicide prevention strategy in the last sitting of the Legislature but it was defeated by the government.
With files from David Smith.
(PHOTO: Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette, left, and Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili, right. Photo by David Smith.)