Fulfilling its election commitments, living within its means and keeping the province moving forward - those are the principles outlined today by the Saskatchewan government in the first Throne Speech of its second term of office.
Premier Brad Wall said the Throne Speech outlines the government's plan to keep the commitments it made in the recent provincial election campaign. These include:
- continued economic and population growth;
- further improvements to Saskatchewan's highways;
- improving the availability and affordability of housing;
- introducing a new Saskatchewan First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit;
- extending the Active Families Benefit to all children under 18;
- introducing a new Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship available to all new high school graduates starting in 2012;
- introducing a new Saskatchewan Advantage Grant for Education Savings to help parents save for their children's education;
- increasing support for low-income seniors through the Seniors Income Plan;
- introducing a new Seniors Personal Care Home Benefit to assist low-income seniors with the cost of residing in a personal care home;
- adding 2,000 new childcare spaces;
- improving support for persons with disabilities by increasing both support levels and access to the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability program;
- increasing support for autism;
- continuing to reduce surgical wait times;
- improving access to health care services in rural communities;
- improving services for persons with diabetes;
- making communities safer by hiring new police officers to closely monitor repeat offenders;
- continuing to improve Saskatchewan's provincial parks; and
- introducing a new $2,500 per year Community Rinks Affordability Grant.
"These measures will keep our province moving forward and will make life more affordable for Saskatchewan people," Wall said. "Most importantly, they are sustainable and will be achieved within a balanced budget."
The Throne Speech also outlined the government's legislative priorities, which includes legislation to:
- extend notice periods for rent increases from one month to a year for rental property owners who chose not to participate in the tenant assistance initiative established by the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Industry Association;
- strengthen the enforcement of maintenance orders;
- increase penalties for those who fail to pay fines;
- strengthen the ability of corrections officers to crack down on drug-related, gang-related and other illegal activity within our correctional institutions;
- more clearly define the powers and responsibilities of the Children's Advocate;
- introduce degree granting legislation providing more opportunities for our students while protecting the tradition of excellence associated with Saskatchewan degrees;
- streamline the business registration process across the three western provinces under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement; and
- ensure that any future provincial election campaigns do not overlap with a federal election campaign.
The fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly is expected to last two weeks - enough time to debate and pass the Throne Speech and introduce several pieces of legislation that will be passed during the spring sitting.
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For more information, contact:
Kathy Young
Executive Council
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0425
Email: kathy.young@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-526-8927
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