Prince Albert Daily Herald
The Sask Rivers Education Centre/ Daily Herald File Photo
The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division saw no surprises in the education portion of the Provincial Budget announced Tuesday in the Legislature. According to director of education Robert Bratvold the education budget was as the division anticipated.
“It recognizes that there are fiscal challenges and implications. Locally it was pretty well exactly what we got last year plus an increase to account for the payment for teacher’s collective bargaining salary increase,” Bratvold said.
According to the province’s release Tuesday, the 27 school divisions will receive $1.96 billion in school operating funding for the 2021-22 school year, an increase of $19.2 million over the previous year. This includes fully funding the 2.0 per cent salary increase as part of the Teachers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement.
What you need to know about Manitoba s 2021 budget winnipeg.ctvnews.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from winnipeg.ctvnews.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Saskatoon / 650 CKOM
Apr 6, 2021 2:25 PM
Finance Minister Donna Harpauer answers questions on the 2021-22 provincial budget on April 6, 2021. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)
COVID-19 has left Saskatchewan in a bigger hole than originally expected.
Before delivering the 2021-22 budget at the Saskatchewan legislature on Tuesday, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer said it was difficult to overstate the impact of the pandemic.
“It was not only a worldwide health crisis; the COVID-19 pandemic is also the largest shock to the Saskatchewan, Canadian, and world economies of any event since the Second World War,” Harpauer told reporters.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge that requires a significant response.”
Here are some of the ways the Saskatchewan budget, released Tuesday, could affect people in the province.
Money goes out …
The government is changing Education Property Tax mill rates for the first time since 2017, a move that’s expected to generate $12 million in revenue.
In 2021, the mill rates for the various property classes will be 1.36 per cent for agricultural, 4.46 per cent for residential, 6.75 per cent for commercial/industrial, and 9.79 per cent for resource. Those numbers previously were 1.43 per cent for agricultural, 4.12 for residential, 6.27 for commercial/industrial and 9.68 for resource.
The change will cost residential homeowners on average $18 more a year.
Saskatchewan budget projects $2.6 billion deficit this year, no balance until 2026-27
SHARE ON:
The Saskatchewan Provincial Budget was dropped Tuesday, with an anticipated $2.6 Billion deficit along with it.
In the province’s budget address, it was announced that the Government, on this plan, would see a balanced budget in 2026-27, with the deficit being lowered in increments through that time. The increments include deficits of $1.7 billion in 2022-23, $1.2 billion in 2023-24, and $770 million in 2024-25. A return to balance is expected in 2026-27.
In total, revenue would be up to $14.5 Billion, up 6.1 per cent from the original budget. However, the expense is up 6.3 per cent to $17.1 billion from the 2020-21 budget.