By Carol Baldwin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with the Wakaw Recorder
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the Honourable Bernadette McIntyre, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, delivered the Speech from the Throne, opening the Second Session of the Thirtieth Legislature of Saskatchewan. The speech highlighted the achievements of the government during the year and made promises of what the Premier and his Ministers plan to do in this sitting.
This year, Saskatchewan faced significant challenges due to wildfires, prompting extensive recovery efforts and support for affected residents through money allocated for evacuee support, community cleanup and temporary housing. To recognize the efforts of firefighters and emergency personnel, the Premier will be establishing and awarding the Premier’s Commendation Award to Volunteer, Municipal and Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency Fire Departments. The award recognizes personnel for their service and bravery while protecting Saskatchewan people and communities during the unprecedented 2025 wildfire season.
The speech stated that Saskatchewan boasts the strongest economy in Canada, with significant job growth and capital investment. The Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies ranked Saskatchewan first in Canada for mining investment attractiveness, and the Premier intends to maintain incentives such as the Saskatchewan Critical Minerals Innovation Incentive, the Targeted Mineral Exploration Incentive and the Saskatchewan Value-Added Agriculture Incentive.
Premier Moe has sought to reset the province’s relationship with Ottawa by giving the Prime Minister a Strong Saskatchewan, Strong Canada Plan. The Prime Minister, the speech reads, has “committed to addressing Saskatchewan’s concerns and moving forward on nation-building projects that benefit both the Saskatchewan and Canadian economies.”
Furtherto creating a stronger Canada, the promise behind The Saskatchewan Internal Trade Promotion Act is to encourage freer trade within the country and strengthen both Saskatchewan and Canadian economies by reducing interprovincial trade barriers for goods and services.
The speech underlined that the government is committed to making life more affordable for Saskatchewan residents through various tax cuts and benefits. Ongoing affordability measures include raising benefits for seniors, low-income residents, and first-time homebuyers. Significant personal income tax cuts for families having a combined income of $100,000 have resulted in these families saving nearly $3,000 since 2007, and the Throne Speech promises to increase those savings to nearly $4,000 by 2028.
Premier Moe states that his government is enhancing safety and security in communities by addressing drug-related crime and increasing police presence. The introduction of the Response to Illicit Drugs (RID) Act to address drug-related issues, the expansion of addiction treatment facilities and support systems for individuals struggling with addiction, and the Compassionate Intervention Act, which will require individuals whose addiction is creating a threat to themselves and others to enter an addiction treatment program, will help keep communities safe and secure.
As well, new measures to protect against online abuse and violence will include The Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act, which will amend the definition of interpersonal violence to include coercive or controlling behaviour, and online stalking and harassment.
To ensure Saskatchewan students receive quality learning experiences and support, the government promises to provide funding to focus on improving reading outcomes for Kindergarten to Grade 3 students, expand specialized support classrooms, and make the process of building schools faster by introducing the Building Schools Faster Act. This Act will require municipalities to acquire and service sufficient land for the construction of new schools where municipal reserve space is not able to cover the land needs of new schools.
To improve healthcare, the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency is actively recruiting healthcare professionals in the United States and other countries by highlighting the benefits of practicing in Saskatchewan, with a goal of ensuring every resident has access to a primary healthcare provider by 2028. As well, the government has accelerated nursing training, assessment and licensing to make it easier for international health professionals to start their new careers here.
The government states it is responding to challenges faced by agricultural producers with new support programs and regulations, including changes to the AgriStability program, which increased compensation rates for losses by 10 percent and the new farmland security regulations to protect local ownership and prevent foreign ownership. Amendments to the Animal Protection Act will include the creation of animal welfare inspector positions.
Major projects, including hospitals, schools, and highway improvements, are demonstrations of the government’s investment in infrastructure to meet the needs of the province’s growing population.
Finally, the government commits to recognizing the diverse cultures and contributions of Saskatchewan’s residents, and the introduction of the From Many Peoples, Strength Act will allow for permanent recognition of diverse special cultural days, weeks, or months in a celebration of the province’s cultural diversity.