What to Expect
Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan, Premier Moe will highlight strong job numbers, but political commentary will be light as summer comes into full swing.
Manitoba
In Manitoba, Premier Stefanson will be attending the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, along with the largest delegation the province has ever sent. On Monday, the province announced the approval of the first potash mine there, and $10 million to the mining industry through a renewed partnership with the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce (MCC) and the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF). The Premier highlighted her government’s goals clearly, stating “Our government is firmly committed to regaining Manitoba’s status as a global leader in the sector and attracting new exploration and mining to our province.”
The Week That Was
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s public offering of Crown petroleum and natural gas rights held on June 7, 2022, raised $2,934,410.42 for the province, representing an increase of $2.4 million compared to the June 2021 offering. The June sale is the second of six oil and gas public offerings scheduled for 2022-23 fiscal year, with the next sale scheduled for August 9, 2022.
Job numbers released by Statistics Canada for May 2022 show Saskatchewan added 19,800 full-time jobs, an increase of 3.5 per cent, compared to May 2021. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.8 per cent in May 2022. It was down from 6.1 per cent a year ago, down from 5.5 per cent a month ago, and below the national average of 5.1 per cent.
Saskatchewan continues to have the second-highest credit rating in Canada as S&P Global Ratings recently affirmed the province’s AA credit rating and stable outlook. Through the first three months of 2022, Saskatchewan posted the highest growth in wholesale trade, at 38.1 per cent, the highest growth in manufacturing sales, at 37.0 per cent, the second-highest employment rate, 63.5 per cent, and the third-highest growth in retail sales, 8.2 per cent, among the provinces.
On Monday, the opposition NDP held a second leadership debate in the contest to replace former leader Ryan Meili with Regina Lakeview MLA Carla Beck and Saskatoon Lawyer Kaitlyn Harvey vying for the position. The debate was moderated by CSG’s Senior Manager of Public Affairs, Sally Housser.
Manitoba
Premier Heather Stefanson has welcomed Greg Nesbitt, MLA for Riding Mountain, to the provincial Cabinet as minister of natural resources and northern development. Nesbitt was first elected as the MLA for Riding Mountain in September 2016 and re-elected in April 2019. He has previously served as the legislative assistant to the minister of health, seniors and active living.
The federal government has announced a $10.8 million investment to support 39 projects in Manitoba’s struggling tourism industry. Funding will be directed to projects such as the Forks Renewal Corporation, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, and Fort Whyte Alive, to support the industries post-pandemic recovery.
The Manitoba government has made several new appointments to the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation board of directors, and Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) board of directors. Appointments can be found here.
