REGINA, SK: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is pleased to see Saskatchewan balance the budget in 2023-24. but disappointed by the lack of tax relief.

“Balancing the budget this year is good, but the government is wasting an opportunity by not committing to reducing the debt over the long term.” said Gage Haubrich, Prairie Director of the CTF. “The government can’t keep putting more and more debt on the backs of taxpayers and future generations.”

The government is planning on paying down about $1 billion of the debt this year, but after 2024 the debt will keep rising.

The budget is projecting a surplus of $1 billion for 2024. Expenses are projected to rise by $1 billion and revenues are projected to rise $2.5 billion over last years budget.

By the end of 2024, the debt will be $18.1 billion. Interest payments will cost taxpayers $708 million annually, working out to $587 per Saskatchewanian.

There is no tax relief featured in the budget. Recently, Alberta, Ontario, and Newfoundland all cut gas taxes. Manitoba, Quebec, and New Brunswick also recently cut income taxes.

“The government is seeing close to record revenues but returning none of it to taxpayers,” said Haubrich. “Other provinces have been able to provide relief to residents, but Saskatchewan families are getting left out in the cold in this budget.”