We're living in unprecedented times in Saskatchewan and in spite of the challenges that lie ahead, things are only going to get better says the provinces premier.
Brad Wall was the invited guest speaker at a special Yorkton Chamber of Commerce Luncheon held Tuesday in the city and his message was clear: Saskatchewan in on the path of continued growth and that's a good thing for ALL residents.
Outlining the province's new growth plan called, "Saskatchewan Plan for Growth Vision 2020 and Beyond," Wall says, it's a vision for the entire province. "Without growth and the investment it brings in and the tax base that it expands, we can't afford to make investments that fix schools. We can't afford to put those new child care spaces in Yorkton. We can't afford 20 plus million dollars worth of highways upgrades...
"Growth is what pays for social programs, health care... it also helps keep our taxes low. If we have more taxpayers we can charge people a lower tax rate," explains Wall.
"So the message I bring is that growth is a good thing. There are no doubt challenges that come with it... around infrastructure, around housing, but if we're meeting those challenges then we can keep moving forward, knowing that in the long term and in the short term it's better to grow than to say good bye to our young people who used to leave here to find their futures elsewhere."
Detailing a six step plan to achieve a vision of expanding the province's population to 1.2 million people by the year 2020, Wall says the ultimate goal is not just to grow for the sake of growing but rather to secure a better quality of life for all residents.
"There are challenges surrounding growth so I think it's reasonable to ask as we launch into this next phase if growth is a good thing in the first place... but the answer to that is an unequivocal yes.
"As more people come to province of Saskatchewan and bring with them investment, bring with them their energy, they help broaden our tax base. They build this province's capacity to invest in itself... because of growth in this province over the last four years we've been able to reduce the debt by 44 per cent... We've been able to reduce income taxes for all. In Yorkton it's meant that revenue sharing is up by 125 per cent..."
New housing, school renovations, child care spaces, a new heli-pad for the city are all made possible due to growth says Wall.
"Thats' what growth brings... We want growth for the dividends that it pays..."
Sustainable growth won't happen without a plan though and Wall says the government has that plan. It contains six key components.
Investing in infrastructure.
Educating, training and developing a skilled workforce.
Ensuring the ongoing competitiveness of the economy.
Supporting increased trade, investment and exports through international engagement.
Advancing Saskatchewan's natural resource strengths, particularly through innovation to build the next economy.
Ensuring fiscal responsibility through balanced budgets, lower debt and smaller, more efficient government.
"There are interesting things happening in this province. We're on track this year to beat British Columbia in international exports. That's not too bad for a place that doesn't have a port... International exports are up 50 per cent since 2007...
"There is huge potential in this area and it's our job to tell the story.
"It's not the government that should be credited with the economic growth of this province. We've had a lot of good fortune. We have a lot of resources. We have great people but this is one of the areas where our government really has sought to make a difference... We have worked hard to tell our story, hopefully in ways that it's never been told..."
And it's working. Saskatchewan is rapidly growing on the global scale says Wall.
"We're going to continue to engage in trade missions. We're going to continue to focus on Asia and further develop our strategy for that market. They want fuel and food and fertilizer and we need to not take the markets for granted.
"There is great opportunity and we need to seize it."
With that said, important above all in achieving these goals, says Wall, is fiscal responsibility.
"One of the great reasons for the Saskatchewan advantage today is that we can say today in this country with truth that we are the only province in the Dominion of Canada with a balanced budget and money in the bank. There's an advantage in that obviously."
With a lower tax base and more funds available, the province is capable of achieving more for residents says the premier. It will also go a long way towards helping the province overcome the challenges surrounding healthcare, education, surgical wait times and as well as addressing a shortage of quality doctors and nurses he assures.
"The great opportunity is were you are and in the last few years we've begun to realize that I think. The great opportunity is not some difficult, distant place. The opportunity is here. It's where we are today... We ought never to be complacent... We're very, very lucky to live here and I think we all owe something back... that we will keep growth happening because it builds the kind of province that we want to have, not just for today, but for tomorrow.
To learn more about Saskatchewan's growth plan visit: www.saskplanforgrowth.com.
