According to representatives of Enterprise Saskatchewan, the province is "soaring" when it comes to the economy.
Earlier this week enterprise released a group of indicators that have charted Saskatchewan's growth over the past three years and they say we're on an upward swing and there's no end in sight.
"As we map our economic progress, it is important to look at how far we have come and the conclusion is clear: Saskatchewan's economy is soaring above all expectations," Enterprise Minister Jeremy Harrison says. "There is no doubt that we have been fortunate while the global economy has faced tremendous uncertainty, but people in Saskatchewan know that it takes good choices and hard work to keep our economy moving forward."
According to the numbers private sector investment in Saskatchewan increased by 46.8 per cent. Building permits issued have increased by 66.7 per cent and urban housing starts are up 14.5 per cent. New motor vehicle sales have increased by 13.8 per cent. Retail sales have increased 24.9 per cent. New incorporations have increased by 30.8 per cent while business bankruptcies have decreased by 53.8 per cent. Average employment has increased by 5.1 per cent. And real GDP growth has risen by 5.4 per cent.
"When you drive through the province's main streets and neighbourhoods, you see the impact of these numbers: new houses, new businesses, and people going to work at new jobs."
New jobs, new homes and a prospering economy are all great news, especially given the state of some of the rest of North America. It seems Saskatchewan is truly the place to be. That said, it's going to be more important than ever as we head into the future, that we don't leave a portion of the population behind.
While some are reaping the riches, food banks are feeding more people than ever and with rising costs many families are having trouble making ends meet.
Prosperity is good, but affordability is necessity. Let's not lose sight of that fact.
