Praxis Analytics recently took the temperature of the prevailing mood in Saskatchewan, and the result was more positive than expected. Cam Cooper, Principal of Praxis Analytics recently spoke at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon about the results from the study.
Cooper says that the overall trend was overwhelmingly positive, with the majority of the people in the province optimistic about the economic outlook into the future, whether personally or for the province as a whole.
"A lot of good is going on in the province and people are perceiving it that way. I thought they (the numbers) would be good, but they were exceptionally good," Cooper says.
He says that the biggest change over a similar survey nine years ago is that people in the province now view the provincial economic outlook as stronger than their own, while nine years ago they were viewing themselves as better off than the province. Cooper says this attitude could lead to more risk-taking as people see opportunities.
On the negative side, one consistent theme was concerns about housing and the cost of living. Cooper believes this may have something to do with the rapid change in real estate values over the past nine years.
"Nine years ago, housing here was well below the national average, way below Manitoba and Alberta. It was cheap to live here, but you didn't have a house that was worth all that much... Now we have lifted to mid-way between Manitoba and Alberta and we're close to the national average. Prices have gone up, and people perceive that as an increased cost."
The survey also saw that aboriginal engagement continues to be a problem in the province. Cooper says that it's not surprising that the public perceives it to be an issue, as it is something that has been identified as an issue by First Nations leaders, especially in terms of education and skills development. He says that it's a trend that's turning around, but the survey is a reminder that education and employment of the province's aboriginal people still needs to be a focus, though he notes that the work being done by organizations like SIGA is helping to improve the numbers.
The north-east region, which includes Yorkton, was marked as one of the most positive in the overall survey, along with the major cities. The most negative were the city of Moose Jaw, as well as the far north.
The complete results of the survey can be found at praxis-analytics.ca.
