THE BATTLEFORDS — During MLA Erika Ritchie’s, (Saskatoon Nutana) NDP critic for municipal affairs, tour of Saskatchewan, listening to mayors, councils, and chambers of commerce, she spent April 6 in the Battlefords.
Ritchie met with both Mayor Ames Leslie of Battleford and Deputy Mayor Doug Laing, and Linda Machniak of the Battlefords and District Chamber of Commerce to discuss what’s been pressing on the minds of government officials and business owners alike.
Ritchie noted that although every community is unique, there's always themes that emerge while she speaks with various communities.
“...coming out of the budget last week, (which) was just approved, (there have been) some really common responses and themes…” Richie said, which includes concerns with PST, labour attraction and retention and immigration support.
“There are issues there in terms of being able to grow and thrive as a community. So what’s behind that? And I would suggest that it’s these other fundamental issues,” Ritchie said, which includes a lack of funding for healthcare, and education, which in turn may push people away from moving to the province.
Ritchie, after speaking with the Town of Battleford, said that one of the town’s concerns focused on crime reduction.
“There’s a lot of sociological factors that flow into those circumstances,” Richie said, adding that the NDP caucus has been vocal about the low-level of funding to address some of those root causes of crime.
In speaking with the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce, Richie noted that PST included on construction and North Battleford’s stagnated population drives the concerns of business owners in the Battlefords and the province in general.
“It’s really hurt the business sector…building permits are down significantly in the province right now.”
Ritchie also noted her concerns over what she calls a ‘status quo’ budget that she fears will be inadequate to address challenges the province is facing in the areas of healthcare, which she says includes the attraction of more doctors, pressures on emergency rooms, and the 216 times ambulances were unavailable in the first six weeks of 2023.
“These are the things that are indicative of a healthcare system in crisis. The budget this spring did not provide adequate measures to address those shortcomings,”
Touching on education, Ritchie voiced her concerns over fundraising efforts for the Living Sky School Division as an example of a government shortfall in the budget.
“They’re literally running bottle drives to fund core programming…investments in education are investments in our children’s future,” Ritchie said, regarding the ability to donate the money from your SARCAN recyclables to the LSSD’s new Innovation Fund.
“I think it’s about focusing on those primary, fundamental issues around health care, education and cost of living. When we get those things right, we’ll be able to keep people in our communities and have them grow.”
Ritchie noted that when we consider the growth of the province in the future, people searching for jobs in the province may not come if they have to worry about feeding their families, paying rent or finding a physician.
“...those are the factors that are going to matter beyond just a paycheque.”
