Key Takeaways:
- It will take a little more green to see the green and white at Mosaic Stadium with the introduction of the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on event tickets such as Rider games and concerts on Oct. 1.
- By March 2025, the province will have spent $21.6 million to address the COVID-19 pandemic-related surgical waitlist and return to pre-pandemic status.
The Saskatchewan provincial budget for 2022-23 has been released. Here are five things you should be aware of.
AS OF OCT. 1, PST IS APPLIED TO CONCERT AND EVENT TICKETS.
With the introduction of the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on event tickets such as Rider games and concerts on Oct. 1, it will take a little more green to see the green and white at Mosaic Stadium.
According to the budget (GST), the changes will be implemented by the federal goods and services tax, according to the budget (GST).
In 2022-23, the province expects to collect $10.5 million in revenue, with an additional $21.0 million per year.
The PST is a 6% tax that is applied to a variety of transactions in Saskatchewan.
Also read: CP Rail’s Teamsters union arbitration is a ‘sigh of relief’ for Saskatchewan farmers
AN INCREASE IN THE TAX ON TOBACCO
The tobacco tax in Saskatchewan will rise from 27 cents to 29 cents per pack of cigarettes and from 27 cents to 35 cents per pack of loose tobacco.
The budget’s justification is to maintain tax equity in the western provinces.
TAKING CARE OF THE COVID SURGICAL BACKLOG
The province will spend $21.6 million to address the COVID-19 pandemic-related surgical waitlist and return to pre-pandemic delay by March 2025.
It’s the first step in a three-year plan to “deliver on the largest volume of surgical procedures in the province’s history,” according to the province.
BOOST FOR FILM GRANT
As part of the budget, $10 million will be available through the Creative Saskatchewan Production Grant Program, up from the previous $2 million.
According to the budget, the rise of streaming services “means the time is right to attract new investment from the film and television industry to Saskatchewan.”
200 ADDITIONAL EDUCATION ASSISTANTS
The budget allocates funding for 200 additional educational assistants across the province.
The province stated, “The additional EAs will provide support to students and assist teachers in managing increasingly diverse classrooms.”
The budget allocates $2.88 billion to students in prekindergarten through grade 12 and early learners.
Source: CTV news
