75-Minute Debate (17 April 2025)

From Hansard (17 April 2025)

To view this section on video, click here and start play at 11:45:45 AM.

Support for Business and Entrepreneurs

The Assembly was debating the following motion moved by Brad Crassweller (Sask Party - White City-Qu'Appelle):

That this Assembly recognize the government’s commitment to supporting businesses and entrepreneurship by establishing the new small and medium enterprise investment tax credit and the Saskatchewan young entrepreneur bursary, maintaining the small-business tax credit at 1 per cent, and becoming the first carbon tax-free province in all of Canada.

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to speak to this motion. One of the guiding principles of this party that attracted me to it is that the private sector is the engine of the economy. Only through a strong private sector can this government generate the revenue that we need to deliver strong health care, investment in education, safe highways, and the social programs that our citizens rely on.

In every budget, this government invests in programs that will help to unleash the power of the private sector and grow our economy. A strong and growing economy allows this government to deliver the health, security, and programs that our Saskatchewan residents need and deserve.

In the ’25-26 budget, our government introduced a small and medium enterprise tax credit. This tax credit will offer a 45 per cent non-refundable credit to individuals or corporations who invest in the equity of an eligible SME [small to medium-sized enterprise] to assist with scaling up operations or expanding. This tax credit will enable businesses with fewer than 50 employees who invest in business development to receive a tax credit they can use to either pay down debt, reinvest, or pay to another local company.

In this budget, our government also introduced the young entrepreneur bursary program in partnership with the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. This program will provide a cash injection for new businesses that could take them to the next level. It will encourage new business development and contribute to economic growth. Each of the province’s local chambers of commerce is eligible to present a $5,000 bursary to one qualifying young entrepreneur. This program will stimulate business development in our province, encourage job creation, and maybe even provide the start-up funding for the next AGT Food, which Murad started in his parents’ basement.

Our government will permanently keep the corporate business rate tax at 1 per cent, one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the country. This will benefit over 35,000 small businesses and save them over 50 million in corporate income tax annually. This, combined with Saskatchewan having the highest income threshold for businesses in Canada to reach before they even start paying corporate taxes, will enable Saskatchewan to continue to attract high levels of capital investment.

In the ’25-26 budget, this government removed the carbon tax from business customers, becoming the first carbon tax-free province in Canada. This will immediately lower SaskPower bills for all businesses and residents. Removing the carbon tax on everything for everyone will give residents more money in their pockets that they can use to do things like support local contractors, renovate their homes, or take their family out to a local restaurant for dinner. Families that choose to renovate their homes can also take advantage of the home renovation tax credit. Eliminating the carbon tax on businesses will immediately lower their fixed costs, freeing up dollars for them to invest in their business.

The combination of making the business tax rate permanently 1 per cent and the elimination of the carbon tax will continue to attract private investment in Saskatchewan. In 2024 Saskatchewan had the second-highest level of capital investment among provinces, reaching nearly 20 billion. Our government will consistently invest in strengthening the economy by providing business tax credits, keeping taxes low, and keeping our regulatory environment stable. The people of this province can count on it because it is only through a strong economy that our government can continue delivering for the people of this province.

Our province continues to show strong growth in the labour market. 19,800 jobs were added year over year in March. Saskatchewan is leading the nation with a 3.4 per cent employment growth rate. Saskatchewan also has the lowest unemployment rate among provinces at 4.9 per cent, well below the national average of 6.7 per cent.

Mr. Speaker, this means that our plan is working. More Saskatchewan people are working than ever before, and we continue to be one of the most attractive investment jurisdictions in the country. The ability of our government to invest in social programs, supports for workers, education, and health care is only possible because of this growth. Year over year, full-time employment increased by 5,400 jobs, an increase of 1.1 per cent versus a year ago.

There are more women working in Saskatchewan than ever before. Female employment reached an all-time high of 287,000, which is up 4.1 per cent. This government knows the importance of supporting women to help them get into the workforce, and that’s why we have said we will be signing the child care agreement once we can get it done after the federal election.

This province continues to see economic growth in other areas. In January 2025 Saskatchewan ranked first among provinces for growth in new motor vehicle sales at 17.3 per cent, and second for growth in retail sales at 11.5 per cent. In the first three months of this year, Saskatchewan also led the nation in housing starts.

We will continue to support our Indigenous business sector. First Nations and Métis citizens represent over 17 per cent of Saskatchewan’s population, which underscores the crucial role Indigenous-owned businesses and communities play in fostering economic growth in this province. In the fourth quarter of 2024, 4.7 per cent of Saskatchewan private businesses were majority owned by Indigenous people. This was the third-highest rate among provinces and above the national average of 3.2 per cent.

I had the honour of attending the Moose Jaw MJBEX [Moose Jaw Business Excellence] Awards last night and presenting the New Business Venture Award. I want to congratulate the Moose Jaw Chamber of Commerce and Wow Factor Media for an amazing event. The Moose Jaw Chamber of Commerce has over 600 small-business members. Small businesses are truly the backbone and the heart of Moose Jaw. There were over 400 people at the banquet last night to celebrate business excellence and the wonderful contributions that small businesses make to our economy and our community. And it is these businesses that support our community through sponsorships, fundraising, and volunteerism.

There were over 90 businesses nominated for the awards. There were 55 finalists. I had the honour to present the New Business Venture Award on behalf of SaskTel to Canadian Wool Pellets. They repurpose sheep wool to create wool pellets. The wool pellets act as a fertilizer in soil, increase water retention, and repel bugs. Their distribution and sales are growing monthly. Canadian Wool Pellets exemplify how small businesses drive efficiency and innovation.

This government will continue to support small businesses to foster innovation, grow jobs and economic security for Saskatchewan families. Through the Saskatchewan Indigenous Finance Corporation, the province is increasing access to capital for Indigenous communities and entities to participate in natural resource development and value-added agriculture.

We’re proud of the work that we do keep our small businesses in this province strong and vibrant. This strong economy allows us to deliver the services that people of this province need and deserve. With that I will be supporting the motion put forward by the member from White City-Qu’Appelle.

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Following 65 minutes of debate, there is a ten-minute question and answer period. The following section begins at 12:06:45 in the video link provided above.

Joan Pratchler: — How many business owners did the member from Moose Jaw Wakamow talk to about the impact of losing hundreds of child care spaces because they’re on the verge of closing in her own city alone? And how many said that they think her government is doing a bang-up job on child care?

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the question. Actually I just met with the director of Southwest Day Care in Moose Jaw yesterday, last night. And we hugged, and I’m going to come see her. And she told me that you invited her to this Assembly, so thank you for doing that. I’m going to meet her afterwards.

I told her that in fact we are going to sign the child care agreement, that we’ve made that clear numerous times. That what we’re doing is we’re just waiting until after the federal election, and then we want to improve the contract. Usually when you sign a contract you want to ensure that what you want is in the contract before signing it. So that is the process we’re going to take. But thank you for the question, and thank you for inviting her here.

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The next section begins at 12:12:35 in the video link provided above.

Hugh Gordon: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the member from Moose Jaw Wakamow. I was wondering if today the government and if the member would put their money where their mouth is finally about the industrial carbon tax, and are they prepared today to reimburse every business and all the industries that this money . . . of the money that the government has effectively confiscated from them through this program since 2019 to the tune of billions of dollars?

Megan Patterson: — Thank you for the question. This government will continue investing revenues that we generate into our small businesses and offering our small businesses programs such as the tax credit for small and medium businesses and keeping the corporate tax rate at 1 per cent, allowing us to grow the economy.