REGINA — The fall sitting of the legislature has wrapped up, with MLAs now headed home until the session resumes in March.
The at-times contentious sitting ended on a newsworthy note, as the province introduced the Compassionate Intervention Act — its compassionate care legislation for involuntary addictions treatment — on the final day.
It was a fall sitting that saw a flurry of legislation from both sides of the aisle. Among the highlights from the government side, according to their news release, was introduction of the Saskatchewan Internal Trade Promotion Act, the Response to Illicit Drugs (RID) Act, amendments to the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act, the Building Schools Faster Act, the “From Many Peoples, Strength” Act to allow for the permanent recognition of special days, weeks and months to recognize contributions made by various cultural groups; and the Tailgating Act to allow tailgating at Saskatchewan Roughriders games. Also introduced were amendments to the Animal Protection Act, to the Change of Name Act to prevent those convicted of serious crimes from changing their name, and to the Saskatchewan Firearms Act.
Five government bills that have now passed are the Income Tax (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act, 2025; the Miscellaneous Statutes Repeal Act, 2025; the Statute Law Amendment Act, 2025; the Public Libraries Amendment Act, 2025; and the Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act.
The province also highlighted the signing of a five-year extension of the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with the federal government, a funding agreement with post-secondary institutions, and the release of the Saskatchewan First Energy Security Strategy.
The official Opposition also introduced several private members’ bills, including bills on notification for hospital ER closures and for notification when rural ERs have only virtual physicians on duty, a bill on wildfire management strategy, a bill to refer use of the notwithstanding clause to the Court of Appeal, and their own internal trade bill.
A focus of the Opposition this fall sitting included affordability, the wildfire response, addictions issues, the situation in health care including overcrowded emergency rooms, the prospect of rate hikes from SaskPower, and the situation facing agriculture producers hit by tariffs on canola and yellow peas.
Speaking to reporters after the final question period of the year, Premier Scott Moe pointed to his government’s focuses throughout the seven weeks of the fall sitting.
He said priorities were “number one, for us to remain the most affordable place in Canada to live. You saw many of those initiatives that were brought in and introduced in the budget just this past spring, again, implemented throughout this fall’s session.”
Second to that, he said, “would be the continued focus on education, in particular, in K-3 outcomes, ensuring that our students have the highest outcome they can possibly have when they complete their Grade 3, so that they can aspire to all they can aspire to, Grades 4 through 12, and continuing the investment and expansion of supports like specialized support classrooms that are helping families and helping our students, our children, succeed.”
On health care, Moe said a focus was on “continuing to build and to work towards that opportunity for every Saskatchewan resident to have access to a health care provider … and trying to make those investments that are critical to us reducing any of our surgical wait times here in the province.”
Moe also said community safety was a focus, calling it “very relevant to the Compassionate Care Act that was introduced on the last day of this assembly.” He said he hopes the bill will pass in the spring sitting.
In a statement, the NDP offered their thoughts on their own focus during the sitting, pointing to affordability.
“Saskatchewan people tell us every day they’re working harder and harder and falling farther behind,” said Carla Beck, NDP leader, in a news release. “We have the highest financial anxiety in the country — people are draining their savings, taking on another credit card and having to choose between home heating and eating — it’s unacceptable.
“My message to the people is this — we’re in your corner. We know you work so very hard and still you are struggling to get by. The Saskatchewan NDP hears you and we will fight tooth and nail to make your life more affordable.”
