REGINA — With Premier Scott Moe out of the province attending a first ministers meeting, the opposition New Democrats spent Thursday trying to get traction on a number of familiar topics.
Once more, the NDP were again hammering the government on the looming 3.9 per cent SaskPower rate hike due to take effect Feb. 1.
At a news conference at the Legislature, Opposition critic for SaskPower Aleana Young accused Premier Moe of lying last fall about power rates.
Young said the NDP had learned through Freedom of Information Act requests that the power rate hike would have been approved no later than Nov. 20, the most recent SaskPower board meeting. Young added that they only had the date of the meeting because SaskPower was withholding the minutes.
She also pointed to Premier Moe standing up in the Legislature on Dec. 4 and saying “there has been no discussion on this side of the House with respect to hiking power rates.”
“He was lying,” said Young. “And this Sunday the people of Saskatchewan will experience the consequences of this hike.”
SaskToday has reached out to the province for a response.
Meanwhile, in Saskatoon, the NDP’s Hugh Gordon was demanding action by the province against crime after data released by Saskatoon police showed more than 4,800 violent crime incidents in the city in 2025. Those included 3,135 assaults, 911 thefts of motor vehicles, 556 break-ins of residential properties, 487 robberies and 59 kidnappings.
“That’s right — kidnappings. In our city,” Gordon said in a statement. “That’s unacceptable and there is no evidence that the Sask. Party has done a damn thing to make our communities safer.”
He accused the Sask. Party of not providing police resources. “We know police don’t have the resources they need because the Sask. Party has failed to provide proper funding.”
Gordon’s accusations came the same day as another Sask. Party government “good news” announcement in Saskatoon, in which it confirmed $1.85 million to support recruitment and retention of approximately 24 officers by the Saskatoon Police Service through the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods initiative.
In response to the NDP, the government issued an emailed statement in which it pointed to numerous investments in public safety, including $2 billion in 2024-25 and 2025-26. It also pointed to year-over-year statistics showing total violent crime in Saskatoon was stable, with Saskatoon Police Service data showing a trending decline in violent crime as 2025 progressed.
The Sask. Party government also lampooned the NDP press conference. In a statement, it said it was made apparent that Gordon “didn’t even realize the data in which he presented as ‘hidden’ was both publicly available, and contradictory to his claims as identified by reporters.”
“In contrast, the Government of Saskatchewan remains serious about making investments to protect communities and taking significant steps legislatively to further reduce crime and keep our communities safe and secure,” the government stated.
