We have certainly had an eventful summer in Prince Albert and it’s my hope that you found some time to reconnect with family and friends for recreation and relaxation.
It has been exciting for me to see progress on the Rose Garden Hospice and Aquatic Centre projects, as well as the passing lane improvements recently completed in our area.
I had the opportunity to tour the Prince Albert/Paper Excellence Pulp Mill and also took the opportunity to attend a Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association meeting to discuss the challenges brought on by this year’s drought.
The end of the summer, the start of school, and a return to our regular routines – September can be a busy month for many of us.
As we continue to transition back to normal life, we want to limit the spread of COVID-19 without imposing widespread public health orders and restrictions, as was necessary before vaccines were widely available.
New COVID cases and serious outcomes from those cases are now overwhelmingly among unvaccinated individuals and getting vaccinated remains the most important step that you can take to protect yourself and others.
While there are currently no COVID-19 vaccines approved for children under 12, all those who are eligible are encouraged to be fully-vaccinated to afford these groups the best circle of protection possible.
As students of all ages return to class, school divisions have been working with local medical health officers to tailor back-to-school plans based on local circumstances, vaccination rates, case counts, and other factors. This flexibility allows boards the ability to develop plans that are best for them.
Prince Albert Catholic Schools and the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division are asking that all students, staff, and visitors wear masks indoors in all schools and on all school buses. Mask use will not be required outdoors. The details of each plan can be found in full on the division websites.
Vaccines are widely accessible in every part of the province so if you haven’t done so already, I strongly encourage you to get vaccinated.
Saskatchewan is well-positioned for a strong economic recovery from COVID-19. Our economic performance is leading the nation as the strength of our industries creates jobs and drives our economy forward.
Saskatchewan residents have the lowest debt load in Canada compared to the size of our economy. More people are working, with employment rising by 2.8 per cent over the first seven months, and our economy continues to grow at an incredibly strong pace.
S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Saskatchewan’s credit rating at AA with a stable outlook in a recent report. All three major rating agencies have now updated their credit rating and outlook for Saskatchewan following the 2021-22 Budget, and we continue to have the second-highest overall credit rating among Canadian provinces.
We are pleased that the major rating agencies continue to have confidence in our government’s fiscal and budgetary approach, despite the significant challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Saskatchewan’s economy is strong – and it’s driven by the resilience of our people and the outstanding performance of our industries.
Saskatchewan has one of the most competitive business environments in all of Canada, and we continue to be leaders in the nation in our key sectors of oil and gas, forestry, agriculture, manufacturing, and others.
If you have questions, comments, concerns or require assistance with provincial government programs or services, I encourage you to contact our Constituency Office located at 7 – 598 15th St. E. We can be reached by telephone at 306-763-7677 or by e-mail panorthcote.mla@sasktel.net.
