Saskatchewan’s population has reached another new record, topping 1,230,000 for the first time ever. According to the latest Statistics Canada population numbers, our province grew by 5,550 people in the last quarter and by 30,503 over the past year. This proves Saskatchewan remains one of the best places to live, with welcoming communities and a more affordable cost of living than other places in Canada.
Our province continues to see positive economic news, leading the nation in month-over-month retail trade growth. Retail sales surged by 8.5 per cent, totaling $2.2 billion from March to April 2024. These nation-leading numbers show the provincial economy is strong and continuing to grow, and our government is committed to building upon this foundation.
A growing population and strong economy directly translate into more opportunities and an improved quality of life for the people of this great province. This allows our government to continue moving forward in improving our health care system, ensuring timely and quality care is accessible to Saskatchewan residents when and where they need it.
To offer more health care training opportunities, we are launching two new domestic local programs. In 2024-25, our government is investing $8.1 million to establish the Occupational Therapy Program and Speech Language Pathology Training Program at the University of Saskatchewan. Each program will be a two-year master’s program and will accept up to 40 students per year, starting in the Fall of 2026.
This initiative will provide more training options for Saskatchewan students wanting to pursue a career in health care while encouraging them to live and work in the province after graduation. Through our Health Human Resources Action Plan, our government is committed to building a stronger, more robust health care workforce to meet the needs of Saskatchewan’s communities today and in the future.
Construction on the Prince Albert Victoria Hospital project is moving ahead as planned. Once complete, the hospital will have a heliport, expanded emergency department, larger operating rooms, pediatrics, maternity, NICU, new medical imaging, a First Nations and Métis Cultural space, and an increase in bed capacity from 173 to 242. These improvements will strengthen and expand health care services in Prince Albert and northern Saskatchewan in the years ahead.
As we continue to build and protect our strong province, I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any concerns or questions about government programs and services, you can contact my constituency office at 306-922-2828 or pacarltonmla@sasktel.net, or feel free to stop by our office, located at Bay 4, 406 South Industrial Drive.
