REGINA, SK – In response to the Government of Saskatchewan’s 2026-2027 Provincial Budget, Saskatchewan Government & General Employees’ Union (SGEU) questions why workers are continually expected to do more with less.

The takeaway from this budget is deficit. “The government has forgotten that Saskatchewan has many other deficits beyond fiscal revenues and expenditures,” said SGEU president Tracey Sauer. “The province is navigating a public health care staffing deficit. Our health care workers contribute to the daily health and well-being of Saskatchewan’s people, yet shortages of staff in vital disciplines like rehabilitation, diagnostics, infection control and mental health are being experienced province wide”.  SGEU members, their patients, and all Saskatchewan residents urgently need investment in recruitment and retention for permanent, full-time, fair wage positions.

2025 was a historic year for Saskatchewan wildfires. Another wildfire season is on its way, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) requires material capacity to fight wildfires. “We need trained workers to be able to operate fire suppression tools, such as the water bombers that sat idle last year,” Sauer said.  SGEU is concerned about our members’ respiratory health and safety. Our wildland fire fighters deserve access to the best fire-retardant face coverings and personal protection safety equipment to keep them safe.

Community Based Organizations (CBOs) face a staffing and funding deficit. Workers in this sector are among the lowest paid in Saskatchewan, but our systems rely on these professionals for the provision of after-hour support to children, families and individuals experiencing homelessness and addictions, mental health crisis, or those fleeing domestic violence. “Our CBOs require long-term, sustainable funding for the support they provide to make our communities safer and more resilient,” said Sauer. No individual can operate in crisis long-term, and neither should our supportive Saskatchewan CBOs. 

These are the real-world deficits that deserve attention from our MLAs and officials. “At a certain point, doing more with less is impossible and all workers can do is less with less,” said Sauer. Unfortunately for residents, that might also come at the cost of lost public services, lost forests and/or lost lives. SGEU hopes these deficits and the Saskatchewan people who shoulder them are kept front of mind by MLAs on both sides of the aisle as this budget is debated.

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For more information:
Brent Hill
Phone: 306.775.7233
E-mail: bhill@sgeu.org

About SGEU

The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union has been working together for Saskatchewan since 1913. Today, SGEU represents 20,000 members in six sectors across Saskatchewan. Visit sgeu.org to learn more.