ESTEVAN — Estevan MLA Lori Carr provided updates on recent provincial government initiatives during the Estevan Chamber of Commerce's Coffee Talk on Sept. 4, addressing business and community leaders about ongoing work in southeast Saskatchewan and across the province.
Carr highlighted several key areas of focus, including education, health care, infrastructure and energy, emphasizing what she said was the government's commitment to investing in essential services.
Carr underscored the government's ongoing commitment to education, noting the recent binding arbitration decision with the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation, which she said provides predictability for students, families and teachers, while forging a path to the finalization of a new collective agreement.
"Outside of the bargaining process, we have signed a multi-year agreement with all 27 school divisions guaranteeing a minimum of $356.6 million specifically for classroom supports for each of the next four years. This partnership formalizes a commitment to ongoing collaboration between government and school divisions to support students across the province and establishes a new pathway to long-term and sustainable funding for the sector," Carr pointed out.
She highlighted the province's $2.2 billion education operational budget for 2024-25, the largest in Saskatchewan's history, which includes significant funding increases for classroom supports.
Health care was another focal point, as Carr discussed the ongoing Health Human Resource Action Plan, which was initially rolled out in September 2022 and aims to address staffing shortages through recruitment, training and retention of health-care professionals. She pointed out that internationally educated health-care workers, particularly from the Philippines as well as Ukraine newcomers interested in working in the health sector, are being integrated into the Saskatchewan workforce to help reduce wait times and improve service delivery.
"We have been actively recruiting internationally-educated health-care workers … We have shortened the bridging period [for internationally-trained health-care workers to be brought to Saskatchewan health-care standards] and made it more aggressive so that it's not taking them a year to get into the workforce. It should take them no longer than 12 weeks, that’s our hope, of course, but every case is individual," Carr added.
She also pointed out that the government has expanded training seats locally and streamlined the accelerated training, assessment and licensing pathways for internationally-educated nurses.
She added that new MRI services would soon be available in Estevan, reducing travel times and costs for residents in the region.
Carr also touched on local infrastructure projects, including the planned resurfacing of Highway 18 west of Estevan, expected to be done in spring 2025.
Additionally, she discussed the potential development of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the Estevan area, as the government navigates federal regulations impacting coal-fired power generation.
"Our government is still planning for the future with the possibility of small modular reactors," Carr stated, noting that Estevan would be the first location considered for this technology if approved federally.
Carr acknowledged ongoing efforts to support Estevan's economic transition, particularly as the region grapples with changes in the coal industry. She highlighted local initiatives exploring alternative uses for coal, such as converting it into graphite or synthetic fuels, as part of the broader strategy to diversify the local economy.
"We want to ensure that we have a diverse portfolio and a little bit of everything instead of all of one thing," Carr said, emphasizing the need for ongoing community and government collaboration.
The event provided an opportunity for local business leaders to ask questions and voice concerns about various regional issues, including health-care standards, infrastructure funding, seniors' care and new Estevan Regional Nursing Home plans, early-years child care and economic development.
The next Coffee Talk is scheduled for Oct. 2, where further updates on the MRI fundraising campaign will be discussed.
