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Well, buckle your seatbelts, folks. Saskatchewan’s budget had all the drama of a badly driven vintage tractor this year—starting out with a hopeful $12 million surplus and somehow, magically, by August 2025, transforming into a spectacular $349 million deficit. No, it’s not because someone poured maple syrup into the accounting machine; it’s much sillier than that. But first a word from today’s sponsor:
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The trouble began when Saskatchewan, in a fit of “I’m the boss here,” decided to stop collecting the federal carbon levy on electricity bills. This carbon levy was basically a fee slapped on to help reduce emissions, and by scrapping it, the province took a $172 million hit in revenue, largely from SaskPower, their Crown jewel of a power agency. Imagine selling your grandma’s vintage tractor for scrap—only to realize you still need it to plow the fields.
Add to this a nasty drop in oil prices (because apparently the world economy enjoys messing with Saskatchewan’s day), knocking another $30 million off non-renewable resource revenues. Then throw in wildfire fighting costs of $80 million because Mother Nature decided to throw a fit. Voilà, you’ve got a fiscal disaster with the subtlety of a moose crashing through your greenhouse.
Now, if that wasn’t enough, there’s the cherry on top: China. Yes, the land of pandas and excellent dumplings decided to slap a massive 75.8% tariff on Saskatchewan's beloved canola seed exports. Canola being a crop more important to the province than the purr of a finely tuned engine to a petrolhead. The tariffs have turned export numbers into a sad, sad picture—down 63%! Farmers, who were already sweating over their expenses, now face tanking prices and uncertain futures while trying to keep the farm running.
Premier Scott Moe and finance folks are trying to keep calm and carry on, blaming everything from trade wars to unpredictable federal policies, but it all basically means Saskatchewan’s bank account looks more like a hole punched in a tire right now.
So what can we learn? If your budget looks like a smooth Sunday drive at the start of the year, don’t get comfy—there could be a pothole, a moose, or an international trade tariff lurking just around the bend.
For now, farmers and taxpayers alike can enjoy this rollercoaster ride from surplus to deficit with a good dose of sarcasm and a reminder: budgets, much like classic British cars, are prone to sudden, expensive breakdowns.
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