The writ has been officially dropped in Saskatchewan with the governing Saskatchewan Party leading in the polls in rural areas while the NDP leads in the major cities in what is expected to be a tight race.
Premier Scott Moe announced the beginning of the election on Oct. 1.
Touting his party’s affordability measures, Moe said he would cut income taxes for approximately 54,000 residents, on top of the 112,000 that saw a reduced income tax since the Sask. Party has been in power.
“We will do this by increasing the personal exemption, increasing disposal exemption, increasing the child exemption, and increasing the senior supplement by $500 each year for the next four years,” he said during a campaign rally in Saskatoon.
If he is re-elected, Moe said he would also index the income tax rate at the rate of inflation, estimating it will save a family of four approximately $3,400, and a seniors couple $3,100 over the next four years.
Moe also touted his government’s work, including refusing to collect the federal carbon tax on home heating bills. The move followed Moe’s call for Ottawa to remove the tax from all forms of home heating after it paused the tax for heating oil. The exemption largely benefited Atlantic Canada, but had little impact elsewhere.
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Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck held her first campaign stop in Regina where she told the audience it was time for change.
“We’re working for a future where families can afford to put food on the table, keep a roof over their head, buy clothes for their kids, and maybe even save for that family vacation now and then,” Beck said at the event.
“Not only have I committed that I won’t raise taxes on Saskatchewan people as premier, I’m going to cut taxes,” she added.
Beck has previously promised to improve health care in the province by boosting the number of staff in surgical rooms and expanding the hours of operation so that more surgeries could be performed. She also said the NDP would increase access to diagnostic scans, including MRIs, mammograms, and CT scans.
A recent poll from the Angus Reid Institute found that 49 percent of voters said they would support the Saskatchewan Party. Another 42 percent said they would back the Official Opposition NDP. The seven-point gap is the closest the NDP has been to the Saskatchewan Party in the last four years, according to Angus Reid.
Support for the NDP is bigger in urban areas, with 58 percent of Regina residents supporting the party, along with 50 percent of those living in Saskatoon. In rural areas, the Saskatchewan Party dominates with 57 percent support.
There are 61 seats in the Saskatchewan legislature. Before the election call, the Saskatchewan Party held 42 of those seats and the NDP 14. The Saskatchewan United had one seat, three seats were held by Independents, and there was one vacant seat.
Moe has been the premier since 2018 and the Saskatchewan Party has won four consecutive governments since 2007.
Elections Saskatchewan has seven registered parties in the province: the Saskatchewan Party, NDP, Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan, Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Green Party, Saskatchewan Progress Party, and the Saskatchewan United Party.
Voting will take place on Oct. 28.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
