Involuntary care for those dealing with addictions and expanded funding for homelessness — plus allowing tailgating at Saskatchewan Roughriders games — are the priorities on the provincial government’s agenda for this legislative session.
Lt.-Gov. Bernadette McIntyre delivered the government’s throne speech to a packed legislative chamber on Wednesday in Regina.
“We meet at a time of great challenges and great opportunities for our province,” said McIntyre, delivering her first throne speech since she was installed in the role.
Among those challenges are the “historic realignment of world trading relationships” and the “imposition of significant tariffs by the United States and China.”
While the external threats mentioned in the speech are on an international scale, much of the legislation previewed in the throne speech appears to address internal provincial issues such as homelessness and addictions.
Outreach services, safety
The province will renew and expand its approach to homelessness by providing a “significant increase” in support for outreach services, enhancing public safety and increasing the supply of supportive housing.
The government has already added 141 emergency shelter spaces, 30 complex needs shelter beds and 155 supportive housing units throughout the province under its existing plan, according to the throne speech.
The province plans to introduce two new pieces of legislation: The Response to Illicit Drugs Act and The Compassionate Intervention Act.
The province did not provide details on the illicit drugs act, other than to say it will protect Saskatchewan families and communities from illegal drugs by cracking down “on those who profit from them.”
The Compassionate Intervention Act appears to be the long-alluded-to legislation on involuntary treatment for those dealing with addictions issues.
“There are some people with addictions problems who are simply unable to seek the treatment they need on their own,” McIntyre told the legislature.
It’s not clear how that legislation will function. Moe said the details will come when the is legislation introduced, and that it will include “ordered” treatment that will apply only to a small number of people.
“It is going to keep our community safer, yes, but it also is going to open up an opportunity and a pathway for hopefully what would be a recovery journey for that individual,” Moe said.
The Official Opposition has already said it supports involuntary treatment, but only as a last resort and only if an individual’s charter rights are not violated.
Beck echoed that sentiment on Wednesday.
“There may be a place and a time for ensuring people get stabilized so that they can start that that journey to recovery,” she said.
A growing relationship with Ottawa
In the speech, McIntyre directly addressed Saskatchewan’s relationship with the federal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying it was “more positive than it has been at any time in the past decade.”
Moe said he’s encouraged by the Prime Minister’s commitment to addressing Saskatchewan’s concerns about its natural resources based economy.
The premier said he believes there will soon be more movement on the nation-building projects.
That growing relationship is why there appears to be no direct plan by the province to address the punishing canola tariffs from China.
Premier Scott Moe said the response must come from Ottawa.
“The ball always has been, and really remains, in the federal government’s court,” Moe said.
Saskatchewan will also introduce new trade promotion legislation, with the goal of encouraging freer trade among the provinces by reducing interprovincial trade barriers.
It is not all sunshine and rainbows between Saskatchewan and Ottawa. The Throne Speech makes it clear the province remains opposed to the federal government’s “ill-conceived” gun buy-back program.
That’s why changes are coming for The Saskatchewan Firearms Act that will “protect Saskatchewan gun owners from financial liability resulting from federal firearm prohibitions,” the throne speech said.
The changes will also preserve a gun owner’s right to “receive fair compensation.”
The speech did not include any details or new funding on how the province plans to deal with the aftermath of this summer’s devastating wildfires.
It did say the provincial government will award volunteer, municipal and Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency fire departments with the Premier’s Commendation Award for their “heroic efforts.”
Tailgating at Mosaic
One of the upcoming pieces of legislation announced on Wednesday is The Tailgating Act, which will allow for tailgating at Mosaic Stadium before Saskatchewan Roughriders games.
The new permits issued through Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming will be ready before the start of the 2026 football season.
Beck said there remain important topics that could have been addressed but weren’t in the throne speech.
“Go Riders, go Jays — nothing wrong with that, but what we do put in a throne speech and what doesn’t appear in there, I think, says a lot about a government,” said Beck.
The legislative sitting is set to run through to Dec. 8.
