A network of housing leaders has issued a blueprint for all provincial political parties ahead of the election October 28th, which includes prioritizing affordability measures for housing and reducing costs, like the PST on home construction. The Saskatchewan Realtors Association partnered with Saskatoon and Regina’s Homebuilders’ Associations and the Saskatchewan Landlord Association for this list of recommendations, which they also did back in 2020 in the last election.

SRA spokesperson, Cole Zawislak says a poll from national firm Abacus Data found that seven out of ten Saskatchewan residents believe housing affordability should be a top priority. He hopes all parties will take heed of that and adds that a couple of the items on the list have been addressed by the Saskatchewan Party, which has promised a permanent home renovation tax credit and an increase to the first-time homebuyers tax credit.

Zawislak invites all provincial parties to consider affordable housing in their platforms. Saskatchewan’s housing leaders are also looking for an audit of underused government properties for affordable housing, support for infill projects and infrastructure related to home construction. As well, the blueprint urges the next provincial government to establish a Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure.

Zawislak explains that right now, a few different ministries make decisions around housing. “Whether it’s the Ministry of Finance, Government Relations with respect to some of the building code stuff, and then Social Services with some of the Saskatchewan social housing. We are hoping to have the province establish a provincial Ministry of Housing and bring that all into one shop.”