Published March 23, 2022
The 2022-23 Budget supports efforts in Saskatchewan to make it more resilient to changing climate effects, creates employment, and grows Saskatchewan’s natural resource sector through investments and revenue opportunities.
Warren Kaeding, Environment Minister said that “The Ministry of Environment continues taking a balanced approach towards environmental protection and safeguards with growth and development.” “The investments in this budget create jobs and support a strong and resilient environment, meeting the urgent needs of today, while laying the groundwork for the future.”
To enhance the efforts to make the province more resilient to climate change, this year’s budget includes an additional $1 million to support the ongoing work in Prairie Resilience: A Made-in-Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy. The ministry is also expanding the output-based performance standards program, an industrial emissions reduction program, to new sectors. It will also adjust to new federal requirements that will be implemented in 2023.
The government’s plan for doubling the growth of the forest sector – one the goals of Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan – is made possible by the 2022-23 budget. In the next five years, the ministry will invest $400,000 in order to create a complete inventory map of commercial forests. The map will show the available timber in the provincial forest as well as adjacent Crown, private, and First Nations lands. It will also help increase harvesting in this sector, which will provide growth opportunities for northern Saskatchewan’s largest industry. It will aid the ministry’s monitoring efforts in ensuring responsible and sustainable forest harvesting is occurring in the sector.
For the ministry to be able to provide regulatory oversight, efficient and effective technology is essential. Clients require a system that is simple to use and quick. The ministry has invested $3.6 million in replacing the existing customer relationship management technology that is used by industry and citizens.
The Fish and Wildlife Development Fund will receive an increase of $980,000 in its annual grant to continue conservation and enhancement programs in the province. This is due to modest increases in hunting and trapping, recreational fishing, and commercial fishing licence fees.
In 2019, the ministry began corrective actions to remediate six mines. The ministry will continue this work by investing $1.4million in three mine sites at various stages of rehabilitation.
- Newcor Abandoned Mine: $96,000 for post-remediation monitoring and maintenance;
- Western Nuclear Abandoned Mine: $1.1 Million for the preparation of a complete corrective plan design;
- Anglo-Rouyn Mine, $230,000 for the initial corrective plan design.
The budget for the ministry also includes:
- Additional resources in the amount of $587,000 will be used to provide effective oversight for industry, mining and hazardous materials as well as impacted sites.
- Based on 2020-21 environmental handling fee revenues, an increase of $462,000 in annual funding for the SARCAN recycling program was made.
The priorities and investments in 2022-23 support the Ministry of Environment’s core mandate of sustainable resource development and environmental protection.
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Contact:
Val Nicholson
Environment
Prince Albert
Phone: 306-953-2459
Email: [email protected]