The Opposition NDP are levelling criticism at the Moe Government for the poor performance of the province’s Crowns over the last year, and for underplaying the news in the Crown Annual Reports. NDP Leader Carla Beck, SaskPower Critic Aleana Young and Affordability Critic Trent Wotherspoon pointed out the $350 million drop in performance at a press gathering on August 1.  

“People shouldn’t pay for the Sask. Party’s colossal mismanagement of our Crowns,” said Beck. “We’re talking about the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars that could keep costs for working families lower. Instead, we’re paying for their mistakes.” 

At the heart of the matter for the Opposition is SaskPower’s net loss of $172.1 million for the 1022-23 year at the same time as rates went up 11 percent. The NDP statement highlighted the profit drop from $361 million in 2021-22 to $7.4 the following year.  

“It’s wild that the Sask. Party has promised to hike power rates every single year until 2050,” said Young. “We all know Scott Moe and the Sask. Party have done nothing about the cost-of-living crisis, and have no affordability plan, but no one thought they’d come out and actually promise to keep raising our bills.” 

The Opposition was also critical of the manner in which the values were released without any of the usual press briefing or fanfare, it said. The government responded that a press briefing during a trio of by-elections in the provincial capital would have seemed inappropriate.