The 2024-25 Budget provides nearly $720 million to maintain and promote public safety in Saskatchewan communities. The Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety work with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency and the Saskatchewan Firearms Office to make communities in the province safer.
Budget highlights include:
Policing, Enforcement and Protection
- More than $23 million to fund 160 municipal police positions, including 17 Combined Traffic Services positions funded by SGI and other public safety initiatives through the Municipal Police Grants Program.
- $12.4 million for the Saskatchewan Firearms Office.
- $228.1 million to fund RCMP operations through the Provincial Police Services Agreement and $21.6 million for the RCMP’s First Nations Policing Program.
- More than $1 million to expand the First Nations Community Safety Officer Pilot program.
- $7 million to continue implementation and hiring for the Saskatchewan Marshals Service.
- New dedicated gang prosecutor through the provincial Gang Violence Reduction Strategy.
- Nearly $61 million for provincial courts and correctional facilities, including continued construction of the remand expansion at the Saskatoon Correction Centre.
- Expansion of the Drug Treatment Court to North Battleford.
Reducing Interpersonal Violence and Protecting Vulnerable Women and Families
- More than $31 million towards interpersonal violence programs, including funding for second-stage shelters and funding through the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
Protecting Communities from Wildfires and Natural Disasters
- $78.4 million for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, which includes funding for SaskAlert, Provincial Disaster Assistance Program and the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre.
- Funding also includes the initial downpayment for four airtankers to begin replacement of the current fleet.