Supporting affordable housing

Implementation of the Provincial Approach to Homelessness will continue to support ongoing emergency shelter operations across the province, while the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will continue to provide affordable rental options to people and families in 280 communities across the province.

Budget highlights include:

Supporting the Provincial Approach to Homelessness

  • Almost $29 million to implement the Provincial Approach to Homelessness – an increase of $16.7 million over last year.  This includes:
    • $7.2 million to support ongoing emergency shelter operations, including the 120 new permanent emergency shelter spaces established across the province in 2023-24;
    • $9.5-million new capital investment to continue to develop supportive housing spaces in Regina and Saskatoon;
    • $690,000 increase to expand the Income Assistance Mobile Workforce initiative to place an additional 10 ministry employees on-site with select community-based organizations to serve clients where they are; and
    • $250,000 increase to expand trusteeship and money management services to help 150 more clients pay their rent and other bills each month.

Investing in Social and Supportive Housing

  • The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will invest $83.4 million in the repair and maintenance of provincially owned housing units in 2024-25.
    • This also includes a $9.6-million increase to target the prevention and reduction of vacancies in social housing units and respond to the demand for social housing.

Increasing Housing Affordability

  • Measures to increase housing affordability, including:
    • The PST Rebate on New Home Construction Program;
    • The recently introduced Saskatchewan Secondary Suite Incentive Grant Program;
    • The Saskatchewan First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit;
    • Relief provided as a result of the Government of Saskatchewan’s direction to stop SaskEnergy and SaskPower from collecting the carbon tax on natural gas and electric residential home heating. This is in addition to a SaskEnergy rate decrease that lowered bills for the average residential customer by nearly eight per cent beginning in October 2023.