The Saskatchewan NDP are calling for action to deal with 23,000 lost jobs in 2020.

The figures are from the latest Statistics Canada report released Friday.  Opposition leader Ryan Meili says there is no question the pandemic is the cause of the vast majority of the job losses, but that doesn’t let the SaskParty off the hook, and there needs to be a plan to get people back to work.  “Missing opportunities, like having a jobs plan, supporting small businesses the way they should, supporting families to be able to get back to work and missing out on opportunities like the True North Bio Fuels plant.  This is a sign of a government that is trying to coast on this, trying to blame the pandemic.”

Meili points to a recent decision by the provincial government to reject a grant to True North Renewable Fuels, he says it could have created 2,500 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs in Regina.

Meili says the service sector continues to be a real concern.  He is worried that a lot of small businesses have kept their doors open, but have done so by letting go of staff, and wants to see people return to work with a plan from the province. “Supporting small businesses, actually working alongside them to see what the need to scale up their operations and staff, as we are re-opening.  The other thing to be recognizing is that we had an opportunity to be in a situation of less closure, of shorter term public health restrictions, if this government had acted in November”.

Meili suggests while there are circumstances and elements that can’t be changed or controlled, but the job of a provincial government is to do everything in their power to help Saskatchewan people. He believes the SaskParty is not doing that.