Member Statement (19 March 2025)

From Hansard (19 March 2025)

 

Crown Corporations Prioritize Local Steel

Blaine McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. US [United States] tariffs have hit our steel, so we’re hitting back with a 10 000-tonne accelerated order from Evraz. Our government is standing up for our province’s interests with sensible solutions that protect jobs, the economy, and our residents.

SaskPower and SaskEnergy will continue to prioritize the purchase of local steel for our infrastructure projects. This 10 000-tonne order is the equivalent of three years’ worth of steel for the Crown and this directive will keep over 400 hard-working residents on the job right here in Regina. Mr. Speaker, USW [United Steelworkers] Local 5890 union president Mike Day said, and I quote, “When hearing of commitments like this from the Saskatchewan government, it eases some of the uncertainty our members have been facing.”

This is just another reason why our government will never take economic lessons from the members opposite. In the first three quarters of ’24-25, the Crown sector awarded 1.2 billion to Saskatchewan suppliers, including nearly 100 million to Indigenous companies.

In a time of economic and international uncertainty, we are working to provide a stable path forward, and our Finance minister will be delivering a budget that supports this stable path forward. This government is committed to continuing to deliver for you, the hard-working people of this province. Thank you.