Sask. NDP wants to make first Saturday of every month a 'Buy Local Day'

Alexander Quon · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 10, 2025 5:06 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

With the perpetually shifting menace of tariffs — immoderate of which are already successful effect — Saskatchewan's governmental parties are attempting to gully absorption to section businesses.

On Thursday, Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP introduced a backstage member's measure that, if passed, would proclaim the archetypal Saturday of each period arsenic "Buy Local Day" successful Saskatchewan.

"Designating 1 time a month, 1 time as Buy Local Day, is not a large ask. We anticipation that this measure will keep this momentum going, reminding america each of however overmuch of a quality it makes erstwhile you store local, enactment section businesses successful your ain community," said Aleana Young, NDP professional for jobs and the economy.

The Buy Local Day Act is Young's archetypal backstage member's measure and is scheduled to person 2nd speechmaking astatine the adjacent sitting of the legislature.

"This seems similar a beauteous simple, straightforward, consciousness bully portion of legislation. It would beryllium my anticipation that we tin walk it unanimously successful the House. I don't spot immoderate crushed not to," Young said. 

The backstage member's measure comes aft the Saskatchewan NDP launched its shopsk.ca website successful February. 

Speaking astatine District Brewing successful Regina, Young was joined by NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon.

The brace emphasized that the uncertain aboriginal astir tariffs and the ensuing effects connected the market make it a pugnacious clip to beryllium a tiny concern owner.

"This measure is 1 mode that we tin basal unneurotic and fortify what we've built present astatine home," Wotherspoon said.

Hayden McPherson, the selling co-ordinator astatine District Brewing, said the concern has tried to stay optimistic successful the look of tariffs.

Saskatchewan authorities efforts

David Marit, the province's curate of SaskBuilds and procurement, told media connected Thursday that the provincial authorities has always been committed to spending its wealth successful Saskatchewan.

Marit said that implicit the past 5 years, the state has awarded astir 90 per cent of each procurements to Saskatchewan companies.

When Saskatchewan companies bid connected the contract, that fig jumps to 95 per cent.

"It's a phenomenal number," Marit said.

Marit said that implicit the past 5 years, 99 per cent of procurements person gone to Canadian companies.

In a quality release, the state said its Crown Corporations besides prioritize Saskatchewan. In the archetypal 3 quarters of 2024-2025 fiscal year, the Crowns awarded 75 pr cent, oregon $1.2 billion, of procurement contracts to provincial suppliers.

Only astir 3 per cent of the procurements awarded successful that clip came from the United States. 

Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan volition guarantee $43 cardinal worthy of VLTs and slot machines being procured successful 2025-2026 volition not beryllium sourced from the United States, the state said. 

SaskPower has besides accelerated the procurement of 10,000 tons of alloy from Evraz successful the coming months.