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Saskatchewan government says budget on course to record $427M deficit at year's end

  • Jeremy Simes

  • Canadian Press

  • November 25, 2025

Saskatchewan Minister of Finance Jim Reiter delivers the Saskatchewan Provincial Budget in Regina on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

REGINA -- This year's Saskatchewan budget is sinking deeper into the red, mainly due to the cost of fighting the summer's wildfires.

Finance Minister Jim Reiter, in a mid-term update on the budget, says the projected year-end deficit is expected to be $427 million.

It's a major swing from when the budget was introduced in the spring.

At that time, Premier Scott Moe's government was projecting a $12-million surplus, but in August the bottom line was revised to a $349-million deficit before sinking further in the latest update.

Along with forest fire costs, the province is spending more on health care.

Total exports have also fallen by $1.4 billion because of lower oil and gas prices.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2025.