SASKATOON, SK: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released new Insightrix polling showing 87 per cent of Saskatchewanians are concerned about how much the Saskatchewan government increased the provincial debt in the last decade.

“The poll is clear: Nearly nine in 10 Saskatchewanians are worried about the government’s irresponsible borrowing,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “Each dollar Saskatchewan politicians rack up in debt today is a dollar plus interest that taxpayers will have to pay back tomorrow.

“And Saskatchewanians have clearly had enough.”

Since becoming premier, Scott Moe has more than doubled the province’s debt. The debt was about $10.1 billion in 2017. By the end of this year, it will reach $26.8 billion.

That works out to more than $21,000 per Saskatchewanian.

The Insightrix poll asked Saskatchewanians if they are concerned about the growth of the province’s debt. The results show:

• 47 per cent are very concerned
• 40 per cent are somewhat concerned
• 8 per cent are not very concerned
• 1 per cent are not concerned at all
• 4 per cent are unsure

Debt interest payments will cost taxpayers about one billion dollars this year. That’s a cost of more than $2.8 million per day.

“Saskatchewanians know that piling up more debt and spending more and more on debt interest payments is something that taxpayers can’t afford,” Haubrich said. “Premier Scott Moe needs to listen to Saskatchewan taxpayers, rein in spending and start paying down the debt.”

The Saskatchewan Party says that one of its guiding principles is the “steady, gradual reduction in government spending and taxation while maintaining a firm commitment to balanced budgets.”