SASKATOON, SK: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the Saskatchewan government to control spending after spending one billion dollars over budget in 2025-26.

“Taxpayers can’t afford a government that keeps breaking its spending promises,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “When a Saskatchewan family has an unexpected car repair bill, they have to find savings in their restaurant or vacation budget and Premier Scott Moe needs to do the same.

“Unexpected costs are not an excuse for the government to continue to spend beyond its means, borrow more money and drive up the debt.”

The government told taxpayers it would spend $21 billion last year. The newly released 2025-26 public accounts show that the government spent $22.1 billion. That’s about one billion dollars more than budgeted.

Government revenues also increased about $77.4 million compared to the budget.

The government increased the provincial debt to $25 billion at the end of 2025-26. That means the government borrowed $1.6 billion above its projections. Moe has more than doubled the provincial debt since becoming premier.

Debt interest charges cost taxpayers about $817 million last year.

The Saskatchewan government spent $970 million more than budgeted in 2024. In 2023 it went over budget by $2.2 billion. In 2022 it was $1.4 billion.

“The government is wasting hundreds of millions of dollars per year on debt interest payments because it has repeatedly failed to control spending and keeps borrowing more money,” Haubrich said. “Premier Scott Moe needs to find savings and work to reduce the cost of government for taxpayers.”