Saskatchewan passes affordability bills, keeping federal carbon levy off home heating

The Saskatchewan government has passed two pieces of legislation tied to affordability relief that Premier Scott Moe first promised in his election campaign earlier this fall.

One bill is to see the reduction of personal income taxes to save an average family of four more than $3,400 over four years.

The other continues to exempt residents from paying federal carbon levies for home heating and is estimated to save about $480 next year for the average family.

Finance Minister Jim Reiter says the changes help those in the province facing cost-of-living pressures.

Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck says her party supports the legislation because it offers some relief but that the government needs to do more.

She says the province could do more for affordability by suspending the 15-cent-a-litre gas tax and removing the provincial sales tax on some ready-to-eat grocery items like rotisserie chickens and granola bars.