The Opposition NDP is once again calling for rent control as the cost of housing in the province climbs. 

During Question Period Thursday, Finance Minister Jim Reiter maintained his position that rent control simply doesn’t work, dries up investment, and slows housing starts.  

Housing Critic April ChiefCalf says the province needs to stop getting their info from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which says rent control slows rent increases for tenants who stay in their units, but it also drives up rents in vacant ones.  

“They keep saying in every jurisdiction, rent control has failed, but they haven’t provided any evidence of that. And, in fact, the literature of the CMHC report is derived from other countries, Egypt, Germany, India, Ireland, Sweden. What does that have to do with Canada?”

Reiter tried to set things straight at his next opportunity to speak.  

“It has everything to do with here. We are not immune. The same rules of the economy flow everywhere, Mr. Speaker.”

He says the Secondary Suite Incentive and an increase to the First Time Homeowners Program will do a better job of bringing costs down. 

The NDP is also speaking out about the Government of Saskatchewan adding around $1 billion to the deficit, $813 million of which is going to SaskPower. 

Along with the money being used to fund SaskPower, $194 million was also needed to pay off the carbon price fuel charges that weren’t collected by the province. 

When asked how much residents can expect to see their power bills increase to cover this cost, Premier Scott Moe drew attention to the removal of the carbon tax which saw a 10 per cent decrease of power bills.  

He adds that the NDP are getting their math wrong; $1 billion wasn’t added to the deficit; $427 million was.