SASKATOON — Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman announced Thursday, Sept. 5, additional funding of $17.1 million for a multi-agency approach to addressing neighbourhood safety in the province.
Merriman said the funds are new dollars and are not part of the provincial budget. He added that they have been planning the program since Premier Scott Moe appointed him to head the Ministry in August 2023.
“This [money] is in addition to what was announced in our budget. These are new dollars. We understand that there aren’t 100 police officers ready to be hired. So, when the municipalities can bring those additional police officers on, the money will flow,” Merriman said.
“This is in a meeting with the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police. I started monthly meetings with them right after being appointed to this position. What I constantly heard is we need more officers.”
The announcement was timely and came almost one week after Saskatchewan-NDP Leader Carla Beck announced on Friday, Aug. 30, the opposition’s plans to curb crime in the province if given the chance to form a government after the general election.
If the NDP earns the majority, Beck plans to scrap the Marshals Services and redirect their funds to hire more local police officers, invest in mental health and addiction services, pursue organized crime and drug traffickers, and allot $2M for a security rebate program.
The provincial government’s new investment is $11.9M for hiring 100 new municipal officers, $2.7M for 13 new Safe Communities and Neighbourhoods officers, and $2.5M for the Saskatchewan Police College.
With the election more than a month away, Merriman said the provincial government “can only commit” to invest to ensure that Saskatchewan residents live in safer communities and neighbourhoods if the Sask Party continues to be in office.
“Premier Moe, myself, the cabinet and caucus discussed this. We feel this is critically important for safe communities in Saskatchewan. If we have the privilege of forming government again, then we will continue this,” said Merriman.
“This will be integrated into our normal [sic] budgetary baseline funding for police grants. Right now, we allocate about $22M to police grants for officers. That will be increased to $35M. We can only commit if we are privileged to form government again.”
