The 2022 provincial budget gets a passing grade for Executive Director with the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce, Larry Heggs.

"I would definitely say that," said Heggs. "Of course we'll always work towards whatever the decisions are, with the government, to try to help our membership move forward, and to keep things growing in the local economy and provincially." 

"I would certainly applaud the government on their effort to get back on track, particularly the Saskatchewan Value Added Ag tax incentive that they put forward. The effort to take over the federal carbon tax and the backstop fuel charge piece, I think, if we get that, that'll be huge. It's what needs to be done as a as a province." 

"I'm also pleased with the continued support of the capital infrastructure spend in 2022/23, I think that that'll be good. We need that piece, especially coming out of this pandemic, and the fact that we're doing this, I guess fiscally responsible, as well, most definitely, I think the approach to the commodity prices and their conservative approach to that really shows that fiscal responsibility that will get us back to a balanced budget sooner rather than later," he noted.

Heggs said the budget anticipating oil prices staying high for the year isn't the worst thing.

"From a budgetary perspective, it's not all bad. It's not that they've got their head in the sand or anything like that. It's that they're using a fiscal responsible number to gain a little bit of traction and to gain a little bit of reserve," he commented.

The province also will be expanding the provincial sales tax to be applied to things like event tickets, for riders games, concerts and movies, but they won't be applying it to some of the minor sports games.

"The Chamber, of course, is never in favor of more taxes," said Heggs. "It's not our approach. But on the same note, I can kind of see where it may be necessary to equalize the playing field, so to speak, and I do appreciate the fact that they've not imposed it on some of the minor sports."