The first quarter financial report for Saskatchewan has been released and includes a projected $825 million deficit.

The deficit number sticks relatively close to the number projected in the 2026-27 budget, which was $819 million.

The government saw some spending numbers increases this quarter as well, such as a forecasted $337 million increase in total expenses because of high health care costs and Crop Insurance Claims made due to flooding this spring. As well as a projected total gross debt increase of $65 million because of borrowing needs at SaskPower.

On the other hand, the report projected a total revenue increase of $331 million, in large part because of oil price increases because of the conflict in the middle east.

Finance Minister Jim Reiter says the government plans to try and get the budget back to balance, in part through continuing to increase revenue.

“We’re going to get back to balance in two ways. One is we’re going to have to be fiscally prudent, but we’re also going to ensure health care is properly funded, education is properly funded.”

Since the release of the report there have been responses from the NDP and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), with both releases calling out the previous year’s deficit and debt amounts.

The NDP’s response to the deficit news raised concerns about the final results of the budget over the last three years being off by more than $1 billion and that trend continuing. Shadow Finance Minister Trent Wotherspoon added to the response, saying in a statement, “When you are routinely off by a billion dollars, you have a serious credibility problem.”

The CTF’s statement stated that the provincial debt has more than doubled since Scott Moe became premier, and taxpayers are paying for it.