Question Period (19 November 2025)

From Hansard (19 November 2025)

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Increase to Cost of Tire Recycling

Aleana Young: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You know, winter is coming and we learned yesterday that the Sask Party government has decided to hike the recycling fee on new tires by 30 per cent. Now the Minister of Environment, he either didn’t realize that he himself had signed off on hiking the Sask Party’s tax on tires or he’s been misinformed. Any increase to that fee requires his sign-off. 

So will the minister tell this House today, did he sign off on the 30 per cent increase to the Sask Party’s tire tax, yes or no? 

Hon. Travis Keisig: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let’s really clear the record on this — $1.50-a-tire fee. This is a fee, not a tax, a fee that goes toward the recycling of tires in the province of Saskatchewan. 100 per cent of the fee goes toward the Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan. $1.50 a tire it went up, Mr. Speaker.  

Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan recommended the fee increase. I support the Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan board, Mr. Speaker. They are in charge of all decisions. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. 

 

Aleana Young: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What a refreshing change. The minister has put down his three-year-old talking points, because that minister by his own accord has . . .

Speaker Goudy: — I’d ask you to withdraw the “three-year-old talking points.”

Oh. I apologize. Could we pause the clock just for a moment? There’s three-year-old talking points, and there’s three-year-old talking points. I think she meant the three-year-old talking points. I am sorry. Continue and start the clock.

Aleana Young: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well we heard it from that minister’s own mouth. He himself did sign off on the 30 per cent fee increase to the purchase of new tires.

But let’s be clear: all of those dollars are not staying in Saskatchewan. Those dollars are flowing out of province to a California-based company after this government pulled the contract from Shercom. So I’m not sure what’s going on over there, Mr. Speaker, but it’s quite disturbing. Saskatchewan drivers will be out more than $7 million this year, at a time when people in Saskatchewan have the worst financial anxiety anywhere in Canada.

Whoever green-lit this tax aside, will the minister today pump the brakes on his tired old Sask Party tire tax?

Hon. Travis Keisig: — Mr. Speaker, the way the member opposite asks questions, I am very proud of this government, and make sure that the NDP do not ever have control over the public purse, Mr. Speaker.

It is not a tax; it is a fee. It is a $1.50 fee, Mr. Speaker, brought forward by the Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan. The goal of TSS [Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan] was to make sure that tires do not end up in municipal landfills, at the request of municipalities from all across Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker.

Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan sets the fees. They recommended the fee increase of $1.50 a tire, Mr. Speaker, and I support the board of the Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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