Released on October 27, 2016
Communications Spending Down $1.5 Million, Excluding Increase By Elections Saskatchewan
Spending on ministry travel was down $582,000 or 1.5 per cent in 2015-16, compared to the previous year, as part of the Saskatchewan government’s fiscally responsible approach to ongoing economic challenges.
This reduction is part of the detailed financial information that was released today in Volume 2 of the 2015-16 Public Accounts. Compared to the last full year of the previous government in 2006-07, overall travel costs were down about $4.0 million or 10 per cent in 2015-16.
“Our government continues to manage expense carefully while investing in priority areas for Saskatchewan people such as health care, education and social assistance,” Finance Minister Kevin Doherty said.
Communications costs were $9.4 million in 2015-16, up slightly by about $200,000 or 2.0 per cent compared to the previous year. However, this includes an increase of more than $1.7 million compared to the previous year spent by Elections Saskatchewan to promote the provincial election.
“If you exclude the increase in spending by Elections Saskatchewan, government communications costs were actually down about $1.5 million or 17 per cent from the previous year and down $8.1 million or 52 per cent compared to 2006-07,” Doherty said.
Ministers’ travel costs were $365,000 in 2015-16, up marginally by just $10,000 or 2.8 per cent compared to the previous fiscal year when ministers’ travel costs were the lowest since this expense began being shown separately in 1991-92. Ministers’ travel costs in 2015-16 were down $613,000 or 63 per cent compared to 2006-07.
In total, government travel and communications expense in 2015-16 was down more than $10 million compared to 2006-07. Public Accounts Volume 2 also provides details of ministry expense and revenue for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
To view Volume 2, visit www.finance.gov.sk.ca/public-accounts/.
Volume 1 of the 2015-16 Public Accounts, which reports on the Summary Financial Statements, was released on July 22.
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For more information, contact:
Jeff Welke
Finance
Regina
Phone: 306-787-6046
Email: jeff.welke@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-536-1185