Authors: Casey Vander Ploeg and Jack Vicq

In early 2010, the Canada West Foundation was asked by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce whether the Foundation’s research and tax suggestions in a previous report entitled Ready for Take-Off could be applied more directly and purposefully to circumstances in Saskatchewan. The Foundation was pleased to accept the invitation—on condition that researchers would work independently and issue their own assessment in a final report. Consequently, a report was developed by the Canada West Foundation at the request of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and its funding partners—the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan, the Certified Management Accountants of Saskatchewan, the Certified General Accountants of Saskatchewan, and the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors. The result is A Tax Framework for Saskatchewan’s Continuing Prosperity.

The purpose of the Framework is to help the citizens of Saskatchewan and their public decision-makers grapple with two fundamental questions. First, how competitive is Saskatchewan’s tax policy? Second, if there are indeed aspects of Saskatchewan’s tax system that are wanting, what are the options and alternatives? Finding a measure of consensus around the answers hit directly on the future prospects of Saskatchewan, and the time for careful consideration and thoughtful answers has arrived.