WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party has secured a continued hold on government in the western Canadian province after winning a small majority in Monday’s election, early results indicated on Tuesday.
The Saskatchewan Party, which won 32 seats, has governed the province since 2007, while the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Carla Beck, captured 22 seats, with results in seven districts still pending.
Moe’s re-election suggests ongoing support for his government’s focus on Saskatchewan’s agriculture, minerals, and energy sectors, which have seen growth in recent years. The province is a leader in Canadian agriculture, with over 40% of the country’s cropland, and is a major player in uranium, oil, and potash production. It also recently launched North America’s first commercial-scale rare earth refinery in Saskatoon.
The election campaign largely centered around healthcare, education, and affordability issues, but Moe introduced a divisive stance on transgender rights, proposing restrictions on changing room access in schools based on birth sex. Beck criticized the proposal as “the most ugly kind of politics.”
Moe’s victory could intensify tensions with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as Saskatchewan’s government has frequently clashed with the federal administration over policy issues.