Warren Kaeding, the incumbent MLA for the Melville-Saltcoats constituency, has served two terms in office, first elected in 2016. Kaeding is seeking re-election under the Saskatchewan Party banner, with hopes of continuing his work for the region. As new communities, including Neudorf and Lemberg have been added to his constituency, Kaeding remains committed to addressing local concerns and ensuring the province thrives economically. In an interview, he sheds light on his motivations, the pressing issues facing Saskatchewan, and his party’s plans for the future.
Election day for Saskatchewan’s 30th General Election will be held on Monday, October 28th, with advance polling running from October 22-26th.
What motivates you to run for provincial office, and what do you see as the most pressing issue facing our province today? What are some localized issues you focus on to help those living in your riding?
Kaeding: “What motivates me to run for provincial office is that I’ve made a lifetime of finding solutions for people. Whether it was in the agricultural industry or small business, – My focus is always to match the right solutions to the issue. That’s carried forward into my political goals—ensuring that my constituents have the opportunity to succeed. The biggest issue facing our province today is economic headwinds. We must continue developing our resources and give every resident an opportunity to participate in the province’s economic growth.
Locally, one of my biggest priorities is healthcare, particularly the building of an integrated health facility in Esterhazy. We’ve been working hard to get it to the planning stages, but until we see shovels in the ground, people are still skeptical. It’s critical to increase health services in the area. We have a budget to attract more doctors, and we’ve stabilized some healthcare services in places like Esterhazy, Melville, and Langenburg. Highway improvements are another focus. We’ve resurfaced several highways, and passing lanes between Melville and Fort Qu’Appelle are being developed. We also have the Esterhazy high school, which is due for a major capital upgrade. I’m working to move that up the priority list.”
What is your stance on provincial healthcare funding, and how would you ensure accessible and high-quality healthcare for residents?
Kaeding: “One of our key goals is to ensure that seniors can age in place and don’t have to leave their communities for healthcare. We need more services available locally, and that includes attracting doctors and expanding roles for nurse practitioners. We’re bringing more nurse practitioners into the area, and that’s going to help relieve the pressure on doctors. Pharmacists will also take on more roles in providing care, helping to ease the burden on clinics. Mental health services are a big focus as well, and we’ve expanded availability in our region. It’s about building a comprehensive care continuum for all residents, from young families to seniors.”
What are some pillars of the Sask Party platform that local residents would be interested to know about?
Kaeding: “Our first pillar is supporting economic development and job growth. We are fortunate to have a strong agricultural sector, including value-added industries like the canola crush plants in Yorkton and the pea processing plant under development. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we must continue supporting them. Potash mining, with Nutrien and Mosaic’s flagship operations in our constituency, is crucial for jobs and trades development in our region. Additionally, railways play a significant role, with both CP and CN operating major yards that employ hundreds locally.
Another major pillar is smaller, less intrusive government. We’re constantly working to reduce red tape and allow the private sector to thrive. A gradual reduction in government spending is a priority, although challenges like COVID-19 and the drought have slowed our progress toward a balanced budget.”
What is the Sask Party’s plan to improve education in the province and support the needs teachers spoke about during their strike last year, such as safe classrooms and the diverse needs of students?
Kaeding: “We recognize the complexities of modern classrooms, and that’s why our recent offers during collective bargaining addressed these issues. Where we’re at now with binding arbitration, I think you’ll see with some of our latest offers that we are absolutely trying to deal head on with the classroom complexity issues with the new needs that we’ve got in the classrooms or the expanding needs that we’ve got in the classrooms. We are piloting different initiatives across school divisions to tackle classroom complexity, allowing local flexibility because every classroom is different. We’re letting school boards lead on decision-making because they know their communities’ needs better than anyone. These pilot projects will be evaluated to see if they can be expanded provincially. We also value the input of strong school boards in understanding and addressing the unique challenges facing schools today.
How would your party address the growing concerns around mental health and addictions in our province, including ensuring access to treatment and support services?
Kaeding: “Mental health and addictions are growing issues across Saskatchewan, and we are committed to expanding the availability of services. We’re focusing on increasing detox and addictions treatment beds, ensuring that these services are available as locally as possible. It’s crucial that we provide recovery support so people don’t fall back into the same harmful environments. The private sector is also stepping up, with mental health clinics opening up to meet demand. We’re seeing wraparound care in clinics, where residents can access comprehensive care, including mental health services, all under one roof. Supporting families is also vital because they play such a crucial role in the recovery process.”
How do you plan to work with municipalities to address local infrastructure needs, such as public transit, roads, and affordable housing?
Kaeding: “The backbone to infrastructure support is the Municipal Revenue Sharing agreement. That’s one thing that we have great pride in as a government in that we are right now still the only province in the country that shares the provincial sales tax with our municipalities. So that 0.75 of 6% goes to municipalities every year, and they get to spend that on infrastructure projects. This year alone, we’ve shared over $320 million, which municipalities can spend on infrastructure projects like water treatment plants, road paving, and lagoon expansions. The federal ICIP program also helped fund local infrastructure, but it’s now fully subscribed. We’re pressuring the federal government to introduce a new program to support our communities.
In terms of roads, we’ve made significant investments in highway resurfacing and passing lanes, with projects ongoing in key areas like Highway 16. Healthcare facilities and schools are also priorities—Esterhazy school is a priority for a major capital upgrade, following recent investments in Yorkton and Langenburg schools.”
What are other priorities you hear your constituents talk to you about commonly?
Kaeding: “Policing is a growing concern. I’ve done ride-alongs with local RCMP detachments to better understand their challenges, and it’s clear that more support is needed. We’re advocating for an additional 170 RCMP officers in Saskatchewan, but we’re waiting for federal approval to fund their portion. We need a stronger police presence to address crime in our communities.
Agriculture is also top of mind. Primary producers are the backbone of our economy, and we need to ensure they have the support to succeed. Crop insurance and other risk management programs are essential, but they’re often tied to federal funding, which can limit what we can do. Livestock producers face unique challenges, and we’re exploring how to support them better, especially as the market for their products grows.
Post-secondary education is another area of focus. We need to provide young people with the skills training necessary to fill jobs in the resource sector. Saskatchewan has 27 of 34 critical minerals that the federal government has prioritized, and developing these resources will require a highly skilled workforce. We also see opportunities in nuclear energy and hydrogen production, which will be major industries for the province in the years to come.”
As Warren Kaeding prepares for the upcoming election, his vision for the Melville-Saltcoats constituency and the province at large remains focused on economic growth, healthcare, education, and infrastructure. With a track record of addressing local concerns and a deep understanding of the province’s needs, Kaeding’s platform emphasizes opportunity, community, and sustainable development. Whether it’s improving healthcare access or expanding mental health services, Kaeding says he is dedicated to ensuring that Saskatchewan’s residents have the tools and support they need to thrive in a changing world.