We have the second highest personal income taxes in Canada, after Quebec. We have the highest property taxes in the country. Not only does Canada have the highest property tax burden in the industrialized world, but also within Canada, Saskatchewan has the heaviest property tax burden. I guess that makes us property tax champs of the world. But our businesses are hit even harder.
Property taxes are easily the most destructive, regressive, and complicated form of taxation.
Now here in Saskatchewan we don't just have regular taxes like the ones I've been talking about. Our provincial politicians have been reluctant to raise income or sales taxes, which are highly visible. Instead, they use utility rates to tax us, charging rates well above the cost of producing and delivering the services and repaying debt. Using the Crown utilities to raise funds for government is not only a very profitable form of taxation, it is also very regressive. High utility taxes fall most heavily on the poor and those people on fixed incomes.