Rent reduced for Riders, early budget items approved by Regina Council
7h ago
Council retroactively slashed $1.33 million in rent owed by the Roughriders.
U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration could offer more stability for Saskatchewan’s exporters.
That’s one of the takeaways for Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP) CEO Chris Dekker.
“One of the immediate benefits our members have expressed is the reduction of uncertainty in markets and in policies,” he said.
He’s contrasting that to the last four years under President Donald Trump who, seemingly spur of the moment, would bring in policies that would negatively impact Canada directly, including tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Dekker does appreciate the stability of the new NAFTA — renamed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
“That agreement sets out zero tariffs. That’s the prize. We’ve got an agreement with our largest market that what we export into that market will be tariff free,” said Dekker.
“That gives us a leg up with markets from around the world and regardless of which president is in, that’s what we can point to as a positive light going into the new year.”
As far a new international trade deal, Dekker said he believes Biden will be very much domestically focused, looking inward before looking outward.
A very “real” and “significant” concern for Dekker with the new Biden administration revolves around oil and improving market access via pipelines.
Biden’s camp is signalling he’ll scrap the Keystone XL pipeline expansion project almost right after he comes into power, despite continued lobbying from Canadian provinces and Ottawa.
One of Biden’s main policy pillars is renewable energy and climate-friendly initiatives. Dekker believes the two sectors can work parallel.
“There’s always room for innovation and new products and manufacturing opportunities that Saskatchewan can certainly be a part of, but in the meantime we also need to take care of the petroleum industry,” he said.