Sask. Public Safety Agency being handed $50M more for flooding and wildfires

Just five months after presenting its budget, the provincial government is signing off on an extra $50 million in spending for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

A special warrant was signed at the end of last month to authorize the money for the Ministry of Community Safety, which will be put into the agency.

Nearly half, $21 million, will be used for Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) claim payments for severe flooding that parts of the province are still trying to recover from.

The agency said the program has approved 172 designations this year, working with nearly 600 local authorities and private residents. That’s while the 10-year average for PDAP claims in a year is 43.

In July, the government announced changes to the program, expanding PDAP assistance and bringing it more in line with federal supports — changes communities applauded.

The other $29 million in the special warrant will go to pay for activities around the province’s wildfire response. The agency said that included things like land and air operations, contracting equipment, materials and logistical supports.

As of Friday, there were five active wildfires in the province, with 341 to date in 2026 — that’s 152 fires fewer than in the 2025 season and 150 fewer than the five-year average.

The 2025 wildfire response cost more than $350 million, according to the provincial auditor. In June, Tara Clemett said in her report that the actual costs for wildfires exceeded the initial budget by more than $70 million in each of the past three years.

She determined the agency isn’t properly budgeting for the wildfire season and that budgets have not “reasonably reflect(ed) the expected costs of wildfire response.”