By Jill Slater

Sask. finance minister lit up by low tobacco revenue

Nov 28, 2014 | 6:57 AM

The province saw a drop in revenue in a particular area at its mid-year financial update — and the finance minister is happy about it.

“Our province does not have very good statistics regarding young people and smoking so if the price, the taxation has resulted in some young people deciding that it was too expensive and they’re not buying cigarettes, terrific,” said Finance Minister Ken Krawetz Thursday.

Revenue from tobacco sales is $10 million less than anticipated so far this fiscal year.

“That’s a good thing,” said Krawetz. “As we invest more money in education and we improve our reading skills at the grade two and three level, I mean there’s a promise that in the end there’s going to be a savings in corrections. It’s proven that those people will be less likely to be incarcerated.”

Krawetz says he looks at tobacco revenue the same way.

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“Eventually, the health of the people of Saskatchewan is going to continue to improve,” he said.

Saskatchewan has routinely topped the list for the highest smoking rate of the provinces.

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