Saskatchewan MLAs collectively spent nearly $11 million in taxpayer dollars during the last fiscal year, with opposition members spending more on average than their government counterparts, according to newly released expense statements.
The report, released annually by the Legislative Assembly Service, details a range of expenses by each member across four spending categories, including phone bills, travel and office-related costs, between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.
When combining totals across all four categories, the average Saskatchewan MLA spent around $179,000.
But spending was not consistent across the board, with Opposition MLAs spending more than government caucus members on average.
During the fiscal year, members of the Opposition NDP spent about $182,000 each, compared with roughly $176,000 among government MLAs.
Meanwhile, government ministers spent slightly less than the average MLA, coming in at about $2,500 below the overall average.
However, these figures do not include out-of-province travel by ministers, which is reported separately twice a year. The latest of these statements covers the period between Oct. 1, 2025, and March 31 of this year and includes a $63,000 trip to India taken by Premier Scott Moe in February.
Gage Haubrich, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s prairie director, said MLAs should look for ways to keep their expenses below the average.
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“If they’re below the average, they should keep those expenses there. If they’re above the average, they should talk to their colleagues and figure out a way to get under that average to save taxpayers some money,” he told Global News in an interview.
Opposition members among highest spenders
Four of the five MLAs with the highest expenses last fiscal year were members of the opposition.
Cumberland MLA Jordan McPhail topped the list, with expenses totalling about $233,100.
Behind him was Athabasca MLA Leroy Laliberte at $212,700.
Jamie Martens, provincial secretary and MLA for Martensville-Blairmore, came in at third at $211,500. With Saskatoon Fairview’s Vicki Mowat and Saskatoon Meewasin’s Nathaniel Teed holding the fourth and fifth spots with $207,700 and $203,600, respectively.
In a statement to Global News, the opposition party said its MLAs work throughout the province.
Haubrich said the spending figures warrant some context, particularly when comparing government and opposition members.
Ministers typically travel throughout the province for government announcements and other duties, he said, making higher expenses expected in some cases.
“So it warrants a little more of an explanation to say, why are they in the top?” Haubrich said, referring to the top MLA spenders.
At the other end of the list, David Marit, the province’s agriculture minister, held the lowest spot, spending around $134,000 last fiscal year.
Behind him were White City-Qu’appelle’s Brad Crassweller at $139,500 and Moe at $144,600.
The fourth- and fifth-lowest spending spots are held by opposition MLAs Bhajan Brar at $145,300 and Nicole Sarauer at $148,000.
The amount an MLA spends can also depend on where they represent.
MLAs based in Saskatoon and Regina — where all but two city-centre constituencies are currently represented by the NDP — are likely to spend more on office-related costs, while rural MLAs tend to incur higher travel expenses.
Across the four categories, MLAs spent the most on constituency assistant costs, at around $4.3 million, and the least on telecommunications, at $358,000. Travel and living expenses totalled $2.4 million, while constituency services, which include rent and office supplies, totalled $3.8 million.
The Legislative Assembly Service publishes MLA expense statements annually, allowing the public to see how elected officials are spending public dollars.
