According to the Saskatchewan Finance in its 2023-2024 budget forecast, real GDP is predicted to slow down significantly from the 4.8% increase in 2021 to 1.3% for 2022 and 1.8% in 2024.

The average year-to-date rate of change in the all-items Consumer Price Index (inflation) in August 2024 over August 2023 was 1.5%. The largest contributors were: food (3.4%), shelter (3.8%), recreation, education and reading (8.1%), and Health and personal care (2.9%).

July 2024 year-to-date retail trade is up by 2.8% over the same period in 2023.

• Sub-sectors that posted increases were: New car dealers (1.0%), Gasoline stations (9.4%), Furniture and home furnishings stores (5.9%), Health and personal care stores (10.5%), Grocery stores (9.4%), General merchandise stores (3.7%), and All other (46.7%).
• During the same time period, used car dealers (-31.4%), Electronics and appliance stores (-9.1%), Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (-19.4%), Clothing and clothing accessories stores (-1.0%), Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (-8.9%), Beer, wine and liquor stores (-39.9%) posted declines.

July 2024 year-to-date new motor vehicle (units) sales were up 19.3% from July 2023. New minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses sales were up 20.5% while New passenger cars sales were also up 4.1%.

July 2024 year-to-date restaurant receipts were up 4.4% over the same period in 2023. Within restaurant receipts, Special food services (7.6%), Full-service restaurants (0.1%), and Limited-service eating places (7.5%) increased. At the same time, declines were noted in Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) (-7.6%).

July 2024 year-to-date manufacturing sales are down by -4.7% over the same period in 2023.

• Sub-sectors that posted decreases were Food manufacturing sales (-6.0%), Machinery manufacturing sales (-17.8%), Fabricated metal product manufacturing sales (-12.9%), and All other Manufacturing sales (-0.7%).

July 2024 year-to-date wholesale trade was down -18.2% over the same period in 2023.

• Sub-sectors that posted increases were Food, beverage and tobacco merchant wholesalers (36.3%) and Personal and household goods merchant wholesalers (5.1%).
• Sub-sectors that posted decreases were Farm product merchant wholesalers (-15.6%) and Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories merchant wholesalers (-2.5%).

Total International merchandise exports were down -10.9% year-to-date August 2024 over August 2023.

• Sub-sectors that posted increases were Energy products (16.6%), Basic and industrial chemical, plastic and rubber products (15.9%), Forestry products and building and packaging materials (10.0%), Motor vehicles and parts (7.9%), and Special transactions (0.8%).
• Sub-sectors that posted decreases were Farm, fishing and intermediate food products (-15.4%), Metal ores and non-metallic minerals (-33.9%), Metal and non-metallic mineral products (-8.1%), Industrial machinery, equipment and parts (-39.1%), Electronic and electrical equipment and parts (-1.7%), Aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts (-46.4%), and Consumer goods (-10.6%).

Year-to-date August 2024 construction employment was down -744 or -1.7% from the same period in 2023.

September 2024, total year-to-date housing starts are up by 138 units or 5.2% over the same period in 2023.

• Year-to-date increases were observed in singles (160 units or 23.2%), semi-detached (10 units or 7.6%), and row (105 units or 50.2%).
• Year-to-date declines were noted in apartment and other types (-137 units or -8.3%).

The average year-to-date Housing Price Index Benchmark Composite Price is up from $322,500 in September 2023 to $337,622 in September 2024.

August 2024 year-to-date building permits are up 13.4% over the same period in 2023. Sub-sectors that posted increases were residential (8.3%), industrial (22.6%), and institutional and governmental (78.0%). During the same time period, commercial (-10.0%) posted a decline.

September 2024 year-to-date employment in Information, culture and recreation was up 1,522 positions or 7.4% over same period in 2023.

Q3 2024 Provincial population was up 30,558 persons or 2.5% over 2023 Q3 to 1,239,865, an all-time high.

In addition, the provincial population grew by 6,797 people over the second quarter of 2024.