Saskatchewan Premier Wall, cabinet ministers freeze wages to face 'challenges'

REGINA — Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he and his cabinet ministers have agreed to take a wage freeze to help address "revenue challenges."

Wall says the wage freeze also applies to senior government officials and other non-unionized executives, such as Crown corporation and health region employees.

He says the move is for one year and is expected to save $15 million.

Wall is also asking the board that governs the salaries of legislature members to implement a wage freeze.

The government will also be writing to school divisions and post-secondary institutions to ask that they apply the same policy.

Wall said earlier this week that the world oil price slump means Saskatchewan will face a budget shortfall of between $600 million and $800 million this year.

"With the revenue challenges we are facing, our government is committed to controlling operating spending," Wall said in a release Friday. "I believe those measures have to start at the top and that's the intent of this wage freeze."