Saskatchewan's provincial auditor Tara Clemett has uncovered concerns about regulating foreign-owned farmland and government procurement practices in a new report.The audit found that the Farm Land Security Board requires more robust oversight of land transactions. With approximately 40,000 farmland transactions occurring annually, the board has issued only five orders to sell farmland inappropriately purchased by foreign entities. Clemett's investigation revealed critical weaknesses in the board's monitoring process..Record crowds at Canadian Western Agribition, despite frigid temperatures.In a detailed examination of 18 land purchases by non-Saskatchewan registered corporations, auditors discovered that the board should have requested mandatory ownership declarations in nine cases. This lack of consistent documentation creates challenges in identifying and addressing potential violations of land ownership regulations.The report also highlighted additional problematic areas. The Farm Land Security Board lacks clear escalation procedures for handling suspected violations..New vaping taxes threaten survival of Alberta’s vaping shops.In eight instances, the board requested statutory declarations but never received them, leaving these transactions in a legal grey area years after the sales occurred.Saskatchewan's current land ownership laws allow Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and 100% Canadian-owned corporations to purchase land. Non-Canadians are typically restricted to owning only 10 acres, with potential exemptions available.The audit additionally examined government procurement practices, specifically focusing on hotel room acquisitions for social services clients..Saskatchewan government introduces bill to keep carbon tax off home heating bills.A Western Standard investigation revealed former Sask Party MLA Gary Grewal received almost a million dollars from social service clients after becoming an MLA in 2020. A previous investigation found Grewal in a potential conflict of interest, including his hotel raised rates for a social services client to almost double what the general public would pay for the same room..Sask Party MLA broke law in motel billing scheme.Clemett recommended implementing more proactive monitoring mechanisms, including establishing clear timelines for reviewing land transactions and developing stronger enforcement protocols for government hotel spending.The provincial government is expected to review the auditor's recommendations and develop strategies to address the identified oversight gaps in farmland ownership and hotel procurement practices.
