Saskatchewan approves 3 additional MLAs

Saskatchewan is adding three MLAs to the legislature when the next election rolls around, bringing the total representation to 61 members.

The look of the new electoral map has yet to be determined. An electoral boundaries commission will work that out.

Don Morgan, the minister of justice and attorney general, repeated the government's promise that the extra MLAs will not cost taxpayers any more money.

"The premier has indicated that we will look for additional savings and actually we're looking for that across all of government and certainly we will be looking for that through executive government," Morgan said Wednesday. "We will be able to find additional savings so that this is something that is not passed on to the taxpayer."

The opposition NDP was against adding new MLAs, saying there was no need for more representatives.

"It's going to be millions of dollars for more politicians," John Nilson, the interim leader of the NDP, said. "Saskatchewan peoplewhether they are Sask Party, NDP or Liberalthey have been coming to me and my colleagues and saying this is a pretty dumb idea."

According to government documents, an MLA receives a yearly salary of $88,067.

Members who perform additional duties, such as Speaker or chair of a committee, receive additional pay.

Each MLA is also supported by taxpayers for travel and constituency office expenses. According to the most recent public accounts, most MLAs expenses range between $122,000 and $150,000. The average for 58 MLAs was $134,000.