Three ministers out, five newcomers in after year-end cabinet shuffle

Premier Scott Moe swore in an 18-member cabinet, adding five new ministers to balance workloads and sharpen the government’s focus. Wayne Mantyka reports.

Three ministers of the Saskatchewan Party government have been shuffled out of cabinet while five MLAs step into portfolios for the first time.

Travis Keisig, Daryl Harrison and Colleen Young were moved out of their roles as the ministers of environment, agriculture as well as energy and resources, respectively. All three are expected to serve as chairs of legislative committee, according to the government.

Replacing them are five newcomers: Mike Weger, Chris Beaudry, Darlene Rowden, Kim Gartner and Sean Wilson.

Weger, the MLA for Weyburn-Bengough, will take on the role of Minister of Community Safety, which replaces Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. He will also serve as the Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

Beaudry will serve as the Minister of Energy and Resources while Rowden enters cabinet as the Minister of Environment. Gartner takes on the responsibility of Minister of Highways while Wilson will serve as the Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement.

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Four ministers will take on new responsibilities with the changes.

David Marit will serve yet again as the Minister of Agriculture and Minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation.

Ken Cheveldayoff will remain as the Minister of Advanced Education and but will also serve as the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety.

Eric Schmalz retains his role as Minister of Government Relations and Minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs and gains the role of Minister of Immigration and Career Training.

Warren Kaeding, who currently serves as the Minister of Trade and Export Development, will also become the Minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.

The provincial cabinet underwent major changes following the 2024 provincial election, which saw several cabinet ministers lose their seats in both Regina and Saskatoon.

All five of the new ministers are in their first term as elected officials.

Following the announcement, Premier Moe told reporters that the changes equalize the amount of work for each minister.

“I think allowing for all of our cabinet ministers now to have one, I would say, a little bit more balanced workload, and which will give them the opportunity to have an eye … on the broader strategy, on how we’re positioning ourselves in each of the files as we move forward and look into the future," he said.

Those changes are reflected for several senior members of cabinet like Tim McLeod, who did serve as the Minister responsible for the SPSA in addition to his role as Minister of Justice.

“[McLeod] served, I think, extremely competently in all of those files, in a very challenging year, in some of those files,” Moe said. “... I thank him personally and professionally for the very heavy workload that he has carried over the course of the last year.”

The province did receive criticism over the course of the 2025 wildfire season, which saw the devastation of Denare Beach in addition to other communities.

The provincial response to the wildfires in northern Saskatchewan is currently under review by an independent third party. The review is expected to conclude prior to the 2026 wildfire season.

Following Thursday’s shuffle, there are now 18 members of the provincial cabinet, up from 16. They include:

Unchanged

• Premier Scott Moe
• Jim Reiter - Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance
• Jeremy Harrison - Minister of Crown Investments Corporation, Minister responsible for the Public Service Commission, and Minister responsible for Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan Corporation
• Lori Carr - Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health, and Government Deputy House Leader
• Everett Hindley - Minister of Education
• Jeremy Cockrill - Minister of Health
• Tim McLeod - Minister of Justice and Government House Leader
• Terry Jenson - Minister of Social Services
• Alana Ross - Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, Minister responsible for the Status of Women and Tourism

Changes

• David Marit – Now: Minister of Agriculture and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation
• Was: Minister of Highways, Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement, Minister responsible for the Global Transportation Hub Authority
• Ken Cheveldayoff – Now: Minister of Advanced Education and Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety
• Was: Minister of Advanced Education
• Eric Schmalz – Now: Minister of Government Relations and Minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs and becomes Minister of Immigration and Career Training; and
• Was: Minister of Government Relations and Minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs
• Warren Kaeding – Now: Minister of Trade and Export Development and Minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
• Was: Minister of Trade and Export Development

New

• Mike Weger - Minister of Community Safety and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency;
• Chris Beaudry - Minister of Energy and Resources
• Darlene Rowden - Minister of Environment
• Kim Gartner - Minister of Highways
• Sean Wilson - Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement

Out of cabinet

• Travis Keisig – Minister of Environment
• Daryl Harrison - Minister of Agriculture, Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, and Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Water Agency
• Colleen Young - Minister of Energy and Resources