Saskatchewan operates under a British parliamentary system, with its constitution rooted in the Saskatchewan Act of 1905. The province holds general elections every five years, and the lieutenant governor serves as a symbolic figurehead. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are responsible for law enforcement across the province, except in larger urban centers with their own local police forces.
The province's political landscape has historically been divided between free enterprise parties and the democratic socialist New Democratic Party (NDP). The NDP, which has a stronger presence in urban and northern areas, has often championed public and cooperative enterprise, though it was an NDP government that introduced policy changes to encourage investment in the resource sector. The right-of-center parties, including the Saskatchewan Party, have traditionally supported business-driven development.
Saskatchewan's local governance includes health and school districts, all under provincial jurisdiction but with significant local autonomy. Municipal governments follow the U.S. mayor-council model, with mayors elected separately from the council and various appointed boards operating independently. The province has relied on federal subsidies when its economy operates below the national average, particularly during periods of low crop yields or mineral revenues.
The province is socially and economically one of the least stratified in Canada, with average incomes slightly below the national average but higher labor force participation and lower unemployment. However, First Nations and Métis populations face greater disadvantages, including lower incomes, higher unemployment, and limited access to education, particularly in remote rural areas. About half of First Nations people still live on reserves.