Saskatchewan will spend $100 million to revitalize inner cities and the north, Premier Lorne Calvert announced at a high school in Saskatoon Friday.

Of that money, $60 million will be spent on affordable housing in northern communities and in the inner cities of Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford.

Premier Lorne Calvert wants to revitalize inner cities and northern communities.

The other $40 million will go to education and skills training for people living in low-income neighbourhoods.

"My government is committed to making life better for Saskatchewan people by promoting caring neighbourhoods, and by providing better access to education and skills training," Calvert said.

The premier also announced an additional $500,000 from the department of Community Resources in one-time funding to support food banks across the province, including $250,000 for the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre.

According to the government's website, the $60 million for housing will be allocated as follows:

• $49.5 million for about 500 affordable rental and homeownership units for low- to moderate-income families and youth at risk.
• $10 million for ongoing rent subsidies for 300 low-income families and youth at risk.
• $500,000 to support a training component aimed at increasing participation among inner- city and northern youth in housing construction and repair projects. 

The training component will complement other provincial efforts to attract youth to the home-building and repair sector where there is an increasing shortage of skilled tradespeople.   

The Opposition Saskatchewan Party finds no fault with the government's investment. But with Calvert in the fourth year of his mandate, it's widely expected a provincial election will be held this year.