Deb Higgins, the MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow, is one of four candidates running for NDP leader. (Niall McKenna/CBC)

NDP leadership candidate Deb Higgins wants to make poverty a key issue in the next provincial election, saying she wants to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line by 25 per cent.

That can be done by building more affordable housing, boosting the minimum wage and giving more help to people with addictions, Higgins said.

Her anti-poverty plan also calls for:

• Increased access to mental health and addiction services.
• More support for childcare, including more spaces and help for parents working non-traditional hours.
• More money for literacy programs and community schools.

Higgins, who is the MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow, estimates her plan to reduce the gap between rich and poor will cost an additional $628 million a year.

That may seem like a lot, but reducing poverty is in the best interests of all Saskatchewan people, Higgins said.

"It's doable," she said. "We need to make sure that those in our communities who most need the support to be successful and build a healthy life and a strong future in the province have the support to do that."

There are four people in the race for the NDP leadership. The others are Dwain Lingenfelter, Yens Pedersen and Ryan Meili. Members of the party will choose their new leader on June 6.