News Releases

The City wants property owners to better understand the provincial property assessment process and has developed new tools and information to help. As is required by provincial law, all property types must be reassessed every four years. The City of Saskatoon issued more than 100,000 Reassessment Notices to property owners via mail earlier this week along with an informative guide.

“We’re here to help property owners and answer their assessment questions,” says Bryce Trew, City Assessor. “For 2021, we’ve created six new videos and enhanced our online tools to assist property owners with additional information to help explain the assessment process – which can be confusing at times.

We encourage property owners to review their property’s new assessed value and characteristics on our website and to get in touch with us for support. Most assessment-related questions can be addressed by chatting with an assessor before deciding to file a formal appeal with fees. Property owners may connect with us by email, phone or by making a safely distanced in-person appointment, adds Trew.”

The 2021 Assessment Roll is now available for public viewing.  Property owners also have a 60-Day Customer Review Period – the time during which they may formally appeal their assessment.  The roll and appeal period are both open from January 25 through to March 29, 2021.

 “Some property owners have asked if their property’s new assessed value is what they would typically sell their property for and this may not be the case,” Trew says. “The assessed value of your property is calculated for taxation purposes only - it’s an estimate based on sold properties in your market area.  The provincial law works with a legislated base date and for 2021 that date is January 1, 2019.

It’s important to note that any market influence COVID-19 may or may not have had on a property’s assessed value will not be reflected in the 2021 property reassessment figures as the pandemic occurred after the base date.” 

2021 Reassessment Information Backgrounder

Highlights of the 2021 Assessment Roll:               

• The total value of the 2021 Taxable Assessment Roll is $41.3 billion, compared to $43 billion in 2020 as a result of reassessment.
  • Commercial assessment accounts for $9.9 billion (approx. 3,300 properties)
  • Residential assessment accounts for $31.4 billion (approx. 91,000 properties)

• The typical Residential property assessed value in Saskatoon decreased 7% and the typical Non-Residential (Commercial) property assessed value increased 8%. (In the last assessment cycle, the Residential tax class increased 12% and the Commercial tax class increased 36%.)
  • If a property owner had an assessment reduction of 7% in assessment, this does not mean their property tax will decrease 7%.

Key Findings from the 2021 Assessment Roll

Assessment Subgroups:

Single-Family Residential: decreased 6% (Median Assessment is $344,000)

Residential Condominiums: decreased 12% (Median Assessment is $209,900)

Multi-Residential: decreased 11% (Median Assessment is $1,404,900)

Retail: increased 24% (Median Assessment is $1,503,500)

Office: increased 16% (Median Assessment is $1,377,750)

Industrial: decreased 10% (Median Assessment is $1,431,900)

Hotel: decreased 23% (Median Assessment is $9,688,300)

• 93% of Single-Family properties had a change of plus or minus 10% of the average change (decrease of 7%).
• 28% of Residential Condos saw a decrease of 10%-20% more than average change (decrease of 7%).
• Within the Multi-Residential subgroup, Townhouse decreased 19% and Low-Rise decreased 14%, the largest decreases. These two groups account for 90% of the Multi-Residential subgroup inventory.
• 33% of Commercial properties had a change of plus or minus 10% of the average change (increase of 8%). 

Questions? We’re here to help.

Email: assessment.submit@saskatoon.ca

Mail: City of Saskatoon, Assessment & Valuation, 222 - 3rd Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 0J5

Call:  306-975-3227 for questions or to book an in-person appointment Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Visit saskatoon.ca/assessment for more information.
 

Following the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) on September 30, 2021, the Saskatoon Tribal Council has initiated a campaign called #ActOnReconciliation. It’s intended to harness the momentum of NDTR and Orange Shirt Day (also September 30) and keep Reconciliation top of mind all year long.

The campaign coincides with a time when the devastating discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential schools keep coming. Yesterday, Williams Lake First Nation announced the discovery of potential human burials on the former grounds of St. Joseph's Mission Residential School in British Columbia’s central interior. The City of Saskatoon is lowering its flags to show support for Williams Lake First Nation, Survivors, and all families impacted by residential schools.

Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand says: “Sharing how we are going to take action going forward to make reconciliation happen is the way through the dark history of Residential Schools to heal our intergenerational trauma and improve the quality of life for our people. It is by coming together united in a common cause, such as the movement #ActOnReconciliation, that we build community and strengthen relationships to move forward in a good way.”

The City is supporting this initiative by challenging its employees and Saskatoon residents to act on Reconciliation throughout 2022.

Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark says: “Reconciliation begins with truth. And every day, we hear more truths about the injustices that Indigenous peoples have faced in our community and our country – from hurtful comments to structural racism to the deaths of children, as we learned about yesterday from Williams Lake First Nation. We have a role and a responsibility to act on these truths, every day, with an open mind and heart, and to be part of building a community that honours all of us equally.”

The City’s Director of Indigenous Initiatives, Melissa Cote, says: “The demonstrations of support in our community for Reconciliation this fall were unprecedented—but Reconciliation is more than one day. We need to keep making steps forward on our journey to Reconciliation, as individuals and organizations; undertaking big and small actions to continue the healing in our community.”

#ActOnReconciliation Challenge

On the last Friday of each month, the City is encouraging its employees and all Saskatoon residents to:

1. Wear their EveryChildMatters shirt or any other orange shirt.
2. Consider taking up the suggested Reconciliation action for the month (see below) or any other Reconciliation action.
3. Use the hashtag #ActOnReconciliation to share the action they’re taking and challenge their followers to also #ActOnReconciliation.

Suggested action for January – Land Acknowledgment

Consider adding a Land Acknowledgment to your e-signature, newsletter, website, or other. Post a Land Acknowledgment at your place of business/learning/recreation/other. Learn why Land Acknowledgments matter and how to create yours by checking out this Teaching and Learning material provided by the University of Saskatchewan.

In order to establish and maintain a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) found that “there has to be awareness of the past, an acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change behaviour.”

The City has been actively engaged – as a municipality, Co-Chair of Reconciliation Saskatoon, and through other community partnerships – in efforts to help raise awareness about Reconciliation and in providing opportunities to participate. Learn more at saskatoon.ca/Indigenous.

A Saskatoon Access Transit bus and a Canadian Pacific Train collided around 7:45 a.m. this morning at a crossing on 20^th Street West; Access Transit is grateful there are no reported injuries.

The operator had parked near Station 20 West to help a passenger off. Another passenger remained on the bus.

Saskatoon Fire dispatched two engines to the scene and upon arrival firefighter paramedics helped to assist transferring the remaining passenger to hospital as a precaution. While the internal investigation is underway by Transit supervisors, it appears the bus had been parked too close to the railroad tracks.

Shortly after 9:00 a.m. rail officials reported the train was assessed and was safe to continue its trip.

S&P Global Ratings (S&P) has reaffirmed the City of Saskatoon’s credit rating as the highest rating possible, a ‘AAA’ credit rating with a “Stable” outlook. The City has maintained the ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating for twenty years since S&P first began affirming the City’s credit ratings in 2002.

“We are very pleased to receive S&P Global Ratings ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating today especially given the financial challenges the City and other municipalities have weathered because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This rating supports the City of Saskatoon’s ongoing strong governance and financial management practices,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. “The City’s prudent financial management and strategies have allowed us to continue providing essential core services while balancing our budgets during the ongoing financial disruption from COVID-19 over the last two years.”

Noting Saskatoon’s diverse economy and observing the City’s “strong operating surpluses and prudent financial management”, today’s release of the S&P Global Ratings report reaffirmed ‘AAA’ long-term issuer credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on the City with an outlook that is “Stable”.

S&P expects “the global pandemic will continue to affect economic growth in 2022 as social distancing and other preventative measures slow business activity,” but further note that they “believe this slowdown will be temporary and (Saskatoon’s) economic diversity and ongoing population growth should continue to support GDP per capita growth in line with Canada's over the forecast horizon.”

“Maintaining the City’s ‘AAA’ rating which includes a stable outlook, is important as it supports our confidence in our budgetary decisions, financial management and overall economic outlook for the City of Saskatoon,” adds Hack. “We are a municipal leader and remain assured in our ability to minimize debt as we commit to priorities within the City’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan and undertake long-term planning for infrastructure to support our great quality of life in Saskatoon.”

Key rationale within the January 18, 2022, S&P Global Ratings Direct® Report include:

• The City's “strong and prudent financial management is a key credit strength” and its “management team is experienced and qualified to effectively enact fiscal policies and respond to external risks.”
• The City “demonstrates good political and managerial strength with its lengthy track record of passing budgets with minimal variations from budgeted revenues and expenses.”
• “Management’s disclosure and transparency are good, and the City prepares robust annual budget documents, with multi-year operating and capital budgets and long-term capital and borrowing plans.”
• The City’s “strong budgetary performance will assist in keeping the debt burden manageable.”
• An “exceptional liquidity position will continue to support its creditworthiness.”

Credit ratings are one of several tools that investors and lenders use when making decisions regarding an organization’s future financial strengths and weaknesses. For the City of Saskatoon, the ‘AAA’/Stable rating serves as an indication of the credit risk and ability to meet its financial obligations in full and on time. This also identifies the credit quality of the City’s debt issue and can translate into lower interest rates for favourable credit ratings since there is minimal or low risk associated with the City’s debt.

To learn more about the City of Saskatoon’s financial performance and credit rating, visit saskatoon.ca.

The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) has been closely monitoring life and fire safety at the Lighthouse Supported Living Facility. As a result, ongoing inspections dating to April 2021 have revealed a number of deficiencies that must be remedied to make sure work and living conditions at the facility do not deteriorate.

“Our focus at the Lighthouse is community safety,” says Assistant Chief Yvonne Raymer. “We want to ensure all life safety measures are in place so that any concerns or deficiencies can be easily rectified. We don’t want the issues to compound like we have seen elsewhere, so we’re keeping a close eye on the building and staying on top of inspections at the Lighthouse.”

Inspections and results:

• One fire inspection in April 2021 and four re-inspections since (three in December 2021 and one in January 2022)
• Four Property Maintenance Nuisance Abatement Bylaw inspections (September, November and January)
• 42 Fire Safety Act contraventions pertaining to failing to maintain life safety systems and building systems (i.e. electrical, sprinklers, fire alarm system, lack of records, failing to maintain means of egress, failing to maintain fire separations)
• One Fire Safety Act Order to Remedy related to 42 contraventions
• Two Bylaw Orders to Remedy (one for structural assessment-December; one for various property maintenance issues-January)
• Fire investigation December 10 revealed careless disposal of smoking materials
• 14 tickets related to the 42 Fire Safety Act contraventions (issued December 10 & January 6)
• One ticket related to junk/garbage under the Property Maintenance Nuisance Abatement Bylaw (January)

There are outstanding issues arising from inspections that remain under investigation.

SFD will not be closing the Lighthouse; inspectors determine the risks in the building are less than the risk posed by displacing occupants. Instead, SFD has issued Orders to Remedy. The Lighthouse has been ordered to fix the hazards by the end of January. If the hazards are not remedied by then, SFD may contract the work, bill the Lighthouse for the repairs and then discuss payment terms.

Following the most recent visit to the Lighthouse on January 4, that inspection identified:

• Two sinks removed in a bathroom off the dining room, which is currently converted into a temporary shelter area due to COVID-19
• One water heater not working; multiple other water heaters remained fully functional
• A small water and sewer backup in the service room with slight wet staining around the drain

Since the January 4 inspection, the water heater has been fixed. Showers and sinks with hot water remained intact for all other suites and bathrooms. The deficiencies identified by SFD are considered to be minor and can be rectified by a plumber.

“We are not aware of the current financial situation of the Lighthouse, but it is our view that the repairs required to complete the orders are relatively minor,” notes Assistant Chief Raymer. “However, if the Lighthouse requires assistance in completing these repairs, we would invite them to reach out to the Saskatoon Fire Department to discuss their various options.”

Other deficiencies can be fixed by hiring qualified tradespeople or other service contractors that would be able to ensure the Lighthouse is a safe facility for staff and residents.