News Releases

As one of the initial steps in developing the City’s first multi-year business plan and budget, the City’s Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) today set the indicative municipal property rate target less than 3.94% for 2020, and 4.17% for 2021 previously presented to maintain services.

Administration presented three property tax options for the GPC Committee to consider.  The Committee resolved that Administration report back in August for options to produce a budget less than the current estimated costs to maintain existing services and implement the city-wide organics program phase-in.

“With the indicative municipal property tax rates set today, our teams will now spend the next few weeks focusing on where we can shift resources within the budget,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer. “Committee directed Administration to bring back options for them to consider.”

The report to Committee outlined a targeted municipal property tax increase equal to 3.94% in 2020 and 4.17% in 2021, which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.

“This process provides the Administration with a guideline to prepare the budget in advance of final deliberations in late November,” Tarasoff says. “When considering the phase-in of the organics program and the deficit in waste operations, we’ll be looking at the options available to us to reduce the impact on property tax rates and related service-level impacts.”

Setting the indicative municipal property tax rate for two years provides greater certainty for residents about the future direction of property taxes. The process gives Administration direction to further refine the budget including service level changes and initiatives aimed at achieving City Council’s Strategic Priorities.

The indicative property tax rate acts as a starting point or baseline. City Council can change it as it makes final decisions on the budget priorities it wants to invest in. The City’s final budget, and related municipal property tax rates, for 2020 and 2021 will be made at budget deliberations set for the end of November 2019.

The new multi-year business plan and budget process supports better alignment of the City’s longer-term goals and objectives, and delivers improved financial stability, transparency and accountability.

For more information on the City’s multi-year budget, visit saskatoon.ca/budget.

The City’s commitments to explore new ways to improve service to residents, increase savings for the corporation and grow Saskatoon in a sustainable way are highlighted in the 2018 Saskatoon Strides Report on Service, Savings & Sustainability.

“The annual Strides report showcases the progress our City’s teams’ continue to make, and how our culture of continuous improvement is embedded into everything we do,” says Dan Willems, Interim Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. “I’m very proud of our employees and the work they accomplished in 2018. Our teams continued to look at finding new ways of doing business to avoid future costs, and to create new efficiencies in our everyday work – their efforts lower our costs, save us time, and allow us to better deliver our services to citizens.”

2018 Strides Report Highlights:

• Through continuous improvement initiatives, the City realized $1.82 million in savings, with federal grant funding approved for $1.84 million.
• Saskatoon Land delivered $21.3 million in total financial returns, with $2.5 million contributed to the City’s General Revenue.
• Sustainability programs diverted over 28,400 tonnes of waste from the landfill.
• The City received numerous local and national awards and recognition, notably another ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating from S & P Global Rating Services, and a Gold Infrastructure Award for the Bridging to Tomorrow Project.
• The City hosted and participated in a wide variety of Indigenous initiatives in response to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC’s) Calls to Action, and was awarded the Peacemaker Award for an ongoing commitment to mediation and conflict resolution within our community.
• Service Saskatoon continued to instill a culture of high-quality, citizen-focused service, improving how the City delivers front-line service and promptly connects citizens to the answers and information they need.

“We will continue to improve our processes to deliver excellent customer service. Our teams’ remain committed to finding additional efficiencies through creative solutions and new corporate-wide initiatives,” adds Willems.

The report also includes kudos from residents, Saskatoon Transit’s service improvements and Indigenous initiatives the City undertook in response to the TRC’s Calls to Action.

Find the full report and details on the financial savings and project initiatives on saskatoon.ca. The Strides report will be presented to the Governance and Priorities Committee Monday, June 17, 2019.

Saskatoon’s “Rock Your Roots” Walk for Reconciliation is back for its fourth year in Victoria Park on National Indigenous Peoples Day - Friday, June 21, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.

We invite people of all ages, cultural backgrounds and abilities to come together and learn about reconciliation, honour survivors, and to celebrate the strength and vibrancy of our diverse community.

The theme for this year is Re-igniting the Fire - a reminder that we cannot delegate reconciliation. We must commit as individuals, businesses, and communities to listen, learn, show up and share. We must keep the fire burning to spark change in our lives and city.

WALK WITH US: Organize your friend’s, your family, your community! We invite individuals, businesses, non-profits, faith communities, school groups and more to join the walk as a group. Show your support! Here are some ideas we’ve seen from our incredible walkers over the years:
- Carry your company/organization banner
- Get t-shirts made
- Wear the traditional/cultural dress of your heritage to “Rock Your Roots”
- Create handheld signs to carry with you and/or your group

The Walk joins up with National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations hosted by the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre. Celebrations include free lunch, special guest speakers, live entertainment and fun for the whole family.

Everyone is encouraged (but not required) to “Rock Your Roots” by holding or wearing traditional symbols of your culture to show and share the diversity within our community.

FULL SCHEDULE:

7:00 a.m. Pipe Ceremony – open to all. *Information on Pipe Ceremony protocol can be found on page 24 of the ayisīnowak guide on Saskatoon.ca/ayisīnowak.

9:00 a.m. Grand Entry of dignitaries and special guests

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation. Gather at the start line for a group warm up exercise! Victoria Park (Avenue F south & Spadina Crescent)

11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations. Free lunch, cultural entertainment, special guest speakers and family fun as hosted by Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre.

Celebrations are free and open to all. Golf carts will be available for those unable to walk.

For more information, follow on Reconciliation Saskatoon on Facebook or visit saskatoon.ca/reconciliation or otc.ca.

The City continues to roll-out steps in planning for the first multi-year budget for 2020 and 2021. The multi-year budget will provide greater certainty for residents about the future direction of property taxes, better alignment of the City’s longer-term goals and objectives, and improved financial stability, transparency and accountability.

Setting the municipal indicative property tax rate is a guideline and an important early step in the development of a business plan and budget. Setting an indicative rate gives City Council an opportunity to discuss budget priorities it wants to invest in.

“Prior to budget deliberations this fall, we’re now presenting a number of options to the Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) on setting an appropriate indicative rate for this 2020/2021 budget cycle,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer. “Not only will this provide increased transparency surrounding the City’s budget process to residents, but it will give Administration the direction we need to further refine the budget including service level changes and initiatives aimed at achieving City Council’s Strategic Priorities.”

While the Administration is tabling this information with GPC at its meeting on Monday, June 17, 2019, detailed work will continue to refine the budget right up until budget deliberations at the end of November. 

Administration has prepared three property tax options for consideration by Committee, each with benefits and risks for City programs and services. Administration is currently projecting a 2.94% and 3.17% property tax increase required in 2020 and 2021 in order to maintain current service levels.

Option 1:

• Target a property tax less than 3.94% and 4.17% for 2020 and 2021, which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.
• This option would require the Administration to reproduce a budget less than the current estimated cost to maintain existing services and implement the city-wide organics program phase-in.

Option 2:

• The Administration is recommending a targeted property tax increase equal to 3.94% and 4.17% in 2020 and 2021 which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.
• This option would require the Administration to proceed with the current estimated costs to maintain existing services as well as continued implementation of the city-wide organics program phase-in. 

Option 3:

• Target a property tax higher than 3.94% and 4.17% for 2020 and 2021, which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.
• This option would provide sufficient funding to maintain existing service levels, continue the phase-in of the city-wide organics program and leave funding for the implementation of other initiatives to achieve other City Council Strategic Priorities.

“Balancing property taxes, service level changes, our Strategic Goals and City Council’s Strategic Priorities is always difficult, however, we believe we’ve provided Committee with a full picture of the City’s financial projections and their available options for 2020 and 2021,” Tarasoff says.

Report Highlights:

• Administration anticipates a total revenue increase of $22.66 million for 2020/2021, mainly comprised of user fees, internal and external revenues and property tax growth.
• The City’s 2020/2021 budget forecasts increased expenditures of approximately $28.70 million, or 7.08% over 2019.
• Saskatoon Police Service currently estimates a total of $8.86 million in growth and inflationary pressures for 2020/2021.
• For the purposes of the 2020/2021 Indicative Budget Report and associated options, a 1.00% property tax change has been estimated to be equivalent to $2.44 million.

The indicative rate decision is a guideline for the rest of the year. City Council has the opportunity to set the final budget and associated municipal property tax rate through the 2020/2021 multi-year budget deliberations at the end of November 2019.

For more information on the City’s multi-year budget, visit saskatoon.ca/budget.

The City continues to replace the water and sewer lines in two of Saskatoon’s oldest neighbourhoods. This year, the priority is the City Park and Riversdale neighbourhoods where work has been underway for a few weeks.

“The water and sewer lines in these neighbourhoods are about 100 years old,” says Matt Jurkiewicz (yurr-KEV’-ich), Interim Director, Construction and Design. “The replacement projects include upgrading the pipes and also replacing the lead connections to homes that are also outdated.”

Work began in the City Park neighbourhood during the 2018 construction season. In Riversdale, this is the first of a two-year water and sewer upgrade. Phasing the work over a few construction seasons ensures the work is not spread across the entire neighbourhood at once, containing most of the construction to one area at a time.

“We appreciate the cooperation and patience of residents affected by the work, which once complete, will have several benefits,” Jurkiewicz says “They’ll experience improved water pressure once the new lines are in and water main breaks will be less likely during the winter.”

Other benefits include the restoration of streets where work is taking place, resulting in new driving surfaces and in some locations, new or rehabilitated sidewalks.

Earlier this year, the City’s Construction and Design team held open houses in both neighbourhoods and regularly distributes project updates to affected residents to outline the latest project details and timelines. Information is also available online at Saskatoon.ca/watermain.

The 2019 portion of water and sewer infrastructure upgrades in City Park and Riversdale is expected to wrap up by the end of October or before the first significant snowfall.