Fees to increase as Saskatoon council makes progress on massive funding gaps

It’s a slow process, but Saskatoon’s city councillors are shaving down a funding gap that still adds up to more than $44 million over the next two years.

After Tuesday’s third special budget meeting, Clae Hack, the city’s chief financial officer, told councillors they’d made some progress addressing the 2024 funding gap, but not the 2025 gap.

“Through the meetings today, 2024’s (gap has) been reduced by a further $1.1 million, and 2025, due to some of the deferrals and putting positions into 2025, has increased by $37,000,” Hack said.

“Our property tax (increases), if left unmitigated – which, again, is unlikely due to the amount of reports still in front of us and future meeting at the end of August – would be 8.54 per cent in 2024 and 6.04 per cent in 2025,” he said.

That’s a significant drop from June, when the projected property tax increases due to the funding gaps were 18.56 per cent in 2024 and 6.95 per cent in 2025.

Councillors voted to increase pet licensing fees by 10 per cent and to increase the rates and fees for cemetery services by three per cent.

A total of 130 new parking meters will also be installed in the city’s Warehouse District and Centre Industrial areas at a cost of $30,000 in a move expected to increase revenues by $170,000.

Contributions to the city’s special event reserve, a fund set aside for organizations like Discover Saskatoon and other groups to bring national or international sporting, arts or cultural events to Saskatoon, will be reduced by more than $200,000 in both 2024 and in 2025.

The reserve will still have about $661,000 left at the end of 2023, and will total around $892,000 in 2024.

Council also heard presentations from the North Saskatoon Business Association’s Keith Moen, who reiterated his group’s list of seven potential budget solutions, and the Saskatoon Climate Hub’s Jory Vermette, who told the room that funding climate objectives should remain a city priority.

There are still several reports left for council to consider in its ongoing search for savings, including those on environmental health, taxation and general revenue, land development, arts, culture and event venues, recreation and culture, and urban planning and development. Those were deferred to a fourth special budget meeting, set for the end of August.

Draft reports from the Saskatoon Police Service and Library Board also need to be presented to give council an idea of where any other potential cuts or deferrals could be made.