Rent reduced for riders, early budget items approved by Regina Council
6h ago
Regina's city council covered a lot of ground in a three-hour meeting on Wednesday. With all members in attendance, coun...
After what he referred to as a year of “recovery” in 2022, Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said he feels optimistic about the year ahead.
“I hear from and talk to mayors from across Canada and around the world. I hear of some of the challenges that are being faced in other places. It does make me feel very grateful to be in Saskatoon (and) to have the community that we have here,” Clark said.
The mayor said Saskatoon has what the world needs, including jobs and resources like fertilizer, energy, and food.
“It’s really important that those opportunities are shared with everyone,” he said.
There are two big initiatives Clark said the city will tackle in 2023: continuing the work towards the creation of a downtown entertainment district and arena, and strengthening the care for those suffering from homelessness and addictions. There are a few smaller projects on deck as well, he added, including the creation of a new farmer’s market in the Riversdale area.
“(There also are) the Hoist the Hoops outdoor basketball court over there in River Landing, the White Buffalo Youth Lodge, the planning for the northwest leisure centre … as well as the downtown festival site,” he added.
Next year, Saskatoon’s city council will have to pass another two-year budget. In 2023, property taxes will increase by 3.93 per cent, which works out to an increase of around $78 for a home valued at $344,000.
City manager Clae Hack hinted that one-time funding used to cover deficits the city saw over the past two years won’t be available going forward.
“2024 will be a big year for the city where that one-time support and funding won’t be available anymore in the operating budget, so I really expect the full implications of the pandemic to be a major factor in the 2024 budget, since we still are relying on one-time funding,” Hack cautioned in late November.
Still, Clark said, that doesn’t necessarily mean Saskatoon property owners will see much larger tax increases after the budget is passed.
“The goal is not going to be to bring in large tax increases. We know that for citizens and residents and businesses, everybody is facing the impacts of inflation,” he said. “We’re starting now, working towards that budget.”
Clark pointed out that the city continues to have healthy financial reserves, a triple-A credit rating, and a “very responsible” way of budgeting in the city.
The provincial government is looking at changing laws to allow municipalities to decide whether they want to allow liquor consumption in some parks, something the City of Saskatoon initiated in 2021. Clark said he’s heard some feedback on that suggestion, and given it more thought.
“I’m … hearing a number of different concerns from the community about the impacts of alcohol – of open alcohol in parks – and whether or not that’s the right priority for council. For me, right now, it’s not something that I see as having great urgency, but it will be up to council to determine if that’s something that we want to move ahead,” he said.
Clark said he’d love to move ahead with a large, renewable power project, saying it would be good to provide green energy to businesses that are looking to be able to provide suppliers with a green supply chain.
The city’s curbside organics program will also begin in 2023, Clark said, with delivery of green carts likely in March or April, and collection beginning in May.