The City of Saskatoon completed its 2022/2023 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget. After extensive debate, City Council approved property tax increases of 3.86% (2022) and 3.53% (2023). In general terms, a homeowner with a single-family detached home with an average assessed value of $344,000 would have a municipal property tax increase of $74.04 in 2022 or $6.17 per month, and $70.43 in 2023 or $5.87 per month.
The budget includes substantial savings from the following areas:
- Global expenditure reductions of $7.0 M in 2022 and $5.7 M in 2023;
- Additional assessment growth; and
- Deferred expenditures.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic generates a high degree of uncertainty for fiscal planning. The City is estimating that the COVID-19 impact will be $13.85 million in 2022 and $10.02 million in 2023. These impacts are offset by one-time reallocated funding and do not affect the approved municipal property tax increases.
What makes up the budget?
- Transportation projects, including paved roadway and sidewalk preservation ($32.0 M in 2022, $33.0 M in 2023), Bus Rapid Transit system implementation, traffic control system upgrades and snow and ice management.
- Investment in asset management plans, including fleet management, transit, facilities repairs, and urban forest and pest management.
- Utility-related projects, including upgrading to electrical distribution, substations and equipment, addressing storm water assets, and upgrades and maintenance of the water and wastewater treatment plants.
- Police services include a focus on East Division, which comprises all neighbourhood east of the river.
- Strategic priority initiatives:
- Development of a community safety and wellbeing framework.
- Continued investment in reconciliation, inclusion and diversity, including the Office of the Representative of the Matriarchs and addressing systemic barriers.
- Implementation of climate actions, including climate adaption, natural areas management policies, civic energy retrofits, energy generation exploration, electric vehicle adoption, and solar review for existing facilities.
- Enhanced support towards a proactive approach for property maintenance inspections.
- Approval of a Recreation and Sport Facilities Grant, which is available to groups such as curling clubs.
- Enhancing the Heritage Conservation Program.
- Support for community partners like Meewasin, VIDO-InterVac, Farmers’ Market building renewal, and WinterCity YXE.