SASKATOON — Saskatoon City Council's Governance and Priorities Committee has narrowed the projected funding gap for the 2024-2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget. At the second of three planned Special Budget Meetings, the GPC, consisting of the Mayor and all City Councillors, achieved reductions of $21.6 million for 2024 and $1.6 million for 2025, resulting in a reduced remaining gap of $29.2 million and $20.05 million for the respective years.
Without these reductions, the property tax increase for 2024 and 2025 would have been significantly higher, starting at 17.33 per cent and 6.25 per cent, respectively. However, with the implemented measures, the projected property tax rates have decreased to 9.96 per cent for 2024 and 6.17 per cent for 2025.
The GPC recommended various measures to be integrated into the Preliminary 2024/2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget, including limiting inflationary increases to 25 per cent of projected requirements for Roadways, Facilities Maintenance, Saskatoon Light and Power Maintenance Requirements, and Fire Apparatus Replacement.
Additionally, the GPC proposed deferring phase-ins for future operating impacts for fire halls, the East Leisure Centre, and the expansion of Transit to growing neighbourhoods until they become operationally required.
Other cost-saving measures included adjusting the City's Corporate Fuel Estimates, increasing parking rates by $0.50 per hour, transferring Parking App User Fees to the end user, and deferring various staffing increases in different departments.
The process of reducing the funding gap is ongoing, with the GPC set to discuss further budget reductions at another Special Budget Meeting scheduled on Aug. 15.
Various business line reports, including Community Support, Saskatoon Fire, Environmental Health, Taxation and General Revenue, Land Development, and Arts, Culture, and Events Venues, will be considered during this meeting.
Additional reports related to Corporate Support & Revenue, Recreation and Culture, and Utilities will also be presented.
The City Council will request early draft budgets from the Saskatoon Police Board of Commissioners and the Saskatoon Library Board to be incorporated into future budget discussions.
To foster collaboration and gather input, an additional motion was passed to create a working group comprising Administration and Council members to meet with the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and the North Saskatoon Business Association.
The goal is to discuss each group's recommendations on further reducing the starting funding gap for 2024/2045.
City Council aims to finalize the 2024/2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget during its final budget review and deliberations in November.
For more detailed information and updates on the 2024/2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget, the public is encouraged to visit saskatoon.ca/budget.
