Urban Update: August 27, 2018

August 27, 2018

Moving the Municipal Election Date

In response to the provincial consultation on moving the municipal election date to October 2021 from October 2020, SUMA has said it is not in support of a 2021 municipal election.

This response is based on member feedback. In 2017, members were consulted at regional meetings and through a member survey. While the survey did not ask about a full year’s delay, more than 90 per cent of respondents were not in favour of extending terms into spring 2021. Members also expressed concerns, shared by the SUMA Board, about the possibility of more byelections caused by council member resignations, and a lack of democratic fairness for voters who elected councils for four years.

SUMA would only be in favour of moving the municipal election date to earlier in October 2020.

Ready for Regionals?

The SUMA Staff are gearing up for another tour across Saskatchewan for SUMA ’ s 2018 Regional Meetings! These meetings are a perfect chance to learn, network, and discuss the hot topics and challenges within your region.

You ’ ll hear from SUMA staff and Board, your peers, and a subject matter expert picked by your Regional Director. Check out the event listing for your region to get the scoop on the meeting, see the agenda, and register today.

Southwest – September 26
Southeast – September 27
East Central – September 28
Central – October 1
Northeast – October 2
West Central – October 3
Northwest – October 4

SUMA Summer School A Success

Mayors and Councillors from more than 30 Saskatchewan hometowns attended SUMA Summer School from August 12-14. This leadership and governance workshop provided a university experience, with classes held on the University of Regina campus. Many attendees had the full university experience by staying on campus in student residence!

Summer School included sessions on lessons from a previous mayor, the council-administration dynamic, handling complaints, council operations, public relations and media training, and asset management – and that was just Monday! Tuesday included sessions on regional collaboration, calming conflicts, CAO performance evaluations, and women in politics.

Thank you to all the mayors and councillors who attended! You can check out our Facebook page to see all the action. Want to see what attendees have to say? Check out these stories from Yorkton and White City .

All available presentations from Summer School have been posted in the presentation section of our website.

Convention 2019: Submit Your Resolutions

Convention resolutions are one way SUMA members can get their issues to the forefront. You can submit resolutions to SUMA anytime during the year, but the deadline for Convention 2019 is Thursday, November 15 .

To get started with resolutions, check out the full Call for Resolutions document, including a template you can use as a guide. You may want to review past resolutions , which are available online going all the way back to 1997. You can search by year, title, sponsoring municipality, or keyword.

We have also made some changes to our Resolutions Policy .

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McKenzie .

Last Chance to Nominate

A very important deadline is coming up; don ’ t miss your chance to recognize your municipality going the extra mile.

The Saskatchewan Municipal Awards (SMAs) are a great way to celebrate the successes, innovations, and excellence in your municipality. Submit your nomination now! Winners will be announced in November and the winning urban municipalities will receive their award at Convention 2019.

Nominations are due next week! Get your forms in by end of day on September 7 .

Program sponsor:

Do You Know A Deserving Volunteer?

Saskatchewan has the highest rate of volunteerism in Canada, so chances are you know someone you could nominate for the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.

Do you know someone who reaches outside their personal activities to help others and make daily life in Saskatchewan better for everyone?

Are they a Canadian citizen who is a current or former long-term resident of Saskatchewan?

Nominate them now!

You have until October 18 to show your appreciation for this outstanding volunteer. Recognizing volunteers is not only a way to say thank you but also showcases the role models in Saskatchewan.

Provide Your Feedback on Sustainable Solid Waste Management Solutions

The Government of Saskatchewan has established the Solid Waste Management Advisory Committee to make recommendations to the Minister of Environment to finalize the solid waste management strategy and cut red tape from landfill regulations.

To assist the Advisory Committee, targeted urban and rural municipalities have an opportunity to meet directly with the Advisory Committee. Municipalities can also provide feedback through an online survey. If you are interested in meeting directly with the Advisory Committee, please contact [email protected] .

Learn more

The Right Person For the Job: When to Use Licensed and Unlicensed Surveyors

Under Saskatchewan's Land Surveyors and Professional Surveyors Act, only licensed Saskatchewan land surveyors are permitted to determine property boundaries in Saskatchewan.

But the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association (SLSA) has noticed an increasing number of unlicensed survey practice in the last few years.

Licensed surveyors are required for jobs such as fence line staking and locating property corners, while construction surveyors can complete any surveying that does not reference property boundaries.

To find a licensed surveyor, visit www.slsa.sk.ca.

Attend the Canadian Rural Revitalization Conference

Are you interested in exploring best practices in:

Land use planning for economic development
Precarious employment
Rural water governance
Cannabis and rural development
The community impacts of long-distance community

Learn about this and more at the 30th Annual Canadian Rural Revitalization Conference October 10-12 in Saskatoon.

Funding the Great Trail

The Great Trail, spanning Canada, is the world's longest network of recreational multi-use trails. If your community has a trail project in mind, you could be eligible for funding.

Eligible project types are:

New: Project to build a new trail section or major infrastructure (bridges, campsites, and access points)
Trail upgrade: Project that improves the trail experience such as upgrading the surface from gravel to asphalt
Major repairs: Project to repair damages caused by a major event

Applications are being accepted from now until October 5.

Submit your project

Don't Forget to Register for the SUMA Webinar: Getting Your Workplace Policies Right

Don ’ t miss your chance to take in the webinar Getting Your Workplace Policies Right .

Join SUMA and Jana Linner, a lawyer with MLT Aikins, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. to learn the key areas your policies should cover to keep your employees, and citizens, safe.