February 27, 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 7, 2023

Webinar - Enhancing Communication Skills for Municipal Leaders and Staff

March 8, 2023

MuniCast Release - Season 4, Episode 3: Key Notes on Mental Health and Addictions with Cody Demerais

April 16-19, 2023

2023 SUMA Convention and Tradeshow

See all upcoming events.

LAST CHANCE TO SAVE ON YOUR CONVENTION REGISTRATION

Time is quickly running out to save on your registration for the 2023 SUMA Convention and Tradeshow. With SUMA's early-bird pricing, you can save $100 per Convention registration and be entered to win a complimentary Convention registration. To take advantage of this great offer, register on or before March 2.

All of the details are in the invitation to register and reminder emails that were sent to the main email contact for your municipality. If you haven't received an email about registration for Convention 2023, please email registration@suma.org.

For more information on Convention, visit the Convention page on our website or check out the Convention Brochure.

First Successful Applicant Announced through Impacted

Sites Fund

Almost every hometown has at least one contaminated site - an abandoned gas station, a derelict garage. Once home to commercial or industrial activities, these properties may now pose environmental and health risks, and might be preventing the redevelopment of prime real estate. But remediation of contaminated sites is not cheap.

On behalf of Saskatchewan's hometowns, SUMA advocated for, and worked with the province in, the development of the Impacted Sites Fund. The fund was established to help provide municipalities with financial support to address orphaned environmentally impacted sites.

We are pleased to hear that the first payment through the Impacted Sites Fund is being made. The Government of Saskatchewan announced on February 24 that the Town of Shaunavon will receive $36,800 in funding to address petroleum hydrocarbon impacts associated with a previous occupancy in the community.

SUMA continues to call on the provincial government to ensure the fund is easily accessible and adequately funded so municipalities can remediate abandoned or orphaned sites quickly and properly. To ensure adequate funding, SUMA proposes raising maximum fines for environmental offences and continuing offences.

Read more about the Impacted Sites Fund

Enhance Your Communication Skills with our Next Webinar

Strong communication is the foundation of success in an organization. Effective communication skills build and strengthen relationships which leads to overall employee satisfaction, engagement, innovation, and productivity.

On March 7 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m., join us for our Lunch and Learn webinar Enhancing Communication Skills for Municipal Leaders and Staff. In this webinar, we will discuss the key pillars of effective communication and share ways to improve your own communication skills.

Applications Being Accepted for

Rural Transit Solutions Fund

Applications for the Rural Transit Solutions Fund, Capital Projects stream, are being accepted on a continuous basis.

This stream helps cover capital costs like the purchase of vehicles or digital platforms, as well as to support the purchase of zero emission vehicles.

The Rural Transit Solutions Fund is the first federal fund to target the development of transit solutions in rural, remote, Northern, and Indigenous communities. Launched in 2021, the Rural Transit Solutions Fund provides $250 million in federal funding to support the development of locally driven solutions that help people living in rural and remote communities get around their communities more easily for their day-to-day activities, and connect with other communities nearby.

Learn more, including how to apply

New Effective Tax Rate Limit in Effect

The provincial government previously announced a new effective tax rate (ETR) limit of 7:1 for the 2023 taxation year to replace the mill rate factor limit. Regulations implementing the new limit were published in the February 17, 2023 Gazette.

To determine if your municipality is over the ETR limit of 7:1, you can calculate your current ETR ratio from the same information reported in your mill rate return survey using the ETR Rate Check Templat e.

Municipalities unable to implement this new ETR limit for the 2023 property tax year can request an extension from the Ministry of Government Relations. More details about how to request an extension can be found in the ETR Limit information sheet.

Other information and fact sheets about the ETR limit can be found under Municipal Property Tax Tools and Other Taxes on the Government of Saskatchewan website.

Reminder to Report Building Officials Appointed, Cancelled, or Suspended in Your Municipality

The Construction Codes Act, which came into effect January 1, 2022, requires local authorities to advise the Chief Codes Administrator of the status of their building official appointments annually.

Within 60 days after the end of a local authority’s fiscal year, the local authority must provide the Chief Codes Administrator with the name and licence number of every building official who, in the previous fiscal year:

Was appointed;
Had their appointment cancelled; or
Had their appointment suspended.

Record of appointments will not be accepted from a building official or a company providing building official services.

This report may be provided to the Chief Codes Administrator at btstandards@gov.sk.ca or at:

Building and Technical Standards

Ministry of Government Relations

1430 – 1855 Victoria Avenue

Regina, SK S4P 3T2

Board of Revision Update

To improve Saskatchewan's property assessment appeals system, the Government of Saskatchewan introduced a new online training program for board of revision members and secretaries. They also introduced regulatory requirements for all boards of revision to be certified to hear property assessment appeals starting with the 2023 taxation year.

Learn more by watching this webinar. It provides an overview of the recent changes to the assessment appeals system and lists resources.

Municipalities are required to appoint a board of revision and notify the Office of the Registrar before opening the 2023 assessment roll. To notify the registrar, email a copy of the council resolution to assessment.registrar@gov.sk.ca.

The last component of the Board of Revision Renewal Initiative is to implement an advisory committee that will:

Monitor recent changes; and
Focus on continuous improvement of Saskatchewan’s property assessment appeals system.

This component is being developed by the steering committee made up of representatives from the municipal sector and the provincial government.

CONVENTION 2023

Education Sessions at #SUMA2023

Education, breakout, and dialogue sessions, plus optional excursions. There are so many educational opportunities at Convention 2023, you won't know what to choose. Read on to discover more about the educational opportunities we have planned for #SUMA2023.

Dialogue with SUMA

These four sessions are both an advocacy opportunity as well as an educational opportunity, providing delegates with the chance to share ideas with one another and talk about initiatives they would like to see SUMA champion. SUMA's Environment Committee, Community and Economic Development Committee, Public Safety and Health Committee, and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee will each be hosting sessions.

Optional Excursions

SUMA is excited to offer educational excursions. Tour Wanuskewin Heritage Park or the Saskatoon Regional Waste Management Centre and STARS Air Ambulance Hangar. Take advantage of the spring weather and experience one of these two optional excursions. Learn more. Space is limited, so register early!

Education Sessions

Tie In Strategic Action to Strengthen Public Trust
Listen In: Green Technologies for Your Community Rink
On the Same Wave: Understanding Your Role in Property Assessment
Relating Municipal Well-Being to Community Planning
Wild Weather on the Rise: Learn to Prepare for Future Risk
Be All Ears: Honoring Treaty Responsibilities

Breakout Sessions

Listen Up: 10 Things Your Town and Village Administration Wishes You Knew
Sound Practices: Creating Harassment Free Town and Village Offices
What’s What: Freedom of Information for Cities
Northern Regional Meeting

Full descriptions and times for the education and breakout sessions can be found in the Convention Brochure.

Other Opportunities

Continue your learning with other sessions at SUMA's 2023 Convention and Tradeshow brought to you by the Municipal Leadership Development Program (MLDP). Learn more about the opportunities.

CLASSIFIEDS AND GRANTS

Classifieds

Positions Available:

Town of Birch Hills: Chief Administrative Officer (March 13)

RM of Meota No. 468: Administrative Assistant (March 17)

City of Moose Jaw: City Manager (March 22)

Yorkville Public Utility: Water Distribution and Maintenance Operator (March 31)

Town of Wapella: Public Works Operator (When filled)

Resort Village of Aquadeo: Urban Municipal Administrator (when filled)

Town of Rosthern: Fire Chief (When filled)

Positions Available:

Town of Shaunavon: Garbage Truck

Have a position to fill or an item to sell? Submit your ad on our website.

Find the latest listings by visiting the classifieds section of our website, under the Programs and Services tab.

Grants

Upcoming Deadlines:

SGI Community Grant program (February 28)

Natural Resources Canada Codes Acceleration Fund (March 27)

SGI Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grant (March 31)

Infrastructure Canada Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (July 19)

For a full listing of grants, check the Grants section of our website under the Resources tab.

MUNICIPAL UPDATE ADVERTISEMENT

SUMAssure is committed to providing risk solutions that help you identify and avoid the hazards that can lead to damage, injuries—and ultimately insurance claims.

We invite all SUMA Convention 2023 delegates to tune into our education session so you can help your municipality understand and prepare for the risks that come with extreme weather. Canadian climate adaptation expert Dr. Blair Feltmate will share what you can do to keep your community safe in the face of things like floods, wildfire, and extreme heat.

For more information, see us at tradeshow booth #39 P or visit sumassure.ca.

EDUCATION SESSION

Wild Weather on the Rise: Learn to Prepare for Future Risk

Monday, April 17 at 1:30 p.m.

SUMA | suma.org

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