Municipal Update: June 1, 2020

Provincial Budget June 15

Saskatchewan's Minister of Finance Donna Harpauer is scheduled to table the 2020-21 provincial budget on June 15 . The final vote on the budget is to take place on July 2 .

The budget release will happen as the Legislative Assembly meets for 14 days from June 15 to July 3. Sittings will be Monday to Friday each week, with the exclusion of Canada Day on July 1. Only 10 government members and five opposition members will be in the Assembly at any time in order to ensure safe physical distancing.

New Date Set for Town, Village, and Northern Sector Meeting

A new date has been set for the 2020 Town, Village, and Northern Sector Meeting. Mayors, councillors, and administrators from Saskatchewan's towns, villages, resort villages, and northern municipalities are invited to join us online from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. June 18 .

This day-long discussion will have an agenda driven by members. The meeting will also include updates from Municipalities of Saskatchewan and a keynote address by thought leader, disruptor, and visionary Stuart Knight.

In his address The Choice - 5 Decisions All Leaders Make , Stuart will shine a new and exciting perspective on the fundamental building blocks that have always propelled leaders forward, while reminding them of what they need to do today to live their best life. By touching on subjects such as fear, anxiety, stress, goal setting, creativity, innovation, and resiliency he will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions and ideas, leaving you inspired to get back to the basics and take a major step forward toward greater success!

If you previously registered to attend the sector meeting on May 12, you do not need to take any further action to attend the meeting June 18! You should have received a new confirmation email with the link to join the meeting.

If you did not previously register and would like to attend the meeting: REGISTER HERE!

Nominate Your Community for a Saskatchewan Municipal Award

Is your municipality doing something innovative to better the community? Are you collaborating with neighbouring municipalities to achieve regional goals?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, submit a nomination for the 14th Annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards (SMAs).

Nominations are now open! Submit your nomination at municipalawards.ca .

The Saskatchewan Municipal Awards are sponsored by:

Respect in the Workplace

Last year we developed a harassment prevention policy template to help municipalities foster a harassment free workplace.

Municipalities of Saskatchewan has now partnered with Respect Group Inc. to bring municipalities Respect in the Workplace , a certification program designed to provide municipalities of all sizes with another tool to prevent bullying, abuse, harassment, and discrimination in the workplace.

The program covers:

Power Dynamics in the Workplace
Defining, Dealing with, and Reporting Bullying, Abuse, Harassment, and Discrimination (BAHD)
Empowering the Bystander
Managing Emotions
Understanding Mental Health Outcomes Due to Maltreatment
Your Responsibilities as a Member of the Team

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See the full program overview for more information..

Municipalities can access this program at the discounted rate of $20 per employee through Municipalities of Saskatchewan.

Applications Open for Emergency Community Support Fund

The Government of Canada has allocated $350 million for the Emergency Community Support Fund, which is being administered by United Way Centraide Canada, Community Foundations of Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross.

The United Way is providing funding to qualified donees which include registered charities, registered Canadian municipalities, and registered municipal or public bodies performing a function of government in Canada.

Where should you apply in Saskatchewan?

United Way Regina is accepting applications from donees located in Regina, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Weyburn, Yorkton, and Melville, and communities located south of Highway 15 excluding Estevan.
United Way Estevan is accepting applications for eligible agencies and organizations in Estevan.
United Way Saskatoon and Area is accepting applications from eligible agencies and organizations located central and north of Highway 15.

Short Term Rentals Survey

The conversion of residential homes to short term rentals (STR) has created new challenges for Canadian communities – including a lack of affordable housing. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has partnered with Generation Squeeze to develop a toolkit that will help local governments regulate the STR industry.

This project seeks the expertise of municipalities who are managing STR in effective ways. Share your insights by taking a short survey . The survey deadline is June 5 .

Your support is key to developing a comprehensive toolkit.

Have questions? Contact Dallas Alderson.

Advocacy Update

Emergency Rooms Re-opening in 12 Communities After Temporary Closure

In mid-May, the Saskatchewan Health Authority announced 12 communities would see acute-care admissions and emergency services at their hospitals temporarily suspended.

Municipalities of Saskatchewan heard concerns from members on the impact of these temporary closures. We advocated for the Ministry of Health to leave emergency rooms open until additional capacity is required and the number of cases justifies separate COVID-19 facilities in the southern half of the province. We also worked to ensure that none of the closures would be permanent.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has announced that the emergency rooms at the 12 facilities will reopen in June.

Events

Upcoming Events

Town, Village, and Northern Sector Meeting

June 18

Convention

Convention 2020: Sessions on YouTube

Is there a presentation from Convention 2020 that you want to see again, or maybe take in for the first time? Recordings from Convention are now available for viewing - check out our Convention 2020 playlist on YouTube. Find the full list of resources from Convention on the presentations page of our website.