Urban Update: September 24, 2018

September 24, 2018

CSO Training Happening this Fall

Is your hometown looking to promote safety and enhance bylaw compliance? Have you considered a Community Safety Officer (CSO)?

CSOs are municipal employees who carry out high priority, low risk enforcement of bylaws and select provincial statutes. A CSO can provide a uniformed presence in your hometown, liaise with schools and community groups, and support local policing agencies.

The next round of CSO induction training is taking place November 5 - December 14 at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Prince Albert. Registration is open until October 25 .

For program and registration information, contact program manager Gavin Nash at 306-787-0402 .

Convention 2019: Submit Your Resolutions

Resolutions can be submitted to SUMA at any time during the year, but to get your issue at the forefront of Convention 2019, submit your resolution by Thursday, November 15 .

To get started, check out the full Call for Resolutions document. The document includes a template you can use as a guide. You may also 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 .

Meet the Mentors of the Municipal Peer Network

The Saskatchewan Municipal Peer Network connects municipal leaders with experienced administrators and elected officials who can provide advice and coaching on governance practices and more.

Meet the Mentor: Rodney Audette

Rodney offers a unique perspective to the Saskatchewan Municipal Peer Network as an administrator in an inter-municipal office. His background in council/administration relationships and governance is beneficial to all elected officials.

Meet all the mentors at: www.saskpeernetwork.org/mentors.

Learn about Human Resources with MLDP

Exciting news! There is still space available for officials interested in taking the Human Resources module of the Municipal Leadership and Development Program (MLDP).

That means you still have a chance this fall to learn about the labour market, council and administration's role in human resources, and the legislative framework around it.

Check out this and other sessions happening in November and December.

MLDP Schedule

Provincial Cannabis and Whistleblower Guides Now Available

Are you interested in learning more about what cannabis legalization means for your municipality? Do you want to learn more about business licensing, zoning, fire safety and more in relation to cannabis?

Check out the Cannabis Guide for Municipalities.

The province has also developed a whistleblowing guide for municipalities and their staff. The guide describes current legislative protection and frameworks in Saskatchewan which may be helpful when developing a whistleblower bylaw or staff policy.

Convention 2019: Last Chance to Nominate!

Don't miss your chance to recognize long-serving and outstanding members of your municipal team at Convention 2019.

The Meritorious and Honorary Service Awards are a great chance to recognize long-serving employees and elected officials.

And don't forget about the Scoop Lewry Award, designed to recognize someone with outstanding service in municipal government or administration on a local, provincial, and national basis.

All these prestigious awards will be presented at the President's Banquet at Convention 2019. Nominations are due October 3.

New Rates for Residential Recycling

On January 1, 2019, per household annual payment rates for residential recycling are increasing.

Multi-Material Stewardship Western (MMSW) Collectors were notified via email about the increase on August 16. In order to be eligible for increased payment rates, a new signed Services Agreement must be received by MMSW no later than October 31, 2018.

In order to assist Collectors with questions regarding this process, MMSW is conducting an online webinar tomorrow at 2:00 CST.

Changes to LA FOIP

On January 1, 2018, amendments to The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (LA FOIP) came into effect. Some of these changes include local authorities having an obligation to provide breach notifications to affected individuals if it is believed an incident creates a "real risk of significant harm." There's also a new offence for snooping and penalties for offences have increased.

For more information on municipal duties with access to information, visit the websites of the Government of Saskatchewan and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

Don't Miss Your Chance to Apply for Flood Mitigation Funding

Applications for the new Flood Damage Reduction Program are due October 30.

If your community has a long-term flood mitigation project in mind, don't miss your chance to apply for funding through the new program designed to help municipalities in their proactive planning to address emergencies before they arise. A total of $1.5 million in funding is available this year.

Eligible projects will be cost-shared on a 50/50 basis between the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency and the community.

Learn more

$53.9 Million Funding 46 Road and Water Projects

More than $53.9 million in joint federal-provincial funding has been announced for 46 Saskatchewan projects designed to improve water quality and roads.

The funding, provided through the Small Communities Fund, was announced September 11.

Of the 46 projects, a combined total of $48,252,136 in federal-provincial funding will go toward 41 drinking water and wastewater projects, $4,731,082 will go toward the four road projects, and $994,666 is allocated for disaster mitigation project.

See what hometowns are receiving funding!