Town council at this week's meeting. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

$10 more for meals per day

Town council approves increase for mileage and meal rates

May 18, 2023 | 11:00 AM

Town of Battleford council authorized the new 2023 expense schedule for council members at its recent meeting.

Interim CAO Noreen Hoffart presented her report recommending council increase the travel and meal expense rates for council members, based on the province’s new rates effective April 1, 2023, as follows:

Travel mileage compensation will now be set at $0.5482 or 54.82 cents per kilometre. That’s up from the previous rate of $0.4535 or 45.35 cents per kilometre.

The meal per diem rate in Saskatchewan will now be $51 in total, or breakfast $10, dinner $18, and supper $23. That’s a $10 increase from the prior rates of $41 in total for the day, or breakfast $8, lunch $14, and supper $19.

The meal per diem rate for Out of Province will move up to $61 in total, or breakfast $13, dinner $20, and supper $28. That’s also a $10 increase from the old rates of $51 in total per diem, or breakfast $11, lunch $16, and supper $24.

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Mayor Ames Leslie said council asked administration and him recently about mileage and per diem meal rate increases coming from the province.

He noted the meal per diem rate in Saskatchewan is now a total of $51 per day without a receipt – with breakfast at $10, dinner $18, and supper $23.

If a council member has a receipt for a meal above the rate it would need to be submitted for approval by the mayor and CAO to be claimed.

“We’ll ask council to spend within discretion,” Leslie said. “Don’t go and get a $300 meal and expect the town to pay for it.”

If councillors travel outside the province for business on the town, they could claim $61 a day in total for meals, without a receipt.

Coun. David George clarified that $51 in the province is the total for meals a day – whether a member eats breakfast, dinner and/or supper.

“I can’t have supper for $23 anywhere,” he added.

Leslie noted if a member has a receipt they can spend about that amount. But if they lose their receipt, then the amount defaults back to $23 to claim the expense.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow