The City of North Battleford, the Town of Battleford, and five area First Nations were awarded for the Sacichawasihc Relationship Agreement in a special ceremony at SUMA's convention Tuesday. SUMA also passed a number of resolutions this week to help municipalities in the province. (submitted photo/City of North Battleford)

By Angela Brown

Spotlight on SUMA

SUMA highlights: Sacichawasihc agreement award; resolution on PST

Feb 4, 2020 | 6:02 PM

It was an exciting time at the Annual Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention this week.

The Sacichawasihc Relationship Agreement partners were honoured with first place in the Saskatchewan Municipal Awards in a ceremony Tuesday — a highlight of the SUMA convention this year.

On Monday SUMA also passed a number of resolutions proposed by municipalities, including one to lobby the province to cut PST from municipal construction projects as a cost reducing measure.

“This has been part of our platform that we are going to be launching before the provincial election [in October], to try and convince the provincial government to promise they will take off the PST on municipal construction,” SUMA president Gordon Barnhart said. “It is really hitting our membership very hard. You’ll have projects that have done fundraising for the amount of money for the project. But then they have to pay the six per cent of the PST on top of that.”

As a result he said SUMA is going to push hard to reinstate a PST exemption on municipal construction projects. Prior to the 2017 provincial budget, Saskatchewan municipalities were exempt from paying PST on construction projects.

Nursing education

New early admission option to help alleviate tight timeline for nursing students

5h ago

Russia-Ukraine War

In a first, President Biden gives green light for Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles in Russia

Nov 17, 2024

Helping hand

Big red sleigh brings holiday spirit to kick off Battlefords Empty Stocking Fund

Nov 16, 2024

“We argue that it would be a huge boost to the economy if these projects could go ahead without having to pay that tax,” Barnhart said.

He said SUMA represents 82 per cent of the province’s population, with about 450 member municipalities, which “carries some weight” since the organization speaks on their behalf.

North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater said having the tax lifted would be a huge help to the city. One of the city’s larger projects coming up is its primary sanitary sewer trunk upgrade, which has a total project cost of close to $14 million.

The mayor said a six per cent tax on top of this dollar figure is substantial.

Bater said the PST charge on municipal construction projects has “really driven up costs for municipalities across Saskatchewan including our city.”

“We have joined with others to hopefully advocate for some change there,” he said.

The mayor added most of the discussions at SUMA’s convention on this topic focused on how it is inappropriate for one level of government to tax another level of government in this way.

One of the other resolutions passed was to lobby the province to work with Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance (SEDA) to develop programs and funds to help municipalities rehabilitate downtowns, and historic spaces and buildings since there were previous cuts to funding.

While the Town of Maple Creek proposed this resolution, the Town of Battleford also strongly supports it.

Barnhart said it is important issue.

“We have many, many communities within our province that have those historical buildings or historical sites and we feel very strongly that some assistance is needed,” Barnhart said. “If there isn’t assistance, unfortunately some of those projects, either they are not repaired and brought up to date or they are demolished because they can’t be repaired. So I think that is an important one as well.”

He mentioned there was plenty of robust debate on the floor Monday. Barnhart said there were also some emotional moments too, particularly when people discussed the crisis of crystal meth in the province.

The SUMA convention concludes Wednesday.

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW