News

The Government of Canada plans to invest $120 billion over the next 10 years to build strong, inclusive and sustainable communities, and they want to hear from you. Phase 1 is already underway, and now the Government of Canada is inviting you to share your views on Phase 2 of Canada’s infrastructure plan. You can provide feedback in five ways: eWorkbooks, discussion forums, photo and video…

Canada Post has served lock-out notice, and we face a disruption to postal services as early as Friday July 8. SUMA has prepared so we can still provide services to members. This article should cover all possible changes, but if you have any further questions or encounter other issues, you can contact the office at suma@suma.org or 306-525-3727. We will monitor the situation, and revisit our…

Is your municipality going the extra mile? Submitting a nomination to the Saskatchewan Municipal Awards (SMAs) is a great way to get the message out about the great work happening in your community. The awards will give your municipality provincial exposure and an opportunity to showcase and gain recognition for your accomplishments. See this video for an explanation of what the…

Overland flooding is one of the most frequent and costly types of disaster in Canada, and the effects can be devastating for communities. The National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) was created in 2015 to help Canadians in high-risk communities reduce the anguish and high costs associated with major flood-related events.  Through the NDMP, the Government of Canada will cost-share flood…

Earlier this month, four representatives from Saskatchewan urban municipalities were elected to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Board of Directors: Mayor Debra Button (Weyburn) Councillor Darren Hill (Saskatoon) Councillor Randy Goulden (Yorkton) Mayor Sheryl Spence (Warman) President Button was also re-elected at the Provincial and Territorial Association representative…

As part of Canada 150 Celebrates, the Government of Canada is investing in community infrastructure. There will be $46.2 million available through Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) for the second round of the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program. These dollars will invest in projects aiming to rehabilitate existing community infrastructure in Western Canada, and priority will be…

The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed May 8–14 Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness week, and SUMA is pleased to see this emphasis on the need for diligence on this issue. Last month, SUMA sent a joint letter to Environment Minister, Herb Cox, alongside our sister associations, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) and the Provincial Association of Resort…

The first full week of May each year is Emergency Preparedness Week, coordinated by Public Safety Canada. The theme for May1–7, 2016 is Plan. Prepare. Be Aware. There are plenty of resources available from Public Safety Canada to help you and your community make the most of this week. The toolkit is a great place to start, with tips and ideas to promote Emergency…

SUMA met with officials from the Ministry of Government Relations last week for an update on federal infrastructure programs. This meeting followed the receipt of a letter from the federal minister of infrastructure, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, to the Ministers of Government Relations, and Highways and Infrastructure outlining details on the Government of Canada’s infrastructure programs.…

During the 2016 provincial election, the SUMA (SUMA) is calling on all political parties to commit to a permanent municipal revenue sharing agreement, and a Made-in-Saskatchewan infrastructure program that is permanent, long-term, sustainable, and predictable. You can read more about our call in the media release.

Last week, the federal and provincial governments announced funding for 11 infrastructure projects under the New Building Canada Pan's Small Communities Fund. Two of the projects cover drinking water, while the other nine or for wastewater. All 11 projects are taking place in municipalities with a population below 2,000. Details on the announcement and which projects are being funded are…

The Government of Saskatchewan announced yesterday that the revenue sharing program for 2016-17 will continue as one point of the PST (collected two years ago), with a total pool of more than $271 million. This is a roughly two per cent increase over last year's revenue sharing amount. Funding will be allocated from the total pool to the sectors as follows: Cities: 47.945 per…

Thanks to all our Convention 2016 delegates for a busy four days. Now is delegates' chance to tell us what they thought of SUMA's 111th Annual Convention. Fill out the short survey for your chance to win two nights at the Hilton Garden Inn in Saskatoon!

Yesterday, the Government of Canada announced the launch of a national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. SUMA joined our voice to the many calling for an inquiry earlier this year — first through a resolution at Convention 2015, then as part of the quality of life theme of our federal election advocacy. We appreciate the Government of Canada's…

The Ministry of Government Relations issues three information bulletins last week on the conflict of interest amendments and how they pertain to each of the three municipal acts. They were emailed to all municipalities, but are also available for reference here: Informational bulletin: The Cities Act Informational bulletin: The Northern Municipalities Act Informational bulletin: The…