News

Following a vote of the membership, Municipalities of Saskatchewan will be transitioning back to the name SUMA. “As a member-focused association, our members will always have the final say on important decisions,” said Mayor Rodger Hayward, President of SUMA. “We respect the decision that has been reached through an open and transparent membership vote.”   The…

In the office, at home, or on the go, listen to conversations on important municipal topics with SUMA's new podcast, MuniCast. New episodes will be released on the second Wednesday of each month. Find MuniCast on Spotify, Google, Apple, and all other major podcasting services. Our first episode, "Leading by Example with George Cuff" hit the airwaves May 12.    …

SUMA welcomes the Government of Canada’s investments in hometowns through broadband and infrastructure funding, as announced in the 2021-22 federal budget  “Connectivity is at the forefront of our business and home lives,” said SUMA President Rodger Hayward. “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of being able to connect virtually. The additional $1…

As Saskatchewan continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, SUMA appreciates the stable funding for municipalities included in the 2021-22 provincial budget.   “Saskatchewan’s hometowns understand the difficulties of preparing a budget with limited resources,” said SUMA President Rodger Hayward. “We appreciate the province’s investments in municipalities,…

SUMA delegates elected Naicam Mayor Rodger Hayward as their newest president. “It is an honour to be elected SUMA President,” said Hayward. “I look forward to continuing to work with SUMA’s Board of Directors as President, and our member municipalities, to ensure our hometowns have the resources we need. We are stronger when we work together.”

SUMA has launched a new website, which includes a brand new Member's Portal!  This portal is designed for member-only content, such as recordings of all SUMA webinars. Each of our member municipalities has been given a single login, associated with the primary contact email for your SUMA membership. Member municipalities are…

CentralSource is transitioning its group purchasing to Kinetic GPO, a Canadian based group purchasing organization (GPO) with diverse contract offerings for Canada’s public sector. CentralSource, formerly SUMAdvantage, was created to harness the purchasing power of Saskatchewan’s hometowns. By joining forces with Kinetic GPO, the value for SUMA members is expanded to include: A…

Today SUMA reviewed the available election platforms issued by the registered political parties participating in the 2020 provincial election and was disappointed by the lack of support for Saskatchewan’s hometowns.   “SUMA reviewed the platforms that have been made available from several of the parties,” said Gordon Barnhart, President of SUMA. “We looked for…

The 116th Annual Convention will be held online February 7-10, 2021. With the uncertainty of COVID-19, SUMA's Convention Planning Committee made the decision to transition to a virtual event for 2021 to ensure that representatives from Saskatchewan’s hometowns can still come together in February to network, learn, and advocate for the betterment of Saskatchewan’s communities.…

While SUMA is appreciative of the federal government fast tracking federal gas tax funding, hometowns require additional emergency funding to continue providing the services that residents rely on daily. “The advance of the federal gas tax funding will help municipalities in the short-term,” said SUMA President Gordon Barnhart. “But as our hometowns are hard at work to support…

During an interview with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, which resulted in an article published May 8, 2020, President Gordon Barnhart expressed opinions regarding municipal restructuring. The opinions expressed in the article were strictly his own and do not represent the opinions of the SUMA Board of Directors or the direction of the organization. See the full statement from the SUMA Executive…

  At the 115th Annual Convention in February, the SUMA (SUMA) announced it is changing its name to SUMA. We know you have questions, so we've done our best to answer them below. Why is SUMA rebranding? SUMA has struggled for years with recognition by other orders of government, the media, and the public. Under Saskatchewan legislation, any gathering of…

Treaty 4 Territory, Regina, Sask.– To raise awareness and engagement in local democracy, Local Government Week has again been officially proclaimed in the province of Saskatchewan, at the joint request of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), Métis Nation Saskatchewan (MN-S), the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), the Saskatchewan School Boards…

The SUMA (SUMA) continues to call on the provincial government to share a portion of cannabis excise tax revenues as Saskatchewan moves to an open-market system for cannabis retail permits. “Saskatchewan’s hometowns are on the front lines of cannabis legalization, responsible for developing and enforcing rules around cannabis production, sales, and consumption,” said SUMA…

City mayors and managers are meeting in Regina today for the SUMA (SUMA) City Mayors’ Caucus to discuss issues important to the province’s largest municipalities. “Cities carry a great deal of responsibility in Saskatchewan,” said Mayor Fraser Tolmie, chair of the City Mayors’ Caucus and Mayor of Moose Jaw. “The City Mayors’ Caucus is a forum where we…