Conference Board of Canada Report on Sustainable Public Policies

Conference Board of Canada Report on Sustainable Public Policies

Mar 6, 2017

The Conference Board of Canada recently completed a report entitled “Reinventing the West: Sustainable public policies and fiscal regimes for the 21st century.” The report, commissioned by the SUMA (SUMA) examines recent demographic and economic trends in Saskatchewan, and takes a close look at the fiscal framework between the province and municipalities, all under the umbrella of the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth.

Up to date with the 2016 Census population data, the report reveals that, for the most part, new jobs, economic diversification, and population growth occurred within Saskatchewan’s urban municipalities. “Most of the province’s population growth is occurring in its urban centres: 77 per cent of the province’s population now lives in a city, town, village, or resort village,” says Henry Diaz, Economist for the Centre for Municipal Studies at The Conference Board of Canada. “These demographic shifts are tied to fundamental changes in the composition of the province’s economy, as urbanization goes hand-in-hand with the move towards services.”