2025 September

Applications are being accepted for the Targeted Sector Support (TSS) cost-shared grant program. This initiative uses a portion of Municipal Revenue Sharing ($1.5 million per fiscal year) to support projects that strengthen municipalities’ core operational capabilities through increased regional cooperation. Projects are intended to assist in supporting more efficient and effective municipal service delivery and enhanced governance and administrative capacity in Saskatchewan. Partnering municipalities can apply for up to 75 per cent of eligible project costs.

The initiative is managed by the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) on behalf of the TSS Steering Committee that consists of SUMA, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities (New North) and the Ministry of Government Relations.

To learn more, please download the TSS fact sheet, visit the TSS page or contact the TSS Coordinator at info@targetedsector.ca or 306-525-3727.

The 2025 Financial Statements Template is available for municipalities that wish to start preparing their 2025 financial statements.

The 2025 Financial Statements Template is available at the Ministry of Government Relations’ Financial page, along with supporting material such as the Municipal Accounting Manual (MAM) and Municipal Audit Guidelines (MAG). Also, the ministry recorded a Financial Statements webinar that you may wish to watch. The webinar provides an overview of the purpose of financial statements, their submission requirements to the minister, and an overview of important accounting concepts like cash accounting versus accrual accounting.

Municipalities are legislatively required to submit a copy of the financial statements, auditor’s report and management letter to financialstatements@gov.sk.ca on or before July 1, 2026, except for cities whose submission due date is on or before September 1, 2026.

Municipalities must also submit a management letter for any controlled corporation.

For questions regarding the completion or submission of municipal financial statements, please email financialstatements@gov.sk.ca.

The treatment of leased oil or gas non-well sites in all three municipal regulations has been amended.

These amendments clarify and codify the existing valuation method and assessment treatment for leased and owned oil or gas non-well sites. There is no change to current practices:

• Owned non-well sites will continue to be assessed as commercial/industrial land.
• Leased non-well sites will continue to be assessed as agricultural land.

By clearly distinguishing between leased and owned sites, the amendments continue the current practice outlined in the assessment manual. They are retroactive and deemed effective as of January 1, 2025.

On June 12, 2025, The Statements of Provincial Interest Regulations (SPI) were amended, specifically Statement 6.7 on Public Safety.

This update sees the provincial flood standard moved to a 1:200-year flood elevation, which aligns the province with the Federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements.

This adjustment means that municipalities across Saskatchewan will need to consider and integrate, at a minimum, the 1:200-year flood standard in their land use planning documents including Official Community Plans and Zoning Bylaws. This includes identifying potential hazard lands, limiting development in high-risk areas and ensuring new infrastructure and buildings are constructed with resilience to flood events consistent with that standard.

Municipalities are encouraged to review their existing planning documents and engage with provincial authorities to ensure compliance with the SPI. Municipalities may exceed the standard based on risk and local knowledge.

Municipalities can contact the Community Planning branch if they have any questions regarding the amendment to the SPI. Additional information, such as the Statements of Provincial Interest Handbook, can also be found by visiting the Community Planning, Land Use and Development section of saskatchewan.ca.

Whether you own livestock, live in a rural area or are responsible for municipal oversight, it is important to know what to do in the case of stray livestock. Livestock running at large need to be managed quickly and safely to ensure they are not a risk to themselves, the public or environment.

The Stray Animals Guide can help livestock producers, municipalities and the public know what to do when farmed animals become strays.

The definition and process for dealing with stray livestock is legislated under The Animal Production Act (Act) and The Animal Production Regulations (regulations). These regulations define stray livestock as cattle, horses, bison, alpacas, llamas, sheep, goats, donkeys, ostriches, emus and hogs. They also apply to game farm animals, including fur farm animals and farmed wild boar licensed under the regulations. The regulations do not apply to stray pets, insects, poultry, fowl or wildlife.

The Act provides authority for municipalities to take action to deal with stray livestock, and the regulations set out provisions and processes for when livestock become stray. The steps taken by the municipality to address strays will depend on whether the owner is known and whether the animals are considered dangerous. Applicable fees are also outlined in the regulations; actual costs should be reasonable and supported with references and receipts where possible. Damages to property are not included in this legislation. However, they could be pursued through consultation with a lawyer.

Unsafe and imminent (immediate) danger situations involving buildings, construction or demolition sites can occur at any time. Often, local authorities become aware of these situations from concerned citizens in the community or their appointed building official.

What options are available for municipalities to help their communities? Through provincial legislation (The Construction Codes Act, The Building Code Regulations and The Energy Code Regulations), appointed building officials can offer services to municipalities for enforcing unsafe and imminent danger situations. This may include building official orders or actions that the municipality can proceed with to place the site in a safe condition. Further information can be found on page 16 of the Building Bylaw and Enforcement Guide.

Any municipalities looking for more information can contact the Building and Technical Standards branch by phone at 306-787-4113 or btstandards@gov.sk.ca.

Saskatchewan communities and eligible organizations can now apply for funding through the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) – Provincial-Territorial Stream. This program will provide funding for communities to build or improve critical infrastructure related to drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste, supporting more homes throughout the province.

Eligible applicants are encouraged to submit their detailed applications for priority infrastructure projects that will result in improved capacity of housing-enabling infrastructure in Saskatchewan communities.

Applications will be accepted until noon CST on November 28, 2025.

Please visit the Fall 2025 CHIF Provincial-Territorial Stream Intake page for more information.

If you have any questions regarding the CHIF application, please do not hesitate to contact our office by email at infra@gov.sk.ca or by phone at 306-787-1262.