2023 April
Municipalities Today is a web-based newsletter published monthly by the Ministry of Government Relations. It lists deadlines, training opportunities, services and programs that may be of interest to Saskatchewan municipal administrators.
View past editions of Municipalities Today by visiting the Publications Centre.
1. Municipal Administrators’ Corner
When a council member resigns, the administrator must provide notification at the next council meeting. The Local Government Election Act, 2015 requires council to set a date for a by-election at that meeting. The by-election must take place within six months after the date on which the vacancy occurs. The by-election is to be run as closely as possible to a general election. This means:
- For municipalities (other than resort villages) the by-election is held on a Wednesday; and
- For resort villages, the by-election is held on a Saturday.
If the vacancy occurs in the year of a general election, council is not required to hold a by-election within six months but can choose to wait until the general election date to fill the vacancy.
The administrator must contact Advisory Services, 306-787-2680, if the resignation(s) results in a loss of quorum (quorum is 50 per cent plus one). Typically, when there is a loss of quorum on council, the minister appoints one or more people to act as council until a by-election takes place.
If your municipality is having difficulty finding candidates to run for a general election or by-election, this may be an indicator there are too many council seats. Council may consider reducing the number of council members. For urban municipalities (other than those with wards), council must pass a bylaw at least 180 days before a general election to reduce the number of council members. For rural municipalities, council must make a request to the minister to alter or eliminate division boundaries. In either case, public notice is required. If your council is considering this, contact Advisory Services for assistance.
Other Resources:
- Election and By-Election Scheduling Tool – designed to assist administrators to follow municipal elections. Also provides links to election forms and resources.
- Bylaw Samples – samples of municipal, northern, community planning and offsite bylaws.
2. Visit the Ministry’s Trade Show Booth at SUMA’s Convention
The Ministry of Government Relations trade show booth will again be at the annual Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association at TCU Place in Saskatoon.
The Trade Show will be open:
- Sunday, April 16 from 4 to 6 p.m.
- Monday, April 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, April 18 from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Visit booth 82 to talk to ministry staff about municipal administration, building standards and licensing, community infrastructure and community planning along with Indigenous and northern matters.
Visit SUMA’s Annual Convention and Trade Show page to learn more.
3. Transfer Station Requirement Updates
A transfer station is a facility used to temporarily store solid waste before it is sent to a treatment, recycling, recovery or disposal facility.
The Transfer Station Chapter has been finalized and came into effect on March 17, 2023. This Chapter of the Saskatchewan Environmental Code provides regulation concerning the location, design, construction, operation and closure of a waste transfer station.
This update will reduce the time municipalities spend on permitting and reporting and is intended to provide flexibility to achieve environmental compliance while maintaining stable costs to communities.
Important information:
- Transfer station owners have until Sept. 17, 2023, to provide notification of their transfer station operations by submitting existing documents (Operations Plan and Emergency Response Plan) through the Ministry of Environment’s online business portal.
- New or expanding facilities must comply with the updated Chapter requirements immediately.
For more information, visit the Transfer Stations page or download the Transfer Station Code Chapter Guidance. You can also contact the Ministry of Environment toll-free at 1-800-567-4224 or email centre.inquiry@gov.sk.ca if you have questions or require assistance.
Thank you to everyone who provided input during the engagement process. Your feedback was key in developing the Transfer Station Chapter.
4. Targeted Sector Support Initiative Funding Deadline Fast Approaching
Saskatchewan municipalities have less than a month to apply for project funding under the newest intake for the Targeted Sector Support (TSS) Initiative.
The TSS Initiative provides cost-shared grants of up to 75 per cent of eligible project costs to the maximum of $100,000, as funds are available. Projects to help build better communities across the province are funded under one of the following streams: dispute resolution and relationship building, capacity building, regional co-operation, and municipal transition.
This is the fifth project intake under the TSS Initiative, which is funded through the provincial government's Municipal Revenue Sharing Program. The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) administers this funding on behalf of the TSS Steering Committee.
The TSS Steering Committee consists of representatives from SUMA, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities and the Ministry of Government Relations.
To apply by May 1, visit Targeted Sector Support Initiative.