2023 September

The Targeted Sector Support (TSS) Initiative is a cost-shared grant program that uses a portion of Municipal Revenue Sharing ($1.5 million per fiscal year) to support municipalities with ‘kick-starter’ funding to undertake new projects that focus on partnerships, planning and collaboration. The program 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, New North and the Government of Saskatchewan.

The next intake is scheduled to open on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, and close on November 30, 2023.

To learn more, please download this TSS fact sheet.

Local authorities have a number of responsibilities when it comes to administering and enforcing of The Construction Codes Act (the CC Act) such as:

• Conducting plan reviews;
• Issuing permits;
• Performing inspections; and
• Issuing building official orders for non-compliance.

Some local authorities have contracted out their building official services and responsibilities to a third party. However, legislation prevents local authorities from delegating all their responsibilities to a third party.

Section 21 of the CC Act designates the following documents as a record under The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (LAFOIP Act):

• Building permit applications;
• Building permits;
• Inspection reports; and
• Orders written by a building official.

Taken together, the CC Act and the LAFOIP Act require local authorities to maintain all documents related to building projects in the same way that they are responsible for maintaining council minutes, a bylaw registry, financial statements and other records.

This means the local authority is responsible for gathering and storing all records related to the applying, issuing and enforcement of building permits, including all documents generated by contracted building official(s) in the performance of their duties.

For example, a local authority cannot deny a freedom of information request regarding a building’s construction in their jurisdiction on the grounds that their contracted building official has the requested documents. These records are the property and responsibility of the local authority to maintain and to provide upon request.

Please contact Building and Technical Standards at btstandards@gov.sk.ca or 306-787-4113 if you have any questions.

Is your municipality doing something innovative to better the community? Are you collaborating with neighbouring communities and municipalities to achieve regional goals?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, you are encouraged to submit a nomination for the 17th Annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards, sponsored by Affinity Credit Union.

Nominations are now open! To submit a nomination or obtain more information, visit municipalawards.ca. Nominations must be submitted by November 21, 2023.

The Ministry of Government Relations has created the following new guides and sample documents to help municipalities and the public navigate planning and development processes under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 (Act).

• Amending Planning Bylaws Guide – provides a step-by-step guide for completing bylaw amendments for district plans, official community plans, and zoning bylaws.
• Contract Zoning Fact Sheet: Zoning Bylaw Tools – explains how to use a contract zone to effectively manage specific development proposals. This fact sheet is part of an upcoming series on unique zoning tools available under the Act.
• Order to Remedy Contravention Sample – provides an example of an enforcement order under section 242 of the Act.
• Planning Fee Rationale Sample – provides an example of how to justify planning application fees, as required by section 51 of the Act.
• Preparation of an Official Community Plan – this updated guide explains the purpose and legislative authority of an official community plan, as well as important considerations for municipalities to consider when creating this important document.
• Property Owner’s Guide to Subdivision – this guide outlines the process and information that property owners may want to consider when subdividing their land.
• Servicing Agreement Sample– provides an example of a servicing agreement under section 172 of the Act.
• Zoning Bylaw Handbook – this guide assists municipalities with understanding and administering their zoning bylaws.

If you have any questions about the above resources or land use planning in general, please contact the Community Planning branch at 306-787-2725 or 306-933-6937 or communityplanning@gov.sk.ca.