Brody Langager
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
The City of Saskatoon is asking the board of police commissioners what a four per cent reduction to its budget would look like in 2026.
This comes as a nearly 10 per cent property tax increase will be on the table during city budget deliberations in December.
City Clerk Adam Tittemore spoke at Thursday’s board meeting, saying council resolved to get information from city administration, as well as partner organizations that receive funding like the board of police commissioners, Saskatoon Public Library and SaskTel Centre, on how to reduce expenditures.
“They were asking for reporting back for options on how to reduce next year’s budget expenditures to help address mill rate impacts that are being felt by the city as a whole as a result of increased dollars that are being asked for operationally,” Tittemore said.
The police board has an approved operating budget of $352,900 for this year. A separate report on the mid-year operating budget noted that as of June 30, the board had spent 44 per cent of the budget, which is available to cover costs for travel, meals, training and development, advertising and computer expenses.
Commissioner Jenelyn Santos Ong wondered what city council specifically needs from the board. Coun. Zach Jeffries said the city would like to see a layout.
“It’s that time of the year, and I’m sure you guys were well aware that this was coming down the pipe, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise,” commissioner John Lagimodiere said.
Tittemore said they want the report presented to city council during budget deliberations in the first week of December.
The board would need to approve the report over the next two months, noting work was already underway.
Projected mill rate increases
In June, Saskatoon’s chief financial officer said residents will face a 9.9 per cent property tax increase next year, and a 7.34 per cent increase in 2027.
He said the city is working to find efficiencies. It has increased investment in areas like fire services and transportation, but Hack said those increases haven’t kept up with inflation.
“This means, despite record investments in 2025, this investment can buy less fire apparatus, equipment and hire less firefighters than it could in 2022.”
Hack was aiming for a minimum one per cent reduction before budget deliberations, saying the city is also considering one or two per cent reductions to property taxes.
“There’s definitely no silver bullet,” Hack said. “There’s not going to be one easy decision that doesn’t impact anybody across the city, so it’s going to be a combination of various things, potentially changes to our revenues, increasing rates, changes to our service levels.”
considering one or two per cent reductions to property taxes.
