SASKATOON - The resolution session at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association convention in Saskatoon saw most, but not all, the resolutions passed.
There were 12 resolutions that went before delegates Monday afternoon in the resolution session, 11 of which were supported. A number of those resolutions were on familiar topics that have frequently come up before at the provincial and federal level.
Three of those resolutions were on topics that have been hotly debated at the Legislative Assembly. One called on the Ministry of Finance to immediately reinstate a PST exemption on municipal construction projects. That carried by a 89 per cent vote in favor.
SUMA delegates also voted in favor of increasing Saskatchewan Income Support rates to meet the basic cost of living, to restore direct rent and utilities payments to all that need them, and to develop more supportive housing options for those deemed “hard to house” due to mental health and addictions issues. This carried with 90 per cent in favor.
Also carrying was a resolution where SUMA advocated the provincial Minister of Finance remove the PST on event tickets. That carried with 63 per cent in favor.
One resolution with provincial and federal implications called for SUMA to advocate the provincial and federal governments to provide additional relief to municipalities to protect them from the effects of the carbon tax, either through municipal revenue sharing or some other measure. That carried 94 per cent in favor.
SUMA delegates also passed a resolution calling for the province and Feds for additional financial support for more admin staff hired to support RCMP members. This carried 80 per cent in favor.
Other resolutions that passed at SUMA included ones calling for increased funding/support for engineering cost overruns (82 per cent), to lobby to change to give municipalities the choice to allow golf carts to be operated on municipal roadways (66 per cent), to advocate the Sask. Public Safety Agency return to the former policy when an ESO can be dispatched by calling 911 and declaring a state of emergency, funding for municipal landfill decommissioning and reclamation, requiring municipal consent for property transfers into their name, and for all Sask. fire departments to be provided an adapter for electric and hybrid vehicles to ensure fire departments can safely disable the power on these vehicles prior to attending to occupants in vehicles.
There was one measure that was defeated in voting at the convention. It had called for a one year “grace period” after a general election, where if the mayor or councillor steps down during that time that the candidate with the next highest number of votes would acclaim the position.
That was defeated by 95 per cent of the delegates, with one delegate saying this ran the risk of electing people who had been roundly rejected by the voters.
