Mayor Greg Dionne. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

SUMA

Brownfields and property assessment on City agenda at convention

Apr 5, 2022 | 11:22 AM

The annual gathering of urban municipalities is underway in Regina and Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne is there with a list of priorities.

Dionne, as part of the City of Prince Albert delegation, said he would like some action in several areas, including a timeline for old gas station lots to have contaminated soil remediated.

“Usually, they’re on prime corners and we lose lots of taxation and we have issues with weeds,” he said.

Right now, there is no required time for the owner of an empty gas station lot to have the contamination removed.

Municipalities want to see that changed. Prince Albert is down to having four such lots.

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All 24 resolutions proposed to the delegates at the convention were passed on April 4. Provincial government cabinet members attend the convention regularly and meet with municipal councillors to discuss local concerns.

SUMA also passed a resolution to have tax assessments done every second year at the request of the City of Prince Albert.

“So, we’re asking the government and the organizations that support us, to instead of doing revaluation every four years, go to every two years and that would stop the big swings in the market,” he said.

Dionne said last year, some property owners were not happy with huge jumps in their tax bills.

In 2021, the changes in some valuations were as large as 25 per cent, which made it difficult for owners unprepared for the larger tax bill.

Dionne said the city would also like to see changes to municipal election legislation be made a minimum of one year prior ahead of time.

The resolution that is being put forward at the convention says that one year notice is needed to review the changes and prepare project plans.

The Act needs significant changes in order to deal with voting procedures if vote counting equipment is used, says the resolution.

Most cities are using electronic methods in municipal votes and the forms and templates allowed in the regulation are outdated and not consistent with the Act.

Changes that came into effect for the 2020 election were made after many municipalities had already started planning.

To have a resolution passed by SUMA, communities first submit a resolution from their local council to the association where it is considered, then voted on.

Other resolutions passed this year include a request to allow tax subclasses for all municipalities, public sector accounting standards, having all emergency vehicles equipped with blue flashing lights, having the province take leadership in dealing with substance abuse, removing administration fees on federal grants, adding fees to assessment appeals and asbestos disposal.

They also asked to be allowed to add empty building fees to vacant properties, support for the public library system and to be able to enforce agreements with police groups such as the RCMP for enhanced policing positions and time allotments.

SUMA would also like the province to take over the cost of decommissioning landfills in communities of 500 people or fewer, better health care recruitment to rural/remote areas, protecting ground water supply, increased funding for prevention of online child exploitation and the concept of adding elders to municipal councils.

Also in the area of emergency services, SUMA would like the federal government to absorb the costs of retroactive salary increase for RCMP officers, pay for the cost of having body cameras on all RCMP officers and to reduce the speed of vehicles passing an emergency vehicle to 40 km/hour.

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susan.McNeil@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow