REGINA — Reducing red tape and improving transparency are at the heart of The Municipalities Modernization and Red Tape Reduction Act introduced in the legislature.
According to a press release, this bill will amend the Cities Act, the Municipalities Act and the Northern Municipalities Act, 2010.
Amendments include:
- Improving public access to municipal information by requiring municipalities to post meeting minutes, financial statements and bylaws on a public website starting in 2027. In advance of these changes taking effect, government will begin posting municipal financial statements to saskatchewan.ca in January 2026.
- Supporting local governance by requiring municipalities to offer orientation training after each general election in order to better support council members in their roles. Additional amendments will also strengthen provisions related to harassment by making harassment of municipal employees an offence under the municipal Acts.
- Red tape reductions including improving the fairness and efficiency of property assessment appeals; more efficient tools to address dangerous animals, illegal dumping, and collecting tax arrears from delinquent oil and gas companies; replacing special service areas in rural municipalities with a simpler taxation tool; and removing duplicate forms for newly elected councillors and unnecessary reporting requirements to government.
The Ministry of Government Relations began consultation with stakeholders and the public in 2024, which resulted in the prioritization of these amendments.
Upon passage, the majority of the amendments would come into force immediately.
Details on the Municipalities Modernization and Red Tape Reduction Act are available online.
