Input needed from Chamber Members and business community

The City of Saskatoon is acting on calls from the Chamber to develop a comprehensive tax policy to inform City Council decisions on setting property tax and other levies. Currently, these decisions are taken on an ad-hoc basis, depending on the financial position of the City of Saskatoon at budget time. The Chamber has argued that tax principles of (1) fairness (2) competitiveness (3) predictability, and (4) affordability should be enshrined in a policy that spans any one Council or budget year.

Ratepayers will be asked to provide input on Saskatoon’s approach to property tax, including the tax share between residents and businesses.

The Chamber has recommended various property tax changes, including:

• Clear principles for residential vs. non-residential tax ratios

• Defined “ranges of fairness” for tax ratios, informed by other jurisdictions

• Long-term stability and transparency, including phased-in tax changes

• Predictability tools such as tax caps

• Targeted small business relief, like a small business tax subclass and small business rate for the appeals contingency fund charged to all commercial ratepayers.

• Transparency on all levies and charges

The first phase of consultation involves focus groups and the second phase will involve a survey. The Chamber thanks those Members who have agreed to participate in focus groups. We will promote the survey link to all Members when it is launched in October.

We are encouraged that the City is open to collaborating with the Chamber to get this work underway. Saskatoon will benefit from a Property Tax Policy that provides businesses with a fair, predictable, affordable, and competitive tax environment that promotes long-term economic growth, job creation, and stability. The direction of municipal property tax policy has significant implications for our business community worth hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

Overview of City’s consultation: https://engage.saskatoon.ca/en/projects/2026-property-tax-policy