Government Relations Minister Lori Carr has announced the first intake of municipal projects under the Targeted Sector Support Initiative, which are approved to receive more than $1.18 million of provincial support.
Following a thorough application review process, 33 projects were approved by the Targeted Sector Support (TSS) Steering Committee, which is composed of members representing the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), the Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities (New North), and the Ministry of Government Relations.
Examples of some of the projects include training to enhance the skills of municipal administrators, developing regional emergency plans, completing a joint parks and recreation plan, improving asset management and strengthening collaboration among communities.
“Once completed, these projects will contribute to a stronger Saskatchewan and improve quality of life,” Carr said in a release Tuesday. “Municipalities will build upon their existing administrative capacities to serve their citizens even better. As well, communities working together in key areas of interest can help resources go farther and strengthen relationships between local governments. Thank you to all of the community and municipal sector leaders who helped make this initiative a reality and to members of the steering committee for their ongoing work.”
Yorkton Mayor Bob Maloney told Yorkton This Week the TSS funding is something he sees as “much-needed.”
“Many smaller communities and rural municipalities having trouble finding and keeping administration staff with necessary training,” he said. “This program will assist in staff training and retention across the board’ a sound investment in human resources.”
The new program may also help smaller communities access more dollars in the future, reasoned Maloney.
“Some smaller centers miss out on available grants for lack of staff able to apply for programs, ” he said, adding the urban organization Municipalities of Saskatchewan are leading the way in helping address the situation.
Others see benefits in TSS as well.
“New North is proud to play a role in this initiative by working with other municipal organizations and the provincial government on this steering committee as we work together to advance projects that will contribute to better communities,” New North Chairperson Bruce Fidler said in a release.
“SARM promotes inter-municipal cooperation and building capacity to aid in effective local government,” SARM President Ray Orb said in the same release. “We are encouraged by the TSS funding and believe the projects funded will benefit rural Saskatchewan.”
“From regional planning to joint bylaw operations, our hometowns are working together to provide the best quality of life to residents,” SUMA President Gordon Barnhart said. “Funding through the TSS Initiative furthers joint municipal projects that foster inter-community cooperation, and, in the long-term, improve the sustainability of our hometowns.”
Provincial funding is from the previous fiscal year and will cover up to 75 per cent of each of the projects on the attached backgrounder. The funding is administered by SUMA on behalf of the TSS Steering Committee. SUMA is in the process of finalizing funding agreements with successful applicants.
Another $186,000 of TSS funding will further support:
• The development of an online training program for Saskatchewan Board of Revision members.
• A labour market assessment for a potential municipal administrator program.
• The online conversion of the Community and Land-use Planning module of the Municipal Leadership Development Program.
• A pilot project to mentor administrators proposed by the Rural Municipal Administrators’ Association in partnership with SARM.
The TSS Initiative was established following a review of the 2018-19 Municipal Revenue Sharing program, with input from the municipal sector. The TSS Initiative provides cost-shared grants to recipients and their community and municipal partners. The goal of the program is to help municipalities improve local governance, encourage more regional cooperation and build upon existing capacity.
Projects are funded under one of the following streams: dispute resolution and relationship building; capacity building; regional cooperation; and municipal transition. A second project intake will occur in 2021.
