SASKATCHEWAN MUNICIPALITIES RECEIVE RECORD REVENUE SHARING IN 2013-14

Saskatchewan municipalities will receive record revenue sharing of more than $264.4 million in 2013-14, an 11.4 per cent increase from the previous year and a 108 per cent increase since 2007-08.

“Saskatchewan’s revenue sharing program continues to provide record levels of funding to municipalities,” Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter said.  “The level of funding that municipalities are receiving is unique in this province’s history and throughout the country.”

Under the Municipal Grants Regulations, the allocation of funding within the pools must be reviewed after every federal Census.  The review is conducted in consultation with municipal sector partners and was started early last year following the 2011 Census.  As Saskatchewan’s municipal partners were unable to reach a consensus on the allocation of funding for the new fiscal year, the Minister of Government Relations reviewed the allocation as part of the budget process.

“The new allocations strike a balance that provides funding to address both population growth and demands on rural roads while also recognizing the challenges facing northern communities,” Reiter said.

In 2013-14, revenue sharing funding will be allocated as follows:

• Urban municipalities -  $170 million ($18.1 million increase)
• Rural municipalities - $74.7 million ($5.9 million increase) 
• Northern municipalities - $19.7 million ($3.1 million increase)

The allocations in each funding pool until 2017-18 are as follows:

• Cities - 47.945 per cent 
• Rural Municipalities - 28.254 per cent 
• Towns and Villages - 16.345 per cent 
• Northern Municipalities - 7.456 per cent

Since its inception, the program has provided the highest amount of unconditional funding shared with municipalities by the provincial government in the history of Saskatchewan.  Municipal revenue sharing has more than doubled since 2007-08.

Revenue sharing totals for individual municipalities can be viewed at http://gr.gov.sk.ca/revenuesharing.

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For more information, contact:

Nicole Fellinger
Government Relations
Regina
Phone: 306-787-2687
Email: nicole.fellinger@gov.sk.ca