The 2022 and 2023 indicative tax rates for the city of Saskatoon are being deferred for the time being.

With administration recommending a tax target of 5.96% for 2022 and 5.42% for 2023, Mayor Charlie Clark made the motion to review options to address the property tax pressures residents and businesses are facing during the pandemic, while being able to keep city services running. Clark says there needs to be a balance as the impacts of reduced revenues, including a $6-million reduction in municipal revenue sharing are occurring.

Special meetings are to be arranged with the Standing Policy Committee on Finance to undertake a deeper review.

The indicative rate is an estimate of what administration requires to deliver the same services at the same service levels as the previous year’s budget.

GPC also asked the Administration to report back on the implications for the funding and operations of waste programs, including the city-wide organics program, specifically the proposal of possibly funding the organics program as a utility model.

Budget deliberations are set for November.