Ahead of the provincial government presenting its budget for the next fiscal year sometime in the next month, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association is calling for more to be done to increase health care access. President Randy Goulden suggests a review of doctor compensation because low fee-for-service rates are driving family doctors out of the profession, and taking immediate action on EMS retention, which would include increasing on-call rates for paramedics.

A news release from SUMA says the association recognizes the work that is being done through the Health Human Resources Action Plan to recruit and retain health care professionals, but adds that it’s not enough, with many communities still experiencing regular service disruptions. Goulden says you shouldn’t have to worry about how long it will take for an ambulance to arrive, because in an emergency minutes matter, and you shouldn’t have to travel well outside your community to receive basic care when you have a hospital or clinic in your own community.

The cost of decommissioning landfills continues to be a barrier for Saskatchewan municipalities, so the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association is looking for help from the province on this front as well. SUMA’s President, Randy Goulden, says, “Communities with less than 500 people do not have the tax base to pay $300,000 to $500,000 to decommission their landfill. A news release from SUMA requests that the provincial government provide 25-year, interest free loans to these smaller communities. SUMA’s annual convention is coming up April 16th to 19th in Saskatoon