MAKE MUNICIPALITIES MATTER
Saskatchewan’s Urban Municipalities need a Federal Infrastructure Program and economic certainty.
Municipalities have the greatest responsibility for public infrastructure in Canada, developing and operating 60 percent of it, despite having the least fiscal capacity of any order of government. Infrastructure investments by other orders of government, including cost-shared infrastructure grant programs and federal/provincial broadband development, are essential to the ongoing viability of communities in Saskatchewan, particularly given our diffuse population.
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which divided costs between federal, provincial, and municipal governments, has been fully allocated, but there is currently no program in place to continue the essential work of infrastructure development and support the federal and provincial interests in having modern and reliable municipal infrastructure in place.
SUMA President, Randy Goulden.
“Municipalities play a central role in the day-to-day lives of Canadians,” said SUMA President, Randy Goulden. “We provide the essential infrastructure and services that they depend on: from the water in their homes and treating the wastewater that comes out of them, to the roads, parks, pools, and rinks. But we can’t do it alone. We need the next federal government to commit to a long-term infrastructure program, focused on community needs.”
Broadband also plays an important role in the ongoing viability of smaller urban municipalities, allowing more residents to remain in their communities and conduct business via the internet.
“High speed internet is no longer a ‘nice-to-have,’ it is an absolute essential,” stated President Goulden. “We need the next federal government to move beyond funding broadband based on percentage of population, as this disadvantages provinces such as Saskatchewan, where our population is much more spread out. We need greater investment in our local internet service providers so that they can, in turn, continue their vital investment into our local broadband infrastructure.”
Municipalities are heavily affected by outside economic factors that can impact their revenue and investments. Issues like supply chain disruptions, border crossing closures, and potential U.S. tariffs threaten the economies that they depend on, while trade barriers between provinces and territories make it harder to shift to more stable Canadian markets. The removal of key services, such as postal services, and unnecessary levels of taxation make the ongoing survival of our communities even more challenging.
“This is a time of great uncertainty for all of North America,” said Goulden. “While much of that uncertainty is out of our control, it is critical that the next federal government do what they can to provide stability. That will require them to take a leadership role in opening up Canadian markets, reducing economic barriers, and maintaining key services upon which our communities depend.”
Unity and consistency are going to be essential as businesses struggle to improve and replace supply chains and find new markets. Existing services, such as Canada Post, will become even more important to keep costs down and to serve more remote communities, and improved access to interprovincial trade may provide some necessary relief for individual industries.
“What we need is a genuine vision for Canada, and the economic, development, and trade policies to support it,” said President Goulden. “This is a time for unity and cooperation across the country – from sea to sea.”
This federal election, make municipalities matter. Visit suma.org for more information and to see the SUMA election hub.