2024 December
Municipalities Today is a web-based newsletter published monthly by the Ministry of Government Relations. It lists deadlines, training opportunities, services and programs that may be of interest to Saskatchewan municipal officials.
View past editions of Municipalities Today by visiting the Publications Centre.
1. Peer to Peer: Saskatchewan Municipal Peer Network
Municipal leaders face diverse challenges and sometimes need extra support. The Saskatchewan Municipal Peer Network is available to assist.
The Saskatchewan Municipal Peer Network connects municipal administrators and elected officials with highly experienced peers who can provide guidance and coaching and offer a variety of options to help address local issues, use best governance practices, better understand roles and responsibilities, and other related matters.
There are currently nine volunteer mentors who have extensive experience as administrators, mayors, reeves and councillors. Mentors can be reached by phone and all conversations are confidential and free of charge.
Find a mentor on the Saskatchewan Municipal Peer Network.
2. Save the Date for January 22 Webinar with the Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education, Early Years Branch, is inviting you to participate in a live one-hour webinar on Municipal Involvement in Regulated Child Care.
To learn more about how your municipality can support child care development, visit Municipal Involvement in Regulated Child Care.
The live one-hour webinar will be delivered on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, beginning at 11 a.m. The content of the webinar was previously delivered live in July and August 2024. If you participated in the previous webinar and would like a content refresher, you are welcome to attend.
Please register online by visiting Municipal Involvement in Regulated Child Care prior to January 16. There is no cost to participate.
Participation capacity will be limited to 25 participants. A meeting link will be sent upon registration.
3. Building Bylaw Changes Require Ministerial Approval
Municipal administrators are likely aware that a new building bylaw must be submitted for ministerial approval. The same goes for amendments and repeals.
The Construction Codes Act requires that local authorities submit any new bylaw, bylaw amendment, or bylaw repeal to Building and Technical Standards within 60 days after the enactment of the change. The minister is required to either approve or reject the bylaw or bylaw amendment within 60 days of receiving the document.
A building bylaw, bylaw amendment or bylaw repeal is invalid without ministerial approval and cannot be enforced.
For more information, contact Building and Technical Standards at 306-787-4113 or btstandards@gov.sk.ca.
4. Reminder: Complete the Municipal Survey Concerning the 2024 General Municipal Elections
There are only 16 days left for your municipality to participate in the 2024 general municipal elections survey collecting information and lessons learned from the hundreds of recent local elections.
All municipalities are encouraged to have their administrator or another knowledgeable person complete the survey. The online survey will be open until December 31.
The ministry will review the responses and report on what we hear. A summary of the results will be posted on Saskatchewan.ca in late spring 2025.
For more information, please contact Regs@gov.sk.ca.