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Moose Jaw will get over $6.4M next year through provincial grant program

Grants from the province make up roughly 21 per cent of the City of Moose Jaw’s revenue, or about $10.5 million, according to this year’s budget. 
Moose Jaw City Hall
Moose Jaw City Hall (Shutterstock)

City hall is ensuring that all necessary paperwork is updated so that the City of Moose Jaw can continue to receive funding through the provincial government’s municipal revenue sharing grant program. 

The provincial government has provided this grant — which comprises about one-fifth of Moose Jaw’s revenues — to Saskatchewan municipalities for years. During the 2018-19 fiscal year, the Ministry of Government Relations began reviewing the program, a city council report explained. The main changes to the program were:

  • Funding would be based on 0.75 of one percentage point of the provincial sales tax (PST) from the second preceding year
  • Funding percentages would remain roughly the same but would be rounded to one decimal point
  • Since 2019-20, targeted sector support of $1.5 million from municipal revenue sharing is being allocated to support programs, projects and initiatives directed at good governance, legislative compliance and increased inter-municipal and regional co-operation
  • Municipalities must attest to their compliance with a set of legislative provisions to remain eligible 

The six eligibility requirements include providing an audited financial statement, waterworks reporting (if applicable), education property tax returns (being in good standing), council procedures bylaw document, an employee code of conduct statement, and council members’ public disclosure statements.

If municipalities do not meet all six requirements or submit their declarations before the closing date in January, their municipal revenue sharing grant for 2021 may be withheld until all requirements are met, the report said. They will have to take the necessary steps to meet all the requirements and notify the ministry that this has been completed before funding is released.

Grants from the province make up roughly 21 per cent of the City of Moose Jaw’s revenue, or about $10.5 million, according to this year’s budget. 

Moose Jaw received $6,831,325 this year in municipal revenue sharing funding but is expected to receive $6,448,564 next year. This represents a decline of $382,761.

During its Dec. 6 regular meeting, council voted unanimously to submit all the necessary documents and have the director of financial services sign the declaration of eligibility and submit it to the Ministry of Government Relations. 

“We are in compliance overall with all of the requirements, so we will be able to go online and complete our eligibility declaration … ,” said finance director Brian Acker. 

Acker acknowledged that Moose Jaw receives significant funding through the municipal revenue sharing program. Even though next year’s grant will be less, it will still form a major part of the city’s overall provincial funding. 

The next regular council meeting is Monday, Dec. 13. 

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