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 has been 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 2024 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.
Total grants from the province make up 20.82 per cent of the City of Moose Jaw’s revenues, or $11.4 million, according to the 2024 budget.
Moose Jaw received over $6.9 million this year in municipal revenue sharing funding, while it expects to receive almost $7.9 million next year.
During its Dec. 18 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.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Jan. 15, 2024.
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