Saskatoon homeowners may see a spike in their property taxes again after city council revealed their budget for the next two years.
The proposed hike is set at 8.23 per cent for 2026, which amounts to around $16 extra a month for a single-family detached homeowner with an average value of around $394,200, according to the city.
Saskatoon’s chief financial officer says much of the property tax hike is tied to inflation driving up the cost of goods and to address the expansion of the city both in size and population.
As for what happens to the final property tax number, Clae Hack says that will be decided by city council after he presents them with a report with different options to potentially lower the property tax rate to around five per cent.
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“It’s certainly possible but there will be implications to many of those decisions,” Hack told reporters Thursday at a press conference unveiling the budget.
As for the breakdown in costs, the city’s investment priorities include transportation, corporate support, fire, transit and recreation, which make up just over half of next year’s general expenditures.
Police services remain the highest expenditure, accounting for 22 per cent of the budget. The service is asking for an additional $12.5 million next year in funding, or an 8.62 per cent increase from 2025, which the city says is in response to wage increases, higher operating costs and call volumes and to better respond to crimes.
“The biggest part of the police budget is connected to an arbitration ruling that is going to pay for the salaries of police officers, so that is not an option to cut,” Mayor Cynthia Block told Global News in an interview.
Residents may also see the budget creep into other areas of their daily lives, with higher admission prices forecast at the zoo, outdoor pools, parking rates and leisure cards.
“In my view we need to keep the services we have, we need to keep them strong, but when does the time come when we can’t afford every single thing we have,” said Block.
The city will deliberate the budget for three days at the end of the month starting Nov. 25.
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