Today, Government Relations Minister Lori Carr announced that Saskatchewan’s portion of the federal Safe Restart Canada Plan for municipal governments, approximately $70.32 million, will begin to be distributed immediately to all compliant Saskatchewan municipalities.
“As Saskatchewan returns to a new normal, this is another important investment to help municipalities and their residents weather the storm,” Carr said in a release. “This funding will support efforts to protect health and safety, prepare for potential future waves of COVID-19, and facilitate the safe re-opening of economies.”
Yorkton Mayor Bob Maloney said the dollars are important for municipalities;.
“The federal safe restart is pivotal in getting economies going again,” he told Yorkton This Week. “It will help backfill the city budget and get us on good footing for 2021.”
Maloney added the City won’t know true effect of COVID until taxes come in at the end of September.
The program will see $974,000 flow to the city. The Rural Municipality of Wallace gets $50,825, and the RM of Orkney &111,851.
“So the infusion of cash to the region is significant,” said Maloney.
Of the amount, $62.26 million will be granted in general municipal support on a per capita basis, while $8.07 million will be allocated to municipal public transit support for the four cities with transit systems, based on ridership. Quickly and efficiently, the amounts will start to be distributed immediately so municipal leaders can funnel dollars to areas of highest local priority.
This federal funding was matched by $150 million dollars announced previously from the Government of Saskatchewan in the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program.
Additionally, this summer, the province fast-tracked a record breaking $278 million in Municipal Revenue Sharing. Annual, no-strings attached funding was paid directly to municipalities to support local priorities and recovery efforts.
The ministry will be contacting all municipalities directly with details about their specific allocation.
