In one of those Q and A exchanges, minister of finance Donna Harpauer was asked directly by a councillor from the town of Churchbridge about the collection of PST. The minister was asked why they don’t give PST rebates to municipalities and why they need to collect PST on essential service projects such as a water plant or a fire truck. Harpauer pointed out that the PST collected comes back to communities in additional revenue sharing. “The municipalities benefit from the PST that government pays government through the revenue sharing formula.” She also pointed to the funding provided to municipalities through revenue sharing, the MEEP program, infrastructure programs partnering with the federal government, and the 10 percent reduction on power usage, among others.
Posted: Feb 11, 2021 7:55 AM CT | Last Updated: February 11
An architect s rendering of what a summer market could look like at the Phase 1 entry bosque area of the festival grounds.(City of Saskatoon/Submitted) comments
Saskatoon city councillors will be discussing a proposed multi-million dollar permanent festival site at a committee meeting next week.
The site, which would be built at Friendship Park and River Landing Park between the Broadway Bridge and the River Landing spray park, would eventually include a large main plaza, a bus rapid transit station and several other smaller stages. The total cost of the project is $12.85 million.
(Photo courtesy of the City of Saskatoon)
Saskatoon could have a new permanent site for year-round festivals if city council gives it the green light.
A concept plan is to be presented next week to the Governance and Priorities Committee. A study began last May, with project requirements, recommendations and phases outlined.
According to community services general manager Lynne Lacroix, the new site would be located between River Landing and the Bessborough Hotel, in the Friendship Park area, or River Central along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River.
“The concept plan really creates a vision,” she said. “It’s a grand vision of a very purposefully built, permanent downtown festival site with amenities and benefits while also working to protect environmental, cultural and community considerations.”
Not surprisingly, the impact of COVID-19 was a major focus of Moe’s remarks. Much of Moe’s remarks focused on the measures the province has taken and the help municipalities were able to obtain through provincial initiatives such as the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP). On the pandemic and when it might end, Moe said there was reason for optimism, and that COVID-19 numbers were “moving in the right direction.” But the premier emphasized the need for vaccines for the province to emerge from the pandemic restrictions. “No matter how severe lockdowns and public health measures are, they will not end this pandemic,” Moe said.