‘Demand better’: Councillors encouraged to find more savings ahead of budget talks

WATCH: Saskatoon city councillors got another preview of the upcoming city budget on Wednesday. It doesn't look good.

City councillors are getting a preview of the difficult discussions and decisions to be made during budget deliberations.

The governance and priorities committee received its second update on city finances on Wednesday after a grim forecast in June.

This time it was presented with 69 options of items which aren’t included in the budget but could be prioritized, if council chooses to add them. The chambers were filled with members of Saskatoon’s business community looking to make their cases.

“Our message today is simple,” Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce CEO Jason Aebig said.

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“From now until November, dig deep and demand better. Put the big brains in your administration to work on finding savings.”

In June, the city forecasted property tax increases of 9.9 per cent in 2026 and 7.3 per cent in 2027 if spending were to continue as is. The increases amount to $22 and $18 per month, respectively, for an average assessed home value of $397,000.

Council ended that meeting by asking administration to find additional savings to lower a 2025 property tax increase closer to 5 per cent.

On Wednesday, dozens of members of both the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and the NSBA filled the chambers to stress the importance of a lean budget cycle.

“Our members are clear, the pace of tax increases that we’ve seen and are projected to see is not sustainable,” NSBA executive director Keith Moen said to the committee.

Moen highlighted the importance of A.I., and the effect the technology could have on city finances and staffing. Rather than welcome crops of new hires, Moen urged the city to explore all opportunities to utilize A.I. and save taxpayers’ bottom line.

“A.I. represents the third major wave of technological change following the internet and smartphones,” he said.

“Every city employee, including council, should be planning for the future with A.I. in mind, but those who embrace it will help the city deliver better services at a lower cost. Those who don’t risk holding us back.”

Administration said the city is beginning to use A.I., calling its usage “a little immature at this time.” A report is being prepared for council over “the next several months,” but some councillors want to see those opportunities sooner.

“I think that’s something that we could accelerate, and the sooner we hear back on that, the better,” Ward 5 Coun. Randy Donauer said.

Wednesday’s report before councillors was for information purposes only.

No decisions were made, but the 69 options split between operating and capital expenditures — which account for a combined spending of $12.7 million in 2026 and $15.2 million in 2027 — not only set the stage for November’s budget deliberations, they prioritize spending if councillors look to add.

Ward 4 Coun. Troy Davies said policing is his main priority. He has no interest in reducing the police budget.

Council previously learned the police budget alone would account for a 4.09 per cent increase to property taxes if approved as is.

“There’s not a whole lot of room, other than going back in and cutting services, which might have to occur as well,” Davies said. “I think everything should be on the table.”

Wednesday’s discussion ended with Ward 9 Coun. Bev Dubois asking administration to compile a list of items the city pays for which used to be the responsibility of the provincial or federal governments.