Saskatoon city council approves $158 million police budget

Saskatoon councillors started budget deliberations on Tuesday by approving the single largest line item - the police budget, bringing a 3.7 per cent tax hike.

City council has taken care of its most expensive piece of business, with the Saskatoon Police Service budget approved on the first day of budget deliberations Tuesday.

“I’m definitely alive to the fact that it’s a significantly large increase over 2025, and that raises questions as to appropriateness, but definitely, we put the work in,” Saskatoon Police Chief Cam McBride said to reporters after the budget was approved.

In a rare move two rookie councillors taking part in their first two-year budget voted against the police budget during the first day of deliberations.

With the police budget increasing $22.2 million in 2026 and 2027 combined, Ward 1 Coun. Kathryn MacDonald and Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker weren’t thrilled about the record investment into police during a budget calling for cuts to potentially dozens of other services.

“Last year we had a record-breaking increase. This would be a record-breaking increase,” Parker said.

“So, I just struggle with the investments we’re making in police at record breaking rates and expecting something different in our community.”

Saskatoon police’s budget will increase by 8.6 per cent in 2026 and 6.2 per cent in 2027. McBride says this is largely due to staff compensation as a result of a recent collective bargaining agreement, inflation and populations growth.

More than 20 new full-time positions will be added next year. Another 29 new hires are expected in 2027.

While the funding is now there, McBride said backlogs at the provincial police college and difficulties recruiting officers to join the service may hamper the ability to train and have the full complement of officers working in the budgeted years.

Demand is growing with the service answering more than 325,000 calls in 2025. McBride says his officers are being stretched to their limit.

“I can say for sure that our current workload is bordering on unmanageable,” he said. “And our staff would probably say it’s unmanageable right now.”

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Council asked for the police board to come back with a four per cent reduction to its overall budget ask, but it showed up Tuesday with a one per cent budget reduction.

During its presentation the police service said the national average is 178 police per 100,000 population. Saskatoon is currently at 165.3 per 100,000 population.

“We’re running lean,” police board chair Shirley Greyeyes said.

“Insufficient staffing impacts community safety and the health and well-being of our members.”

With the increase police spending will approach a quarter of spending at City Hall by the end of 2027. McBride said he expects that figure to ebb and flow as the years go on.

“This is where we sit,” McBride said.

In a budget filled with 108 ways to reduce city spending, Parker wanted to see police conduct a value-for-money audit, while also wrestling with the idea of potentially cutting other services or programs that could impact safety and reduce crime.

“I just cannot reasonably or responsibly support this ask, knowing that we’ll be taking funding away from core services elsewhere,” Parker said.

Budget deliberations continue Wednesday. The proposed property tax increase for 2026 is 7.43 per cent and 5.92 per cent in 2027.