Opinion: Saskatoon city council must eye workforce size during budget

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According to marathon runners, it’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.

It’s a good reminder for Saskatoon city council as it enters the final stretch of the budget marathon that started in May. Faced with an unprecedented budget shortfall of over $70 million, council wisely initiated a process of reviewing administrative and program budgets much earlier than normal.

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It was a smart move in light of an operating budget that got out of control. More time would allow for better decisions. Priorities could be safeguarded by making cuts in other areas.

Council made progress. Through a series of budget meetings over the summer, they increased revenues in areas like pet licences, cemetery plots, parking violations and tax searches. They reduced operating hours at places like the landfill and material recovery centre.

They closed the East Compost Depot, eliminated skunk inspections and relocations for residential properties. They froze funding for community organizations. They deferred transfers to reserves, spending and hires to help close the gap.

“Deferral” appeared to be the tool of choice for councillors who were challenged to recommend or entertain outright cuts to positions.

Increases for roadway maintenance training positions, for paved roadways and sidewalk maintenance positions, for snow and ice management positions, for new street sweeping positions, and for transportation services positions were all deferred — all to be considered another day, by another council.

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None of these positions were important enough to support by cutting existing roles.

Therein lies the challenge that will face city council during its three-day marathon meeting at the end of November. Instead of a direct challenge to departments to reduce the size of the city’s workforce — a difficult exercise done by hundreds of businesses across the city — civic managers were given a pass.

The extra time councillors gave themselves to do the analysis, force tough conversations and make hard choices came and went.

City administration’s preliminary business plan and budget has been labelled a “starting point” for those discussions. If nothing is done, it will mean a minimum property tax increase of 7.1 per cent in 2024 and 5.7 per cent in 2025.

Council could still mandate a universal budget cut across all city-funded departments and agencies to set a tax rate that is competitive, affordable and keeps us growing, as the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce has suggested. How city council chooses to get there remains to be seen.

What is clear: any serious discussion will need to focus on the size and cost of the city’s workforce. Nearly 60 per cent of the city’s operating budget is personnel related.

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There has been no net decrease in the size of the city’s workforce over the last five years, including the pandemic period. There are more, not fewer, positions proposed for 2024-2025.

Businesses and households have already taken steps to manage their budgets, in light of ongoing inflation and rising costs. They expect no less from their municipal leaders. Unless council acts, ratepayers will face their largest property tax increase in 10 years.

This year’s budget marathon has taken its toll and there have been a few stumbles. However, the finish line is in sight and finishing strong is what matters now. If council can push through the pain, and make tough choices, we’ll all win: a growing city that continues to attract new residents, more jobs and investment.

Jason Aebig is the CEO of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.

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