Town council made appointments to various boards and committees during its regular meeting on December 1.
Some of the appointments made by council have terms ending in 2021 or 2022, while others will be perpetual.
Councillors appointed as deputy mayor were: Eric Sweeney, from November to January; Brad Gabora, from February to April; Jacqueline Fetchuk, from May to July; David Wasyliw, from August to October; Matt Thompson, from November to January 2022; and Kerry Trask, from February to April 2022.
Councillors were appointed to several committees and portfolios.
Sweeney (chair) and Wasyliw were appointed to general government. They were also appointed to the Canora Agricultural Society until December 31, 2021, with Sweeney serving as an alternate. Thompson (chair) and Trask were appointed to protective services. Gabora (chair) and Thompson were appointed to public works. They will also serve on the Canora Public Utility Board, with Thompson as the alternate, until December 31, 2021, and on the North East Area Transportation Planning Committee on a perpetual basis.
Trask (chair) and Sweeney were appointed to environment and health. They will also serve on the Staff Occupational Health and Safety Committee, and on the Canora and District Health Care Foundation, with Sweeney as the alternate in both groups, until December 31, 2021. Fetchuk (chair) and Gabora were appointed to recreation and culture. They will also serve on the Leisure Services Board, with Gabora as the alternate, until December 31, 2021.
Wasyliw (chair) and Fetchuk were appointed to planning and development. They will also serve on the Community Planning Commission and on the Tourism Committee, with Fetchuk as an alternate, until December 31, 2021. Gabora was appointed to the Parkland Regional Library Board until December 31, 2021.
Mayor Mike Kwas, along with Thompson and Sweeney, were appointed to the Emergency Management Organization (EMO) control group on a perpetual basis. Thompson and Trask will serve on the Canora and District Fire Protection Board until December 31, 2021.
Fetchuk was appointed to the Canora Welcome Statue Committee until December 31, 2021 and to the Canora and District Community Benevolent Fund Administrative Committee on a perpetual basis. Thompson will serve on the Canora Community Child Care Centre until December 31, 2021. Gabora was appointed to the Whitesand River Advisory Council until December 31, 2021. Sweeney and Thompson (alternate) were appointed to the Canora Composite School Community Council until December 31, 2021.
Council confirmed the municipality meets the following eligibility requirements to receive the Municipal Revenue Sharing Grant:
• Submission of the 2019 audited financial statement to the Ministryof Government Relations;
• Submission of the 2020 Public Reporting on Municipal Waterworks to the Ministry of Government Relations;
• In Good Standing with respect to the reporting and remittance of Education Property Taxes;
• Adoption of a Council Procedures Bylaw;
• Adoption of an Employee Code of Conduct; and
• All members of council have filed and annually updated their Public Disclosure Statements, as required; and the chief administrative officer has been authorized to sign the Declaration of Eligibility and submit it to the ministry of government relations.
The mayor and all of council were authorized to attend the virtual Municipalities of Saskatchewan (MuniSask) convention to be held February 7 to 10, 2021.
Council approved the following municipal tax concession to Ready Roll Truck Tarp Inc. for the property located at 798 Norway Road (Lot 16, Block 67, Plan 65Y08361):
Purchase a commercial or industrial building or structure, vacant for more than one year, and operate a business there from provided it is an arms-length transaction:
- 2021 50 per cent
- 2022 50 per cent
- 2023 25 per cent
Council set the custom work rates for Town of Canora equipment, effective January 1, 2021.
Council adopted the following tax concession policy for 2021:
For the construction of a new building or structure, if vacant Town-owned land is purchased, the value attributable to the virgin land value shall be given free of charge but the value attributable to the services to the land shall be paid, plus the following tax cancellations shall be applicable:
100 per cent tax cancellation in the first year, 75 per cent tax cancellation in the second year and
50 per cent tax cancellation in the third year.
If a new building or structure is constructed on privately owned land, the above tax concessions will apply to the building or structure provided the gross assessment is greater than 50,000.
For the construction of an addition to an existing building or structure, the following tax cancellations should be applied: 100 per cent tax concession in the first year, 75 per cent tax concession in the second year and 50 per cent tax concession in the third year.
The above cancellations apply to the addition only provided the gross assessment of the addition is greater than 50,000.
For the purchase of a commercial or industrial building or structure, vacant for more than one year, and operate a business from there provided it is an arms-length transaction, the following tax cancellations should be applicable: 50 per cent tax concession in the first year, 50 per cent tax concession in the second year and 25 per cent tax concession in the third year.
The above cancellations will be for the municipal portion only.
Concessions will be prorated from effective date as determined by the chief administrative officer.
No tax concessions will be granted where an existing business, building or structure is moved from one location to another within the Town unless the total business area, building size or structure size increases; in which case, the above shall apply.
Frontage tax is not eligible for any concession whatsoever.
Each tax concession granted will be in the form of a resolution or bylaw of Council.
Tax concessions will not be granted on properties in arrears of taxes.
Tax concessions will be cancelled and/or reversed if taxes are in arrears.
Council may consider other concession options for special circumstances.
Concession applications must be received within one year from the date of title transfer.
Council set the following tax prepayment discount rates for 2021: four per cent in January, three per cent in February, two per cent in March and one per cent in April. The property tax penalty rates for current year taxes in 2021 were set at one per cent for November and one per cent for December.
Council extended the sign corridor agreement with Olivia Chaikowski for an additional five years at a rate of $50 per sign.
