Saskatoon begins 2025 budget talks with proposed property tax cut [Video]

In an unusual twist, the latest City of Saskatoon budget deliberations began with positive financial news.

Clae Hack, the city’s chief financial officer, projected property taxes will increase by 5.2 per cent — lower than the 5.64 per cent bump originally planned last year.

The 2025 numbers were approved in 2023, but must be finalized this week, as part of the city’s new multi-year budgeting system.

Hack said the property tax change is attributed to additional investment income.

“If the additional $2 million in investment income is added to the budget, this would bring the property tax requirement to 5.2 per cent,” Hack told city councillors.

Last week, administration proposed a 5.84 per cent property tax hike — making the 5.2 figure even more welcomed.

Saskatoon’s city council, November 2024. (Laura Woodward / CTV News)

“I think this is the best start to any budget, in my past 12, where you actually reduced it before we kicked off,” Ward 4 Councillor Troy Davies told Hack.

The city is preparing …