WHEREAS the Saskatchewan Municipal Board (SMB) supports local authorities, to help build a strong economy by providing advice and regulatory approval on a variety of issues impacting rural municipalities; in particular around municipal boundary alterations, amalgamations and annexation.

WHEREAS if one of the involved municipalities does not consent to the proposal and the mediation fails to resolve a dispute, an application must be submitted to the Municipal Boundary Committee of the SMB which will review the proposal, hold a hearing and makes a decision regarding the proposal. This process is intensive in both the information gathering that occurs and, in the attempt, to find a mutually beneficial resolution between municipalities. Once a review of an application is complete, the decision stands, even if an attempt to withdraw an application is made by a municipality.

WHEREAS if an application or portion of an application is rejected in the decision by the Municipal Boundary Committee, no subsequent application that is substantially similar may be made for one year. This applies to all municipalities.

WHEREAS this process is very thorough, takes time, resources and has financial implications for participating municipalities.

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to expand the “cooling off period” on when similar applications can be heard from one year to three years. Thus, preventing a cycle of continuous applications going to the SMB on issues that already have a decision rendered and preventing additional administrative, financial burdens and legal fees incurred by the municipality and the SMB.