Bylaw Enforcement
Res #: 8-25A
Number: 8
Year: 2025
Midterm: No
Expired: No
Responses Received: Yes
Departments: Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing
WHEREAS breach of a bylaw is becoming more prevalent.
WHEREAS summary conviction can be a costly and lengthy process.
WHEREAS enforcement of bylaws is difficult unless a voluntary resolution is reached.
WHEREAS there are only 2 bylaw courts in Saskatchewan for which a municipality must register to be heard.
BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the Ministry of Justice to expand municipalities’ abilities to enforce bylaws by increasing ways to obtain a summary conviction.
Responses From: Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and Attorney General
April 21, 2025
Thank you for your letter dated March 18, 2025, regarding the resolutions that were passed at the SARM convention.
Your letter identified concerns regarding bylaw enforcement. As you are aware The Summary Offences Procedure Act, 1990 (SOPA) allows municipalities to enforce bylaws through a summary offence ticket. A municipality can list a voluntary payment amount on a bylaw ticket that, if paid before the court date on the ticket, means that the matter does not need to be heard in court. If the ticket is not paid before the court date listed on the ticket, the person needs to attend court to respond to the ticket.
As a part of the 2025-26 budget, the Government of Saskatchewan has committed to creating additional municipal bylaw courts hubs and traffic safety courts. Government will support the development of these new regional combined courts with a total investment of $1.3 million.
The Province of Saskatchewan will establish these new dedicated bylaw courts and determine their effectiveness before requesting additional budget amounts to expand this model into additional municipalities.
Any municipal bylaw matter written in accordance with SOPA can be brought to a Provincial Court docket to be heard by a Judge or Justice of the Peace.
In addition, a Bylaw Enforcement Working Group has also been established by the Ministry of Government Relations. This group will consult with municipalities to collect information about issues and barriers municipalities are facing when enforcing bylaws and collecting fines, and if applicable, to make recommendations for legislative amendments.
Saskatchewan is committed to continuing to work closely with the municipalities to find appropriate solutions and resolutions to the bylaw enforcement concerns.
Hon. Tim McLeod – Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Government of Saskatchewan
