WHEREAS municipalities require more flexibility for making quality equipment purchase decisions in a fiscally responsible manner; and

WHEREAS new equipment are approaching or at the $400,000.00 to $500,000.00 range; and

WHEREAS the current New West Partnership Trade Agreement threshold of $75,000.00 is very restrictive and puts highly restrictive limitations on municipalities’ abilities to make quality equipment purchases at auction sales, private dealerships or individuals; and

WHEREAS auction sales are a fair, open and transparent method of procuring equipment;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to renegotiate the terms of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement to increase the $75,000.00 threshold for capital spending to at least $150,000.00; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SARM lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to request that a biennial review of the capital spending limits be included in a revised New West Partnership Trade agreement to manage future inflation pressures.

View response from the Minister Responsible for Trade