WHEREAS The Weed Control Act mandates that landowners, land occupants, municipalities and appointed weed inspectors take the measures necessary to control prohibited, noxious and nuisance weeds; and

WHEREAS the Ministry of Highways is an owner/occupant of various lands along provincial highways across Saskatchewan; and

WHEREAS The Weed Control Act allows the municipality’s appointed weed inspector to issue a control order to landowners and occupants.  If they remain non-compliant the municipality carries out the order at the expense of the municipality until costs are recovered through invoice or land tax payment.

WHERAS the Ministry of Highways does not pay land taxes to the municipality for the land they own along the highway the municipality cannot collect back for costs associated with carrying out the order therefore this cost born by all ratepayers in the municipality.

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to amend The Weed Control Act to allow for all costs incurred by a municipality with relation to detecting, notifying, corresponding, controlling etc. prohibited, noxious and nuisance weeds on Ministry of Highways lands to be recovered in the same manner as taxes pursuant to The Cities Act, The Municipalities Act or The Northern Municipalities Act.