KAMSACK — Kamsack property owners will be paying one mill more in municipal tax in 2026 than they paid last year.
At its regular meeting on April 20, town council approved a budget of $5.6 million, of which $2.5 million is to be generated from the mill rate of 11.5 mills, up from 10.5 mills that had been levied in 2025.
The municipal base tax remains unchanged from last year at $1,100, but the infrastructure levy is increasing by $35 to $535.
Other sources of revenue include the provincial revenue sharing program of $573,000; various grants that total $300,000; fire agreements with other municipalities for $180,000; rentals, $50,000; utilities, including water, sewer and garbage fees, $1.15 million, plus some other internal transfers.
Among significant expenditures council anticipates making during the year is about $276,000 on the Broda Sportsplex, which has been plagued by a leaky roof for which an engineer is being hired for a recommendation, and painting, said Barry Hvidston, chief administrative officer. The town has applied for funding from Legacy Co-operative to pay for the paint.
The Kamsack Swimming Pool will cost $120,000 for maintenance and staffing, and OCC Hall will require about $67,000 for repairs that are conditional on receiving grants, Hvidston explained. Proposed work includes creating wheelchair accessible bathrooms and the purchase of new tables.
Council plans to pave three blocks on Dixon Avenue from Taylor to Nicholas Streets and on Hathorne, but the costs will be borne by the Canada Community Building Fund for an estimated $190,000.
The decommissioning of the municipal landfill, a job that is to cost a total of $1.2 million, has received 73 per cent of the cost from funds provided by the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). The remainder is being paid by a loan obtained by the municipality.
Council will be paying $500,000 this year in loans and interest payments.
Phase One of the columbarium project for Riverview Cemetery is expected to cost $100,000 this year, but none of these costs is being paid directly by the taxpayers, he said. It is being funded through cemetery reserves. This year’s work includes the pouring of a cement pad for the installation of two 48-niche curved columbaria and five benches, three of which were sponsored by a group and families.
Council was pleased to learn that plans for a summer play program are going forward. There is a total budget of $12,500, of which $7,200 was funded by the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Community Development Grant, and $5,000 was funded by the Community Initiatives Fund (CIF) summer program.
Plans are to spend about $10,000 on Canada Day activities, which will include the traditional fireworks display and a soccer program to coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being held from June 11 to July 19 and will be the first men’s World Cup hosted in Canada, alongside Mexico and the United States, and the first to feature 48 teams in a 104-game tournament.
It is expected three solar-powered digital speed signs will be erected in June at the east, west and northern highway entrances to Kamsack. The price tag of the signs is $19,000, and SGI pays the total cost.
Approval has been received from the TD Friends of the Environment for funds totalling $8,100 for improvements at the urban orchard.
The Canada Jobs program has provided funds to allow council to hire three students to work at the Swimming Pool, Hvidston said. Combating Dutch Elm Disease will take about $5,500, and council is budgeting $10,000 for pigeon control measures, such as traps.
Council will be continuing its third year in its sewer relining program. The cost is approximately $150,000 to reline 300 metres of sewer this year. The program provides for the cleaning of the sewer line, the use of video surveillance of the line’s interior and the installation of a fibreglass lining. The work is necessary to repair the sewer before it fails, causing a costlier repair that would include digging up the line and the resulting damage to pavement.
In addition to the property tax increase, 912 residents have been informed that their utility bills will be increasing, effective the May billing. With rates approved by council at its regular meeting of April 6, residents will be paying $24 a month rather than $20 for sewer, and $50 rather than $40 for water, while the rate for residential garbage will remain at $30 a month.
For a long while, these rates have not been increased, and they did not reflect the actual cost of the service, said Mayor Beth Dix.
Having returned from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Convention (SUMA) in Regina, April 12 to 15, Dix said it had been an informative convention where she was able to meet with several other delegates, speak with government ministers and attend interesting seminars, particularly those dealing with inter-municipal co-operation. Also attending were councillors Ona Eliuk, Robyn Tataryn and Easton Moline, as well as Hvidston and Dana Grieve, the assistant administrator. Kelsey Rauckman, the public works manager, and Karl Morck, the utilities manager, attended the convention’s trade show for a day.
At the convention, councillors had discussed the commercial garbage costs with representatives of other municipalities and learned that several had decided their municipalities would not be involved in commercial garbage pickup. Consequently, rather than giving a third reading to the new waste management bylaw it was considering, council asked administration to prepare a new bylaw that would remove commercial waste pickup from the municipality and allow individual customers to make their own arrangements directly with the garbage pick-up company.
Council will review that new bylaw at its regular meeting on May 11.
Council approved its 2025 financial statement, which reflected a “break-even” year, Hvidston said.
