REGINA, Sask. — An independent review of the Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA), conducted by Upfront Consulting, has found that SAMA is operating effectively and has the professional competence and management capacity to carry out its mandate.
The Ministry of Government Relations, which contracted the review, reports the review also identified several opportunities to strengthen governance and stakeholder participation.
The review identified four areas for improvement: board member appointments, advisory committees, stakeholder engagement and conflict of interest guidelines.
A summary of the final report is available at Saskatchewan.ca.
According to the ministry, the review was undertaken to ensure a stable and efficient property assessment and taxation system that serves the interests of municipalities and property owners, within the province's four-year property revaluation cycle.
Upfront Consulting’s independent review examined SAMA’s governance structure and ratepayer representation, with a focus on transparency and consultation, the ministry says.
SAMA is an independent agency responsible for maintaining a stable, current and reliable property assessment system for Saskatchewan. Its responsibilities include developing assessment policies and standards, providing property valuation services, auditing assessments and confirming municipal assessment rolls. The agency is responsible for a property assessment base valued at more than $278 billion, supporting the fair distribution of approximately $2.63 billion in annual municipal and education property taxes.
"Fair and transparent property assessments are the foundation of Saskatchewan's property tax system, and SAMA plays a key role in upholding these principles," Government Relations Minister Eric Schmalz said.
"This review provides practical recommendations to support stakeholder participation and build on SAMA's strengths."
"SAMA is an organization that strives to be transparent and open to feedback," SAMA CEO Shaun Cooney said. "Having Upfront Consulting review our governance structure was a welcome opportunity to confirm that the agency is operating at a high level for our clients and stakeholders."
