YORKTON, Sask. — New federal funding for recreation facilities and ice rinks is being welcomed by Saskatchewan's urban municipalities, although their association says more investment is needed to address growing infrastructure demands.
Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) president Randy Goulden said the organization is satisfied overall with the 2026 federal budget, particularly its commitments to recreation infrastructure, housing and mental health initiatives. She said the budget reflects priorities municipalities have been advocating for over the past several years.
Among the most significant measures is $1.5 billion over nine years through the Build Communities Strong Fund to construct, expand, retrofit and rehabilitate recreation facilities and ice rinks across Canada.
"We're happy to see it," Goulden said. "Our infrastructure deficit is growing. We just have to look to our own communities throughout Saskatchewan to see that."
Goulden said municipalities across the province face growing demands to repair and replace aging infrastructure, from water and wastewater systems to roads, recreation facilities and cultural spaces.
"Those are all in the kind of shape that we need to either rebuild or renovate," she said. "Seeing the $1.5 billion is quite reassuring that our other orders of government are there to provide that support to our municipalities."
While pleased with the funding announcement, Goulden said municipalities will continue pressing both provincial and federal governments for additional investment.
"We provide great services to all residents and we share those residents with both the provincial and federal government, so we each have a responsibility," she said. "Communities aren't asking for handouts. We're asking to be partners in providing everything that residents ask for and need in our communities."
SUMA has long argued that municipalities require stable, long-term infrastructure funding to keep pace with growing demands and aging assets.
The budget also includes support for mental health and addictions services, extensions to home and community care funding agreements with provinces and territories, and a multibillion-dollar commitment aimed at expanding housing across the country.
Goulden said those investments could help address challenges municipalities continue to confront at the local level.
"We're pleased to see the enhancement in funding for housing because we're seeing the impact of mental health and addictions on our populations in Saskatchewan," she said.
"We know the fundamental beginning of recovery is having a safe place to go home to, and if you don't have that, it makes it all more difficult."
Over the past year, SUMA representatives made several trips to Ottawa to advocate for municipal priorities. Goulden said those discussions helped ensure Saskatchewan's concerns were heard during federal budget deliberations.
"The advocacy that we have done here in the province and then taken to the federal government allows us to talk about the province as a whole, but then bring examples from our own communities and what is needed," she said.
Goulden noted that municipal leaders recently travelled to Ottawa alongside Saskatchewan Government Relations Minister Eric Schmalz to highlight infrastructure, housing and public safety concerns across the province.
The federal budget also identifies support for the RCMP Heritage Centre, Regina's Globe Theatre and the NorthWest Regional Recreation, Event and Emergency Protection Complex in Beauval.
Goulden said those investments recognize Saskatchewan's contributions to Canada's history and culture while helping strengthen tourism and local economies.
She was particularly encouraged by the federal commitment to designate the RCMP Heritage Centre as a national museum.
"The Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg is the most western national museum that we have in the country, so there's a huge gap after that," Goulden said. "Having the RCMP Heritage Centre designated as a national museum would do so much to promote the RCMP across the world, but it would also bring focus to the many community museums we have around Saskatchewan."
Looking ahead, Goulden said SUMA's advocacy efforts will remain focused on three core areas: infrastructure, health care and community safety.
While the specific needs differ from one municipality to another, she said those priorities are consistently identified by SUMA's membership, which represents more than 440 urban municipalities across Saskatchewan.
"Those are the three needs that we hear clearly from them," Goulden said. "They may have different examples and nuances of what their needs are, but those are the three that we will continue bringing to our other orders of government."
