SaskatoonAt 25 per cent, the policing share of Saskatoon’s budget jumps to among the highest in Canada for larger cities and has now risen to the same neighbourhood as Winnipeg, which has historically spent about a quarter of its budget on police.Council passes police budget increase, but two councillors vote against itPhil Tank · CBC News · Posted: Nov 25, 2025 4:26 PM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Saskatoon police Chief Cam McBride speaks to reporters at city hall on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025 after council approved the 2026-27 police budget by a vote of 9-2. (Chanss Lagaden)Barring an unexpected spending spree elsewhere by city hall, the Saskatoon police budget will rise to a quarter of all city spending for the next two years.Council overwhelmingly approved increases of 8.62 per cent next year and 6.16 per cent in 2027 to a police budget that already represented the city’s single largest expenditure.At 25 per cent, the policing share of the budget jumps to among the highest in Canada for larger cities. It’s now in the same neighbourhood as Winnipeg, which has historically spent about a quarter of its budget on police.Total police spending will rise to $158 million next year and $167.8 million in 2027. By comparison, Regina is planning to spend $131 million on police next year, representing about 19 per cent of its budget.“There is nobody in my ward who will object to this increase,” said Coun. Robert Pearce, who was elected a year ago to represent Ward 3 on the city’s west side after a campaign focused on safety.Ward 5 Coun. Randy Donauer echoed this sentiment: “People are screaming for a safer city.”WATCH | From Nov. 19: City council debates property tax hike:Saskatoon city council debates property tax hikeSaskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block joined Saskatoon Morning to talk about the upcoming budget debate, the potential property tax hike and alternative ways the cities could raise money.But two rookie councillors, Kathryn MacDonald and Jasmin Parker, voted against the police budget.“I struggle with the investment we’re making in police at record-breaking rates and expecting something different in our community,” Parker said.Council is later expected to consider cutting community services that also help provide recreational opportunities and increase safety, Parker said. She added that she could not support the police budget without a value-for-money audit.Police Chief Cam McBride told reporters after the budget was approved that he would accept such an audit if council supported it. He also said he expects the budget to “ebb and flow” as a quarter of all city spending.City council usually approves the police budget with unanimous support. Council last voted down a police budget 10 years ago, when police were asked to reduce their request by four officers.Before any other spending is considered, based only on the approval of the police budget, property taxes will rise by at least 3.64 per cent next year and 2.14 per cent in 2027.McBride also told council much of the increase is driven by expenses that are out of police control, such as an arbitration award and case law that dictates how police must behave to avoid charges getting dropped.He also admitted that recruiting new officers is getting more difficult due to many factors, including social media, where police often take a ‘beating.’ In response to questions about 37 new officers funded by the province, he said 14 have been hired, with 10 more expected to be hired next year and another 13 in 2027.McBride said the province funds the bulk of those officers’ salaries, but the Saskatoon Police Service pays for training, equipment and the remainder of the salary costs.Nearly 50 new staffThe police budget seeks 49 new employees over the next two years.Board of police commissioners chair Shirley Greyeyes said calls to police have risen 20 per cent since 2020, the first year of the pandemic.Saskatoon police receive 325,000 calls per year, 900 calls per day and 400 911 calls per day, Greyeyes said.McBride told council police need more staff to keep up.“I can say that our community workload is probably unmanageable and our staff would say it is unmanageable,” he said.Later in budget talks, council will consider adding dedicated transit police. McBride acknowledged that, in light of recruitment challenges, police would “really, really struggle” to fill that role.Council also unanimously approved the library budget with increases of 4.9 per cent next year and 6.4 per cent in 2027 when the new central library is expected to open.Earlier Tuesday, which was the opening day of two-year budget talks, council heard from the bulk of 30 speakers. They touched on issues ranging from the need to lower greenhouse gas emissions to support for the city’s affordable housing plan.It was revealed Tuesday that the city’s point-in-time homeless count had identified 1,931 people, a significant jump from last year’s 1,499.Budget talks continue Wednesday. The proposed total tax increases sit at 7.43 per cent next year and 5.92 per cent in 2027.with files from Hannah Spray
Saskatoon police spending rises to one-quarter of city budget
