Saskatoon mayoral hopefuls outline business plans

The Saskatoon civic election is drawing closer, with mayoral candidates outlining their visions to keep the city competitive and attract businesses.

Cynthia Block released a platform on Wednesday aimed at streamlining the regulatory process by connecting aspiring business owners to regulators. She also highlighted the importance of infrastructure and amenities to attract businesses and proposed creating a small business tax class.

"My vision for a thriving Saskatoon means working with partners and ensuring everyone has a share in our success," Block said.

Candidate Gord Wyant, emphasized the need to conduct efficiency audits across City Hall’s departments to tackle regulatory inefficiencies. Wyant also voiced his support for a small business tax class.

"We want to see a small business tax rate, of course, we’ve supported the chamber and pledge, we've signed onto the chamber and pledge which calls for a small business tax rate. That’s very, very important," Wyant said.

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Don Atchison’s campaign focused on making Saskatoon "the most business-friendly community in Canada," and making Saskatoon commit to this goal through city council. He hopes to cutting through bureaucratic red tape and enhancing safety and security in the city to attract business.

"We have to get back and vote on saying that we're going to be the most business-friendly community in Canada, and that means being friendly to business," Atchison said.

Cary Tarasoff, who introduced a similar plan to Block last month, has long advocated for clearing regulatory hurdles. He emphasized fiscal responsibility but remained cautious about sacrificing quality and safety in the process.

"They want to see things actually work the way they're supposed to. They're getting tired of the bureaucracy and the paper chase," Tarasoff said, referring to his earlier proposal for a city expeditor.

As the Nov. 13 election approaches, the candidates share common ground in supporting small businesses and accelerating the process of starting a business, but each offers a unique approach to achieving these goals.