Over the next few days, hundreds of representatives from 442 municipalities across the province will take part in the 112th annual Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention.
This year, attendees will learn about shaping urban Saskatchewan through discussions on managing assets, infrastructure, climate change and even information security.
READ MORE: PCL starts preliminary work on 2 new Saskatoon interchanges
According to SUMA CEO Laurent Mougeot, the convention directly affects 77 per cent of people in the province and what’s learned can be implemented at home.
“Everyday municipalities are connected directly with the residents in the municipalities,” Mougeot said at Saskatoon’s TCU Place on Sunday.
“We take it for granted until there’s a boil water advisory or the water plant doesn’t run anymore or there’s a ration on water systems, so that’s only one type of service and you could see how much we rely on that every day.”
READ MORE: Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan on track for 2019 completion
Mougeot said this year’s convention is unique because of multiple recent municipal elections, 30 per cent of the delegates are newly elected officials.
This is also an election year for SUMA.
A new president will be voted in before the end of the convention on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Saskatoon city Coun. Darren Hill is running against former Saskatchewan Lt.-Gov. Gordon Barnhart.