Correction: This article previously stated Rob Norris said the relationship between city hall and the business community was frayed. Norris was referring to the relationship between the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Coop group and city hall. He attributed the statement to people to whom he had spoken.
This article has also been updated to include comments from Zubair Sheikh and the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market Cooperative.
Saskatoon mayoral candidate Rob Norris is promising to cut some fees for small businesses, if elected during the city’s next civic election, to improve the relationship between city hall and local business owners.
At his first platform announcement, made downtown at Isinger Park, the former Sask Party cabinet minister said he would make the “gestures” to “help reflect and reinforce the importance of small- and medium-sized businesses and all the people they employ.”
Norris said he would lower the licence renewal fee for small and home-based businesses from $85 per year to $50 per year.
He also said he would reduce what food truck owners must pay in parking fees.
Truck owners currently pay $720 for three months when parking at metered parking stalls and $240 for each additional month after that. Norris said owners should only pay a flat rate of $720.
He estimated the lost income would create a gap of $200,000 or $300,000 in the city budget.
He says he’ll make it up by postponing the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system initiative.
“Ridership is down. I think we need to press pause on that pilot (project) and think about the best way to ensure that our community can thrive,” he said.
Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce Interim CEO Silvia Martini said the business community recognized the gesture and that every dollar helps during the pandemic.
She also told Global News the relationship business owners had with city hall was “collaborative.”
She said owners communicate with city leadership through their respective business improvement district (BID) organizations and groups like the North Saskatoon Business Association.
And she said the BRT should not be postponed.
“Our position is that we are hesitant to stall proposals that will hinder future capacity growth, for our infrastructure growth in Saskatoon,” she said, speaking over the phone.
The BRT plan has moved ahead during Charlie Clark’s time as mayor with his support.
Clark hasn’t started campaigning yet or announced his platform.
According to fellow candidate Cary Tarasoff’s platform website, he believes the BRT plan needs more work.
Zubair Sheikh, via text, said he supports the project “as long as we make sure the other commuters on different routes are not neglected.”
During his press conference, Norris also said he would designate Aug. 18 “Saskatoon Day” to mark the city’s founding in the 1880s, saying it would be a good occasional to celebrate reconciliation.
As well, he vowed to work to return a farmers’ market to the River Landing location, but he did not say how his proposal differed from the city’s current initiative.
City council voted not to renew the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Cooperative’s lease at the downtown location last year because councillors wanted a group who can use the site more than three days a week.
The Community Farmers’ Market of Saskatoon, a different group, has started selling their wares at the Market Square in River Landing.
The city postponed the search for a new group to use the building while the roof is repaired.
Norris said the city’s relationship with the Cooperative group had to be repaired – with which group president Adi Ramachandran agreed.
He said he no longer trusts the city after the coop and the council failed to reach an agreement to keep the farmers’ market in the downtown location.
He said the city’s requirement for the farmers to provide activity six days a week was not feasible.
He added the coop is open to returning to River Landing, albeit in a limited capacity with a small satellite market.