A Saskatoon city councillor has asked administration to take a closer look at property assessments in the Fairhaven neighbourhood.
Ward 3 Coun. Robert Pearce says property values in the area have dropped since a homeless shelter opened in the neighbourhood in 2022.
In a finance committee meeting on Wednesday, Pearce said homeowners are concerned “their assessment values are not reflective of their current reality.”
Pearce asked administration to look at “options for how property tax could be adjusted in this area.”
His motion passed unanimously.
Chief Financial Officer Clae Hack said there have been similar requests made in the past, but none have moved forward.
Hack said administration will review Fairhaven home sales data and compare it to property assessments to determine if they are indeed misaligned.
Hack said if action ends up being taken “it wouldn’t be through an adjustment to assessment.”
“It would likely be through establishing a grant program, and providing a grant to a particular neighbourhood or community based on an issue and an amount that council deemed reasonable,” Hack said during Wednesday’s meeting.
Administration agreed to report back by May 7.
The city released the 2025 property assessments in January — a key factor in determining property tax rates for the next four years.
The average single-family home in Saskatoon increased by 13 per cent.
Property owners can appeal their new assessment until March 28.
