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Saskatoon Slips in National Rankings as High Development Fees Challenge Housing Affordability

SASKATOON, SK (Mar 4, 2025) – The 2024 CHBA Municipal Benchmarking Study, released today by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA), reveals that Saskatoon has dropped out of the top ten in national rankings that assess municipal performance in housing development processes, fees, and approval timelines. While Saskatoon continues to lead the country with the fastest development approval timelines, the city ranks among the highest in municipal fees for low-rise development, adding to the affordability challenges facing new homebuyers.

The Municipal Benchmarking Study evaluates 23 municipalities across Canada based on planning features, approval timelines, and government-imposed charges on new development. Saskatoon ranked 11th overall, dropping from 7th place in 2022, largely due to the increasing costs associated with municipal fees.

“Saskatoon continues to set the national standard for approval timelines, ensuring new housing can move from planning to construction quickly,” said Nicole Burgess, CEO of the Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association (SRHBA). “However, high municipal fees remain a significant challenge, making it harder for new homes to remain affordable. This study reinforces the need for municipal decision-makers to take a closer look at how these costs impact housing affordability for families in our city.”

Key Findings for Saskatoon:

• Fastest approval timelines in Canada – The city ranked #1 in the country with an average development approval timeline of just two months, significantly ahead of most other major markets.
• High municipal fees on new development – Saskatoon has the highest municipal charges for low-rise homes among Prairie cities, with an average cost of $112,200 per unit.
• Application process challenges – While approvals are fast, Saskatoon scored low in application preparation features, indicating that developers face challenges navigating the initial stages of the process.

The study highlights the direct impact municipal charges and policies have on housing affordability, noting that increased costs add pressure to home prices at a time when affordability is already a growing concern across Canada.

“Housing affordability is a shared responsibility across all levels of government,” added Burgess. “Saskatoon has made great strides in improving zoning and approvals, but municipal charges continue to drive up the cost of housing. If we want to keep homeownership within reach for more people, we need to ensure these costs are balanced and support affordability.”

With the City of Saskatoon currently engaged in several major policy reviews, including the Development Levies Review Process and the Wetlands & Natural Areas Policy, the SRHBA is calling for meaningful consultation to ensure these processes do not further impact affordability.

The full CHBA Municipal Benchmarking Study is available here.