Councillor ‘struggling’ with report on bill for consultants

Spending amount lower in 2016 after definition changed

A Saskatoon city councillor remains unsatisfied by a city report suggesting the way city hall reports on its use of outside consultants is consistent with other municipalities.

Coun. Bev Dubois had asked to hear back on the city’s approach to reporting its spending on consultants after it drastically altered its definition of a consultant.

Dubois said Tuesday that residents expressed concern to her about the city’s spending on consultants during the 2016 election.

“I heard about this during the campaign all the time,” she said. “I do want to know what we’re using consultants for. Quite frankly, I’m struggling with this.”

The report describes how The StarPhoenix asked in 2016 for the total amount spent on consultants in 2015 and received a total figure of $18.6 million in reply. That amount provoked considerable reaction from councillors and the public.

When The StarPhoenix made the same request for the 2016 number earlier this year, specifying that the same criteria be used, the city administration released information in July with a much narrower definition of a consultant. The spending amount was consequently much lower — $1.9 million.

Kerry Tarasoff, the city’s chief financial officer, said there is no requirement for the administration to report on spending on consultants. Tarasoff noted city reports now include justification for the hiring of a consultant whenever it happens.

The report notes that of six other municipalities in Canada surveyed by city staff, only Winnipeg reports annually on its spending on consultants. Winnipeg only reports on consultants as part of its operating budget, not its capital budget, the report says.

City hall staff also contacted Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Surrey, B.C., and Brantford, Ont.

“Due to the fact that other municipalities are not required to report out on consultant usage, most did not have a formal definition readily available,” the report says.

The city’s annual public accounts document includes all payments by the city of more than $50,000, but does not break the recipients down as contractors or consultants.

The report was presented Tuesday to city council’s finance committee, which voted to send it to council.