The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) is after the provincial government about a percentage of funds from the cannabis excise tax.

SUMA sent out a media release saying that hometowns deserve their share of the tax. As per an agreement with the federal government, the province of Saskatchewan will be receiving 75 per cent of the cannabis excise tax, but over six months after legalization the province has yet to pass a portion of that to the municipalities.

Moose Jaw mayor Fraser Tolmie said the federal government did promise that communities would get a percentage of the excise tax.

“The federal government has promised we would get 25 per cent of that, and so we’re obviously waiting to see what the next steps are,” he said. “I think it’s something that would reduce our policing costs and help us in the future.”

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities estimates enforcement costs at $9.50 per resident.

“We look forward to receiving that,” Tolmie said. “I think some of the arguments from the province have been concerning costs, but that’s not the promise that the federal government has made.”

In the release, SUMA said the province does have costs associated with the legalization of cannabis, but also that they charge six per cent provincial sales tax on every gram sold, have retail application fees, and have downloaded enforcement costs on municipalities.

“I think this is something that we’re going to obviously have to speak with the province over the coming months,” said Tolmie. “And I guess it will be ongoing conversations.”

Tolmie said he's been quite pleased to speak with the province and that they've been very open.

SUMA said it's time for the province to honour their commitment to work with municipalities and share the cannabis excise tax with Saskatchewan's hometowns. The say that local governments are the order of government closest to people's daily lives.