On the first day of budget talks, Saskatoon’s city council approved the police force’s budget for the next two years, approving an increase of $12 million for next year.

The Saskatoon Police Services’ (SPS) budget will rise by 8.6 per cent next year and an additional 6.2 per cent in 2027.

During budget talks Tuesday, Chief Cam McBride said the budget increase can be owed to an arbitration award and to support 20 new full-time equivalent positions next year in response to a surge in service call volumes, cybersecurity risks and support providing positions.

Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker was one of two councillors who opposed the police budget, telling Global News after it passed that she could not justify the cost increase when it would mean other areas of the budget, such as social serv

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