Cost of Doing Business

The cost of doing business in the region will vary considerably depending on the type and nature of the business as each business is influenced quite differently by different cost items.

General information on the province and this region indicates that business costs are favorable compared to other regions and provinces. Real estate and property costs hold a major advantage and recent changes in the provincial tax structures have had a positive impact on that cost item.

The information and links we have provided will help you to compare some cost items but you may need to contact a REDA office for further assistance.

Various sources of information provide some indicators of overall cost of doing business. But most of these sources only compare major cities and provinces.

A study done by KPMG consulting compares costs of doing business in major centres across Canada. Their study focuses primarily in industrial plants but some of the items will relate to any business.

http://www.competitivealternatives.com/results/locationmenu.asp

A provincial government site provides further general information on the cost of doing business in Saskatchewan.

http://www.ei.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=933a1dc6-15f3-408a-9fa8-4bafd30e96f4

Saskatchewan Business Environment

Commercial Real Estate

Comparing commercial and industrial properties needs to be done by individual business need. There is no standard that can be used for comparison of existing buildings as it is almost impossible to compare one building against the other.

Property should be searched through the real estate link at the top of this page. You should pay special attention in your search to the links to both commercial MLS and individual community listings for commercial and other properties.

If you do not find appropriate facilities for your needs, the REDA offices are prepared to assist you.

The KPMG cost of business study provides a good comparison for large industrial buildings in some of the larger communities. But it is difficult to apply these comparisons to west central Saskatchewan.

http://www.competitivealternatives.com/results/locationmenu.asp

Building overhead costs were examined in the western Saskatchewan region compared to eastern Alberta. Rates for utilities and community property tax rates were reviewed but differences were negligible and were more dependent on individual business needs. Also, many communities indicated a willingness to negotiate on these costs depending on the investment and employment generated by the business.

One factor impacting commercial and industrial property in Saskatchewan is the method used to calculate education taxes on property. Depending on the type of property this system can result in higher Saskatchewan property tax. This issue should be reviewed when obtaining estimates on building operating costs.