Who is SAMA
SAMA is an independent agency with responsibility to:
- the Province of Saskatchewan;
- local governments (municipalities); and
- property owners.
Provincial legislation mandates SAMA to:
- develop and maintain the province’s assessment policies, standards and procedures;
- audit assessments, and review and confirm municipal assessment rolls; and
- provide property valuation services to local governments (municipalities).
We are partly funded:
- by the provincial government for our core service of developing assessment policy, auditing municipal assessments and confirming assessment rolls; and
- through "requisitions" that municipalities pay for SAMA field services.
Here’s what we do, in a nutshell:
- SAMA provides reliable, up-to-date property assessment valuations – the pillar upon which governments set tax policy and property tax rates.
For this reason, SAMA focuses on providing objective, accurate, understandable information to all stakeholders.
SAMA strives for a quality assessement system that is:
- accurate and up-to-date
- based on professional standards
- defensible
- understandable
- universal
- cost-effective and easily administered
- equitable, and
- fair for all property owners.
It’s important to note what SAMA doesn’t do, because there is often confusion:
- SAMA doesn’t make tax policy, and
- doesn’t set mill rates.
Looking for Legislation pertaining to SAMA and assessment?
Legislation pertaining to SAMA, including The Assessment Management Agency Act, The Cities Act, The Municipalities Act, and The Northern Municipalities Act, can be found online at the Government of Saskatchewan Queen's Printer web site.
