As Saskatoon city council winds up its budget deliberations for the coming year and Regina is set to begin a similar exercise, the voice of business has been an important factor in the debates surrounding revenue and expenditures.
This is especially true in Saskatoon which is somewhat unique in the way the business community expresses itself.
Outfits like Chambers of Commerce are supposed to be champions of free enterprise and competition but few cities do it as well Saskatoon where there are competitive business groups and both are outspoken.
Along with those expressed by the Greater Saskatoon Chamber, business views are also advanced by NSBA, an organization borne of something of a protest when north-enders in the Bridge City felt the Chamber was too quiet, often viewed as aligned with the civic administration. It grew rapidly and become a stalwart of the business scene with a voice often louder than the older Board of Trade.
Not only does the business community fare better with louder voices vying for memberships, citizens at large benefit from the competition to push politicians to make better decisions.
