SPC Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services Decisions in Brief
From the January 10, 2017 Meeting
Decision
*The Committee forwarded the report to City Council for information.
Background
*On June 22, 2015, City Council directed the Administration to identify responses and financial implications of the TRC Calls to Action and declared July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 the Year of Reconciliation. The Administration was directed to work with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC), and other community groups, leaders, and institutions in Saskatchewan to promote reconciliation.
*The City has made significant progress in 2016 on initiatives that respond to the TRC “Calls to Action”. The Conference Board of Canada’s 2016 report on reconciliation highlighted the City of Saskatoon's municipal leadership in declaring the Year of Reconciliation and its response to the Calls to Action.
*In 2016, 445 senior City employees attended a Leadership Forum with an Aboriginal Awareness focus, making personal commitments to reconciliation. Approximately 1,000 City and Saskatoon Police Service employees participated in Aboriginal cultural awareness training.
*The City will continue to work collaboratively with the TRC Committee and community partners to implement the Calls to Action in 2017.
8.2.4 Saskatoon Winter City Strategy
Decision
*The Committee forwarded the report to City Council for information.
Background
*At its March 8, 2016, meeting, the Administration provided City Council with information on the movement toward “winter cities”; potential elements of a Saskatoon winter strategy; a possible timeline for strategy-development; and plans for an initial stakeholder event.
*On November 30, 2016, City Council approved a proposed plan and budget for broader, inclusive public engagement and related steps necessary to develop the Community Winter City Strategy for Saskatoon.
*A Winter City Strategy is an intentional effort by the City and community stakeholders to celebrate what makes Saskatoon unique as a four season place that is inviting, vibrant and prosperous, even in the coldest months of the year. Facilitated through City leadership and engaging the interest and efforts of the entire community, a Winter City Strategy will articulate the changes necessary to help residents, businesses and visitors ‘embrace’ winter with as much enthusiasm as they have for the summer season.
*The City is committing some existing operating resources (including staff time) to facilitate the development of the Strategy. The City will host a webpage that may act as a resource hub for the community with a focus on winter, including: a. identifying existing assets; b. describing the potential economic and quality of life benefits achievable through the strategy; and c. providing opportunities to collect a ‘blizzard’ of ideas on ways in which Saskatoon can be made more inviting for all during the winter season.
*Capital funds approved in the 2017 Budget will support the development of the Strategy. Details on the use of these funds to support community engagement and ‘quick win’ actions are provided in this report.
8.2.5 WWT – Lift Station Upgrades – Lorne Avenue Sanitary Sewer Odour Remediation Strategy – Award of Engineering Services
Decision
*The Committee will submit a report to City Council recommending the proposal submitted by Stantec Consulting Ltd. for engineering services for the Lorne Avenue Sanitary Sewer Odour Remediation Strategy, for a total upset fee of $163,288.65 (including GST), be accepted.
Background
*Odour emissions can be an unwelcome by-product of wastewater treatment and collection systems. Due to the combination of organic waste material and bacteria in the sewer, generation of odours are common, especially in large collection systems with extended detention times.
*Residents located along Lorne Avenue and Saskatchewan Crescent are able to detect nuisance odours associated with the nearby sanitary sewer collection system.
*Some improvements to the Lorne Avenue sanitary sewer collection system have already been made.
*Saskatoon Water issued an RFP to conduct a hydraulic and air management study to gain a greater understanding of the air and sewer dynamics to determine the cause of odour emissions and to develop cost-effective odour control solutions. The proposal submitted by Stantec was determined to be the most favourable to the City.