News Releases

The City has plans for a new model of citizen service that will see a widespread shift in how it provides services and responds to citizen requests. The new model, called Service Saskatoon, will offer citizens more opportunities to access information, answers and services online while improving the over-the-phone and over-the-counter experience of those who choose to connect with the City.

“New technology has contributed to a change in how citizens want to ask questions, raise issues or request services from us,” says Catherine Gryba, General Manager, Corporate Performance. “Service Saskatoon will ensure quality and consistent service is provided to every citizen, every time, whether they choose to connect with us on the phone, in person or online,” Gryba says.

“We want to provide citizens with the information and answers they need – quickly, simply and seamlessly – using whichever channels they prefer.”

Gryba says the shift to the new model will require changes to many aspects of the City’s business operations, processes and current systems. The ultimate success of Service Saskatoon will be supported by four pillars: 

• Citizen Input
• Staffing
• Systems
• Standards

Each pillar will focus on different aspects to improve the overall service experience of citizens. 

The City’s transition to the new model is expected to take five years. The effort will be led by veteran administrator, Pat Hyde, who leaves his former role as Director of Public Works to become Director of Service Saskatoon. Hyde will oversee its development, implementation, and will work closely with City departments and divisions to implement the new service model across the organization.

“The technology centerpiece of our new model will be a new Customer Relationship Management system that will prioritize requests and give citizens ways to monitor our progress,” Hyde says. “The City is piloting its new approach to citizen service in responding to water and sewer issues.”

“Residents who request service for water outages, hydrant issues, water connections, sewer locates or sewer backups will receive a unique tracking number to monitor the City’s progress on the job until the issue has been resolved,” he says.

During the pilot, citizens will be limited to following up on the status of their service request by phoning the Public Works Customer Service Centre at 306-975-2476. The success of the pilot project will inform the development of the City’s organization-wide Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in the future where service status updates will be available online.

Ultimately what will drive the success of Service Saskatoon will be the input and feedback of citizens. It’s one of the new model’s key pillars. One way for citizens to get involved is to sign up for our Citizen Advisory Panel. The online panel is a simple and easy way to provide suggestions on a range of issues and initiatives. The City will draw on this Advisory Panel through the implementation of Service Saskatoon to guide and shape how services are designed in the future. Citizens who are interested in participating can register online at saskatoon.ca/citizen-advisory-panel. 

Gryba says the appointment of Pat Hyde is a good fit. 

“We’re thrilled that Pat has agreed to step into this pivotal role,” says Gryba. “Given the complexity and significance of this change, it will require the focused attention of an experienced leader who understands ‘service’ from both a citizen and City point of view.”

For more information on Service Saskatoon and for updates on various initiatives under each pillar please visit saskatoon.ca/service.

For more City of Saskatoon news, program information, Service Alerts, Traffic Detours, and links to our social media channels, please visit saskatoon.ca.

After 26 hours of operations crews are making great headway on the fire at Shercom Industries to the point of knocking down spot fires.

"This was and continues to be a very difficult fire," says Assistant Chief Dave Bykowy. "So far it's taken in excess of 140 fire, environmental, medical, police and provincial fire professionals working as a team to bring the flames to the point of spot fire extinguishment."

The current primary priority is to address a stubborn concealed fire located among the 80 barrels of polyurethane. One of the key fire attack priorities of firefighters is to keep the barrels intact which many appear to be.

"After completing our fourth operational period today and the fourth rotation of personnel this would be a significant environmental victory," Bykowy says.

Tactics are currently underway to cut access holes in the adjacent wall to attack the fire from the rear.

Additionally, the third building containing the offices and certain manufacturing processes has been saved. Crews entered the building to conduct their primary and secondary searches as well as the retrieval of key computer equipment critical to Shercom operations; the last of the computers planned to be retrieved in the morning.

"Fire was cut off just in time in this building with significant high level heat damage to the manufacturing plant," Bykowy says. "The offices sustained heavy smoke damage but otherwise are completely intact."

Crews will continue to expose and extinguish spot fires through the night and re-assess in the morning.

The smoke plume generated by this fire has decreased markedly as the bulk of the fire has been extinguished.

Crews continue to battle the fire at Shercom Industries in the North Corman Industrial Park. During the night the fire moved to the second building of the three building complex.

“Crews are working to hold the fire from further extension and are trying to save the third building which houses the main office of the business,” says Assistant Chief Dave Bykowy.

Later today, the Fire Department will be deploying several foam streams in a concerted effort to knock the fire out in the second building and protect the remaining office building.  “If the fire darkens down, a track hoe will be used to gain better access to the existing fire. This will provide firefighters access to the floor allowing them to focus their firefighting efforts on hot spots,” Bykowy says.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of the Environment is on scene and involved Envirotec to provide air quality monitoring through the night. The Ministry of Environment is conducting smoke plume modelling and particulate analysis to determine if the smoke presents a risk.

“Wind direction is forecast to be from the east northeast and to increase in intensity throughout the day,” Bykowy says. “Currently the wind is pushing the plume between the cities of Saskatoon and Martensville and is dispersing the concentration of the smoke. The risk remains minimal at this time.”

Earlier this morning the Incident Management Group met in the onsite mobile command post to re-evaluate and develop new strategies. This meeting included the Ministry of Environment and Provincial Emergency Management and Fire Safety.

The fire has destroyed buildings one and two. Our efforts are focused on getting the fire out and saving building three.

More details will follow as they are available.

The Saskatoon Fire Department, with the support of Warman Fire Rescue and the Martensville Fire Department, continue to battle a large fire at Shercom Industries north of Saskatoon in North Corman Park.

The fire originated in the east of three interconnected buildings.  It is used primarily as a warehouse for the storage of process materials, as well as a number of vehicles.  Fire Command believes the fire may have breached the separation wall and spread to the second building where a one day supply (approximately 20,000 lbs) of shredded rubber, 80 – 208-litre barrels of poly urethane and large quantities of finished products are housed.

Due to the nature of materials stored in the buildings, the toxicity of smoke is a serious concern.  Fortunately, the plume is travelling in a direction that does not impact any populated areas.  Saskatoon Fire will continue to monitor the situation through the night.

The Saskatoon Fire Department recognized that water conservation is extremely important in these types of incidents to minimize environmental impact; at this time all contaminated fire flow runoff is contained to the site.

Fires which are fueled by rubber are unusually difficult to extinguish, crews are prepared for a long duration incident.

The Saskatoon Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 7:02 pm in North Corman Park. Dispatchers recieved numerous calls of heavy smoke and flame coming from the building.

Three engine companies, two water tankers, and a brush truck responded to the scene within eight minutes. Initial crews found a structure fully involved with flame spreading to large piles of shredded tires. Firefighters on scene utilized foam application to assist with containment and extinguishment of the shredded tires.

After an initial size up, further apparatus were activated and dispatched to the scene. A Foam Truck, Rehabiltiation Unit, Command Vehicle, and extra support vehicles will assist with resource management. Warman Fire and Martensville Fire are working with the Saskatoon Fire Department to mitigate the incident.

The natural gas has been shuff off to the building and currently the fire is contained and has not spread to other buildings.

Media update will follow at 10:30 pm.

Spring is finally here, and with that, the City of Saskatoon’s winter road maintenance season is coming to a close. Crews worked 24/7 sanding, salting, grading, plowing and removing snow and ice from streets to keep drivers moving. Crews will continue to respond if a snow or ice event occurs in the coming weeks.

“With the favourable weather, we are now shifting our focus to the annual Sweeping and Pothole Repair Programs,” says Jeff Jorgenson, General Manager of Transportation & Utilities. “The Spring Sweeping Blitz is already underway and is designed to collect the bulk of the debris left behind over winter, which in turn increases efficiency and cost effectiveness of the City Wide Neighbourhood Sweeping program.”

The Blitz will also remove sand and debris from medians where snow was stored. Sweepers will go around parked vehicles during the Blitz program; parking enforcement will not be applied.

If weather cooperates, city- wide sweeping is expected to start May 1. During the city-wide program, parking enforcement will be applied in order to allow for a full curb-to-curb sweep. The now familiar bright yellow “No Parking” signs will be used to notify residents and visitors of sweeping dates for each neighbourhood.

“With more typical spring conditions, we want to get out there and clean things up as quickly as possible,” Jorgenson says. “Less sand and debris on city streets and improved methods of reporting and managing potholes are just a few of our priorities for 2016.”

The Spring Pothole Blitz begins April 11 when hot mix asphalt is available, with the focus on many of the same high-traffic streets as the Spring Street Sweeping Blitz.

Pothole repairs are prioritized based on their size, depth, location within the roadway (driving lane, curb lane, etc.), and the traffic volume on that street. Potholes that cause concern in the driving lanes of high traffic streets will be repaired first.

Residents are encouraged to report potholes with the Report-a-Pothole interactive map on our website, beginning Monday, April 4.

Report-a-Pothole interactive map

• There are now three classifications of potholes to select from: low, medium, and high priority. High Priority (red) potholes locations are repaired first, followed by Medium Priority (yellow) locations. For program and crew efficiency, Low Priority (grey) locations will be repaired following the neighbourhood street sweeping in May and June.
• A construction projects map layer shows if construction is happening or about to. Paving will occur after construction is completed. Pothole repairs will be coordinated and prioritized with other construction activities to maximize crew efficiency and cost savings. 
• The application requires contact information in order to report a location, which allows inspectors to contact residents directly to confirm details in order to locate and rate each pothole.

“While our focus shifts towards our spring street sweeping and pothole patching programs, we are always aware that the last snowfall typically occurs in April and has been known to happen as late as May,” says Jorgenson. “Crews will be ready for whatever Mother Nature brings our way.”

Winter road maintenance results:

• 12 snow falls, including 3 where more than more than 5 centimeters fell
• Removed 4,524 tandem truckloads of snow
• Applied 11,000 tonnes of sand, 5,500 tonnes of Caliber blend sand, 4,090 tonnes of Salt and 132 tonnes of Caliber pre wet liquid
• Used 305 tonnes of cold mix asphalt to temporarily repair potholes and utility cuts
• Repaired 311 total combined water and sewer issues

For more information about the City’s Snow & Ice programs visit saskatoon.ca/snow. Find street sweeping and pothole patching updates and schedules at saskatoon.ca/betterroads, and to report emergency pothole locations, please phone Public Works immediately at 306-975-2476.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

The final regulatory permits necessary to begin in-river construction of the North Commuter Parkway Bridge have now been received, and that work will begin today.

"This is really what we’ve been waiting for," says Dan Willems, Director of Major Projects. "Our contractor can now get into the river and start the foundation work for this vital piece of City infrastructure."

Graham Commuter Partners will work with the City over the next three years to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the North Commuter Parkway.

Regulatory permits were required from a number of organizations and agencies prior to the start of in-river construction for the Parkway bridge including: Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Transport Canada, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, and Meewasin Valley Authority.

The new Traffic Bridge is also part of Bridging to Tomorrow, and work on that project continues. A complete project update will be issued in the near future.

For more information about the Bridging to Tomorrow Project, including the new Traffic Bridge and the North Commuter Parkway, visit saskatoon.ca/bridging.

Note: At this time, the best view of the North Commuter Parkway project can be found via time lapse camera footage posted on grahamcommuterpartners.ca. A live webcam for this project is coming soon.

The City of Saskatoon and communities across Canada are celebrating Water Week, March 21-27, 2016; it’s a time to recognize the critical role water plays in our daily lives and how it contributes to the overall quality of life we enjoy in Saskatoon.

“This year we want to remind residents to be water wise and reduce their impact on the environment,” says Tim Bushman, Plant Manager at Saskatoon Water. “Our awareness campaign will encourage people to get involved and share what they learn with friends and family.”

Starting Monday, residents can submit their answer to the Water Week Question of the Day on the City’s Facebook page. Participants have a chance to win a $25 gift card for any City leisure activity. Questions will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about:

• processes we use to provide a clean and safe water supply,
• environmental protection through management of the wastewater & storm water collection systems,
• tips for properly disposing of waste which may cause system blockages.

The City maintains 1,074 kilometres of sanitary sewer pipes which collect and transport all of the waste water from your sink and tub drains, toilets and floor drains. When animal and vegetable fats, as well as oil used in cooking and preparing foods go down the drain, they can build-up along the walls of the pipes, creating obstructions that can cause sewer backups.

The issue compounds when obstructions such as grease build-up or tree roots exist, and other inorganic materials, such as cleaning wipes and sanitary products are flushed. Not only does it prevent proper flow in the sanitary sewer system, it can result in a messy and costly basement backup.

“When fats, oil, grease, and cleaning/sanitary products go down the drain, they clog pipes, create odours and can cause sewer backups,” says Bushman. “On average the City responds to approximately 100 sewer main blockages per year due to grease and over 3,500 home blockages which are due to roots, grease and wipes flushed down the line. Approximately 20% of that total is due to grease/personal hygiene and cleaning products.”

Residents can avoid blockages and sewage backups through proper disposal techniques:

• Wipe cooking oil, butter, sauces and salad dressing off cooking equipment with paper towels before washing;
• Scrape and toss any leftover solid food into a garbage container before washing the dishes or placing them in the dishwasher;
• Never put eggshells, coffee grounds, or kitty litter down the drain or toilet;
• Collect excess fats and oils in a sealed container and place in your Black Cart;
• Cleaning wipes/personal hygiene products should not be flushed down the toilet, but thrown out with your regular garbage (even ones advertised as flushable wipes); and
• Use recycling centres to dispose of motor oil and other hazardous materials.

Find more ways to Put Waste in the Right Place at saskatoon.ca/recycle

The storm water sewer runs alongside the sanitary sewer, collecting rain and snow melt water that drain into the catch basins on the street to prevent flooding. These pipes lead directly to the South Saskatchewan River. It is important that other chemicals and waste do not enter our storm water sewer system, as it can harm fish and wildlife, as well as reduce water quality for human use. The City is partnering with Meewasin this spring to educate students about the storm water system and will be sponsoring a community-based awareness program called Yellow Fish Road. Groups are encouraged to sign up for kits to paint yellow fish beside catch basins and distribute information to their neighbours.

“A clean and safe water supply and environmental protection are top priorities for the City of Saskatoon, as we know they are too for our citizens,” says Bushman. “Our staff works hard and takes pride in these services and are committed to ensuring all precautions are taken to keep our citizens safe when work or construction is occurring on the water, wastewater and storm sewer systems.”

Like Saskatoon City News on Facebook for our daily contest where there are lots of cool prizes! Check out saskatoon.ca/waterweek for tips and information and take a video tour of the City’s Waste Water Treatment Plant and Water Treatment Plant.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit saskatoon.ca or connect with the City on Twitter and Facebook.

Following the February 10, 2014 direction of Saskatoon City Council, the City Solicitor has drafted an anti-bullying bylaw.  A report will be presented at Council’s regular business meeting Monday, March 21.

“The intent of the Bylaw is to recognize the role of all levels of government and community agencies in combatting bullying and in creating a positive environment,” says City Solicitor Patricia Warwick.  “To that end, one of the Bylaw’s purposes is to complement the education, prevention and awareness initiatives administered through the school system.”

The City consulted interested stakeholders in advance of submitting the Bylaw for consideration. 

The main elements of the Bylaw include:

*A definition of bullying which means: any unprovoked, repeated and inappropriate comment or conduct by a person which causes, which is intended to cause or which the person ought reasonably to know will cause harm, fear or physical or psychological distress to another person, including:
 -taunting, tormenting, name calling, ridiculing, insulting, mocking and directing slurs towards another person;
 -kicking, pushing, hair pulling or pinching another person; and
 -shunning, ostracizing, excluding another person and gossiping or rumour mongering about another person;

*Prohibitions against bullying in a public place and aiding, abetting or encouraging the bullying of another person;

*Recognition of the Chief of Police as the authority responsible for enforcement;

*The requirement that a parent or guardian appear in court with a young person (defined as between the ages of 12 and 18 years) charged under the Bylaw;

*The ability to participate in mediation to deal with charges as an alternative to the court process; and

*A definition of “public place” that includes any place to which the public has access as of right or by express or implied invitation. One draft includes schools and school sites in its definition. The other specifically excludes these places except outside of school hours.

If approved, the proposed effective date of the Bylaw is September 1, 2016, which will permit implementation of an awareness campaign and provide time for an appropriate mediation program to be developed to handle the diversion of matters from the court process.

The Circle Drive cloverleaf overpass will need weeks of repairs following a collision yesterday morning.

“A preliminary analysis estimates damage to the overpass at $ 0.5 million to $1.0 million.” says Rob Frank, Engineering Manager for Asset Preservation.

Just before 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 16, a semi-truck hauling a cultivator collided with the Circle Drive/Highway 11 & 16 cloverleaf in the city’s south end.  The farm equipment struck several girder lines underneath both sets of the Circle Drive/Highway 16 lanes overhead.

Portions of the overpass were refurbished this past summer.  Damage to the structure means repairs will be necessary in the late spring and summer months. While lane closures and traffic restrictions will be necessary at that time, all the cloverleaf traffic lanes are currently open. Engineers have inspected the structure and are confident it is safe to drive overtop and underneath.  

 “While an incident like this is covered by insurance without a cost hit on taxpayers, there is a social cost in terms of traffic restrictions that will have to happen,” Frank says.

The impact exposed rebar and loosened concrete over a northbound lane of highway 11/Circle Drive; the outside or curb lane had to be closed until work crews knocked-down loose concrete and cleaned up the debris.

The repair work is expected to be tendered in the coming weeks.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.