News Releases

September 6, 2016 Meeting

6.1.1 Snow & Ice Management Program, Value for Money Report, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Decision

*The Committee receive the report as information.

Background

*The value for money engagement was conducted to determine whether program management is achieving economically, efficiently, and effectively in the manner in which they are operating.
*The report found the Snow & Ice Management Program of the City of Saskatoon is evolving and its ability to better track program data on a continual basis is improving.
*As a result of performing this value for money engagement of the Snow & Ice Management Program, PricewaterhouseCoopers concluded the program in place is effective in achieving the objectives set by management and the program is achieving economy and efficiency.

September 13, 2016 Meeting

10.1 2017 Business Plan and Budget Process

Decision

The Governance and Priorities Committee resolved:

*That the resolution of the Governance and Priorities Committee of April 18, 2016 endorsing the proposed process for the 2017 Business Plan and Budget, be rescinded.
*That Phase 4 outlined in Attachment 1 of the report of the City Manager dated April 18, 2016 be amended and endorsed to reflect that the Administration will table the proposed 2017 Business Plan and Budget at a special meeting of the Governance and Priorities Committee to be held on Monday, November 7, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
*That a special meeting of the Governance and Priorities Committee be held on Monday, September 19, 2016 at 12 noon to receive an update report from the Administration on the 2017 Business Plan and Budget.

Additional Information

*Councillor Charlie Clark moved for the release of the proposed budget prior to the 2017 Municipal Elections.
*City Council voted unanimously in April 2016 to endorse the 2017 Budget Plan put forward by Administration to release the preliminary budget at the Governance and Priorities Committee on November 21, 2016.

With only about a week of actual summer left, City and contractor crews are working around the clock to complete the ambitious list of construction projects on Saskatoon’s roads.

“The City’s top priority is to improve the overall condition of the road network and we continue to look for ways to rehabilitate as many roads as possible, with the least impact to drivers,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “By strategically packaging projects and leveraging on advances in technology, we are getting better pricing, completing more work and achieving more work hours in a season.”

Night work is a major contributor to the progress because it allows large projects to be completed with minimal disruption to commuters. About 45 of the 233 lane kilometers planned for this construction season have been done at night – that’s about the distance from City Hall to Delisle.

Night work typically occurs between 8:00 pm and 6:00 am on high-traffic roads where noise doesn’t interrupt residential areas, primarily in warmer months if water trucks, paving and concrete products are required. There are exceptions for some water and sewer projects, street sweeping and snow operations that can pass through residential areas quickly and quietly during overnight hours. 

So far this summer, the following projects have been completed overnight:

• Paving on 8th Street between Preston Avenue & Arlington Avenue
• Paving on Circle Drive overpass & ramps at Idylwyld Drive
• Paving on College Drive at Preston Avenue  
• Washing and sealing on all bridges and overpasses
• Painting crosswalk and lane markings  on high volume roadways
• Repairing guardrail and chain link fencing
• Street sweeping on high-traffic streets and Business Improvement Districts

Ongoing projects include:

• Paving on College Drive pedestrian overpass
• Paving on Faithful Avenue between Circle Drive & 50th Street

Year-round night work programs include:

• Emergency road maintenance
• Pothole repairs and utility cut maintenance
• Debris pickup
• Drainage on roads and at catch basins
• Median cleaning  
• Snow grading, removal and storage
• Ice management

“We will continue to look for opportunities to perform work on the road at night as long as we can do it safely,” says Gardiner. “It is imperative that drivers remain focused, pay attention to their surroundings and expect to see work zone signs at any time of day or night.”

As always, drivers are reminded to slow down, pay attention and obey signage around work zones at all times. For more information, please visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads. 

Video of recent night work is available here: Night Construction Work

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Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information and subscribe to Traffic Detour Service Alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert.

The City is pleased that after it reached out to the Transit union leadership last week, both parties met on Friday, September 9 for most of the day. 

“We are hopeful this meeting and the meeting scheduled next week will lead to progress towards an agreement,” says Director of Human Resources, Marno McInnes.

However, there have been, and continue to be, allegations that the true financial picture of the pension plan has not been accurately portrayed. 

Here are some facts about the pension:

• The City of Saskatoon has no role in preparing or approving the financial picture of the pension plan.
• Both provincial and federal governments require that an assessment of the financial health of the Plan be conducted at least every three years. The last such pension valuation prepared for the City’s General Pension Plan was December 31, 2009 so the next valuation had to be prepared for December 31, 2012 and then filed with provincial authorities.
• Prior to changes being made, the Pension Plan Board of Trustees own independent pension expert reviewed the financial health and sustainability of the plan and found that it had a large deficit that would need to be addressed.
• The provincial regulator reviewed this result and approved the assessment and accepted the plan changes. 
• 8 of the City’s unions and associations understood and did not disagree on the state of the plan and, together with the City, took the necessary action to address this large deficit.
• Only the Transit union has made allegations that the City has somehow mislead everyone.

Here are some facts about wages:

Our wage offer of 10% over four years is fair. The City believes this is competitive to what is paid elsewhere for a full time Transit operator. For example, the following information shows what a Transit operator is being offered in 2016 in Saskatoon compared to what a Transit operator is being paid in Regina and Winnipeg: 

If the Transit union accepts our offer it means:

• All Transit employees, including Transit operators, would see an increase of 10% on their current wage today.
• All employees working at Access Transit would see an increase of 10% plus receive an additional $1.00 per hour increase -- resulting in a total increase of approximately 15% on their current wage today.
• The pension deal would be the same for all our employees in the General Pension Plan. 

“The City is committed to negotiating an agreement that meets the best interests of taxpayers, transit employees and customers of Saskatoon Transit,” McInnes says.

Night work on the 50-year-old College Drive pedestrian overpass will start on Monday, September 12. The City has contracted Graham Construction to conduct minor concrete repairs and repair the expansion joints, which will allow for overpass expansion and contraction.

“The repairs are expected to take four to five weeks,” says Rob Frank, Engineering Manager, Asset Preservation. “To accommodate pedestrians going to and from the University of Saskatchewan campus, work will only take place at night, meaning the pedestrian overpass will remain open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days per week.”

The westbound curb lane of College Drive in the vicinity of the pedestrian overpass will remain closed for the duration of construction.

“This lane will remain completely closed to traffic as shoring towers must be placed there to support the overpass while work is being done. Major traffic issues are not expected,” Frank says.  

Concrete and expansion joint repairs on the College Drive pedestrian overpass were identified during annual Bridge Maintenance Program inspections. The University of Saskatchewan has been notified and signage will be placed at the entrances of the overpass directing pedestrians to cross College Drive at the Cumberland Avenue and Campus Drive intersections between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

The City thanks pedestrians and drivers for their patience while this necessary work is carried out. Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

At its September 7, 2016 meeting, the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (MHAC) resolved to indicate their support to City Council for the City Administration to begin the process of designating Third Avenue United Church a Municipal Heritage Property.

“The Westside Methodist Congregation began construction of its church in 1911,” says Lesley Anderson, Director of Planning and Development.  “The church represents a legacy of buildings in Saskatoon that reflect the aspirations of the city’s early citizens and it played a central role in Canada’s cultural, social and political life.”

The church played host to an influential gathering in 1923, which laid the foundation for the eventual formation of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool; the University of Saskatchewan, the Normal School and City Hospital held graduation ceremonies there.  In its early years during the 1920’s, CFQC radio broadcast concerts offering the entire community and rural Saskatchewan the opportunity to experience music performances like never before.

“With its many community uses over the years, Third Avenue United Church has remained a landmark in the city and, in many ways, is a symbol of Saskatoon’s development,” Anderson says.

Favourable heritage evaluations were conducted by civic staff in both 2003 and 2013.

The MHAC asked for any heritage designation to include the exterior and interior elements, such as the hammer-beam rafters, Cassavant organ and acoustic functionality of the structure.

“While the property owner isn’t pursuing a designation of the church at this time, the building has and does face changes in ownership,” Anderson says.  “This reality poses a potential risk to its character-defining elements, its future use and viability.”

The Heritage Property Act does not require the property owner’s permission to file either the Notice of Intention to Designate or for City Council to pass the bylaw to designate the property.

The Civic Heritage Policy provides grants for 50% of the restoration costs related to heritage architectural elements to meet building code requirements, up to a maximum of $150,000 over a ten-year period.

With the approval of City Council, the City Solicitor will be asked to bring forward a bylaw to designate the property at 304 3rd Avenue North as a Municipal Heritage Property under the provisions of The Heritage Property Act. 

Improvements to the intersection at 51st Street and Warman Road will be rescheduled for 2017. Over the next several months, the City will work with the contractor to explore every opportunity to reduce the impact to drivers during construction.

“As final construction phasing details came together, we identified opportunities to further improve the traffic flow at peak hours,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “This is one of the city’s busiest intersections and managing traffic flow carefully during construction is critical to maintaining safety and reducing delays.”

The City considers the impact to traffic for every construction project and works with contractors where possible to condense projects with 24-hour or 7-days per week work, or working at night.

The intersection of 51st Street and Warman Road will be impacted by the North Commuter Parkway route scheduled to open in 2018.

Learn more about ongoing construction projects at saskatoon.ca/betterroads.

Police arrested a man on suspicion of impaired driving following a collision with a City crew truck overnight.

“We do work on high traffic roads overnight to minimize the inconvenience to drivers during daytime hours,” says Director of Transportation, Angela Gardiner. “But even with warning lights in use as they were here, this incident further highlights the dangers our workers face every day on the job.” 

City workers were painting crosswalks along College Drive when it happened around 2:30 a.m. Friday near Munroe Avenue.

One worker had just stepped out of the truck to set up the next work zone when he heard a loud vehicle approaching. Luckily, he managed to jump to the side when a large pickup collided with the City half-ton. The crash pushed the City truck ahead another 10 meters.

Additionally, the second City worker in the driver’s seat hit his head on the steering wheel from the impact. Emergency workers treated and released him on scene.

“While the injuries in this case appear to be minor, just a few more seconds later these men would have been behind the truck,” Gardiner says. “It certainly could have had a tragic effect on these men and their families. We are so thankful no further harm came to them.”

The City will pursue opportunities to improve the safety of these work zone set-ups. Drivers are reminded to obey all signs and Respect Work Zones for their safety and the safety of workers.

For more on work zone safety, please visit saskatoon.ca/respectworkzones

Over the coming months pedestrians and drivers will see – and hear – a lot more about pedestrian safety as the City launches its pedestrian safety campaign – “Roads for All.”

“This campaign reminds us we all share our roads, and we all play a part in roadway safety, it’s everyone’s responsibility. If you’re walking, driving or biking, you need to remember the rules of the road – and understand there may be a few rules you don’t know,” says Gardiner.

A key goal of this year’s pedestrian safety campaign is to educate pedestrians and drivers about roadway misconceptions.

One of the most common roadway misconceptions includes the idea that if it’s not marked, it’s not a crosswalk. Crosswalks can be anything from an extension of a sidewalk all the way up to a crossing with fully painted markings on the road and safety lights. Drivers need to remember they must always yield for pedestrians the moment the person steps off the sidewalk.

Other important messages Roads for All highlights for drivers and pedestrians include:

Pedestrians:

• stay on the sidewalk; cross at designated crosswalks;
• “look before you leap” - before crossing the street it is important to look left, then right and then left again;
• put down your phone - just like drivers, pedestrians are often distracted by technology;
• keep children close; always proceed with caution;
• don’t jaywalk - although drivers may have the right of way over jaywalkers, in the event of a collision, no one wins.

Drivers:

• yield to pedestrians at crosswalks;
• pay attention to other drivers;
• leave room for other motorists to see pedestrians;
• take extra care in school zones and playgrounds;
• always obey all pedestrian signs and lights;
• anticipate someone crossing the street and slow down;
• decrease speed by a few kilometres per hour giving more time to stop.

Drivers are reminded that reduced speed limits in elementary and secondary school zones are now in effect. The maximum speed limit in a school zone is 30 kilometres per hour (km/h) between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, until the end of the school year (June 30). No exceptions are made for statutory holidays or school breaks.

“Twelve extra seconds is all the time it takes to drive through the average school zone at the reduced speed of 30 km/h,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “There is a huge amount of activity going on in these schools zones – especially during peak periods. Those extra few seconds gives drivers more time to react and brake in an emergency situation – like when a child jumps out of a car or runs into the street unexpectedly.”

Aside from reduced speed limits in school zones other safety measures include:

• U-turns are prohibited
• parking is allowed only in designated areas
• stopping or parking is never permitted in a school bus loading zone

“The Saskatoon Police Service conducts a number of enforcement projects throughout the school year to increase the level of safety for pedestrians in school zones,” says Dale Solie, Inspector of Specialized Uniform Operations. “In addition to routine enforcement, we support a number of initiatives like Silhouettes for Safety and A Safer You, A Safer Me, which help to bring more awareness to reducing speeds.”

For more information please visit saskatoon.ca/pedestriansafety.

Today, the City and Wanuskewin Heritage Park (Wanuskewin) entered into an agreement to lease a tract of public land for $1 per year for 99 years.  The agreement is in support of Wanuskewin’s renewal campaign.

Part of Wanuskewin’s vision for renewal is to become the first United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site in Saskatchewan.

“Wanuskewin links our past to the present,” says Mayor Donald Atchison.  “Today, we are planning for the future of the Saskatoon region, which includes aligning the City’s cultural strategy with innovative approaches like the Wanuskewin UNESCO project.  We must protect this unique part of history and promote our cultural heritage.”

In support of this vision, the City developed a long-term lease agreement for approximately 152 hectares (375 acres) of adjacent City-owned lands for $1 per year for 99 years.

“The City of Saskatoon recognizes the significance of Wanuskewin’s revitalization vision and the benefits the development will bring to the city, the region, and our entire province,” says City Manager, Murray Totland.

Wanuskewin’s renewal project is multi-faceted and involves:

• preserving the ecology and biodiversity of the site;
• expanding the land base to meet UNESCO’s buffer criteria; and
• returning a small herd of Plains bison to its native prairie habitat.

“If ever a legacy exists, the story of the Indigenous peoples of the Northern Plains is one that must be told in a manner respectful of the millions that were here before us – in culture, spiritual integrity, and the environment,” says Wanuskewin CEO, Dana Soonias.  “Wanuskewin is excited to embark on this journey and we are grateful to the City of Saskatoon, which has committed to helping us achieve our remarkable vision.”

Wanuskewin’s plans include renovating and expanding the facility to attract international exhibitions, conferences, and special events; expanding the art gallery and showcasing Plains Indigenous art in Canada; dedicating additional green space and grassland reclamation; and increasing Saskatoon’s reputation as a global tourism destination.

“From the beginning, the City of Saskatoon has been a key partner,” says Wanuskewin Board Chair, Candace Wasacase-Lafferty.  “With the renewal of a 99-year lease, the City has once again demonstrated visionary leadership to preserve and protect this extraordinary historic Indigenous gathering place for future generations of Canadians.”

On June 17, 2016, Wanuskewin publicly revealed a team of exceptional community leaders who have committed to help Wanuskewin realize its ambitious plan, led by both Wayne Brownlee, Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer of PotashCorp, and Felix Thomas, Chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, aims to build intercultural understanding through the protection of heritage and support for cultural diversity.  There is a stringent application process, which is managed in Canada by Parks Canada.  Inscribing a site on the World Heritage List is not the end of the story; site managers and local authorities continuously work toward managing, monitoring, and preserving World Heritage properties.