News Releases

This season, several neighbourhood parks will be getting a fresh new look as part of the City’s Park Upgrade Program. This program funds improvements to established neighbourhood parks, addressing deficiencies and bringing them up to current standards.

Park upgrades may include enhancements such as new or improved pathways, lighting, upgraded irrigation and drainage systems, tree planting and naturalized landscaping, as well as other amenities such as benches, picnic tables and play structures.

Parks scheduled for upgrades in 2025:

• Boughton Park
• Forest Grove Linkage
• Herbert Stewart Park
• Kistikan Park
• Leif Erickson Park
• Marriott Park

Playgrounds scheduled for upgrades in 2025:

• Boughton Park
• Kistikan Park
• Marriott Park
• Szumagalski Park
• Lt GG Simmonds Park
• Idylwyld Park

In addition to standard park upgrades, funding from the Government of Canada’s Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF) is supporting the installation of new playgrounds at Marriott and Boughton Parks, as well as the development of Food Forest Demonstration Sites and improvements to irrigation and naturalization at both Boughton and Leif Erickson Parks.

Please note that portions of these parks and some amenities will be temporarily closed during construction and while newly planted areas become established.

For more information on the upgrades taking place, visit saskatoon.ca/parkupgrades

To learn more about the activities being supported by the NIF, visit saskatoon.ca/naturalinfrastructurefund

Saskatoon Transit will implement route and service changes effective June 29, 2025, to improve frequency, reliability, and overall customer experience.

These changes simplify routes, improve on-time performance on 8th Street, and offer more direct and frequent connections to key destinations, such as schools, hospitals, shopping centres, and USask.

By creating a more connected transit system, buses will arrive more often and on time, providing riders with more reliable travel options.

Overview of changes:

• Route 8 becomes the only route on 8th Street between City Centre and Centre Mall, operating at a 10-minute frequency during peak hours.
• Route 10 replaces portions of Routes 81 and 82, connecting USask, Taylor Street, and Centre Mall more efficiently.
• Route 17 is modified and consolidates a portion of Route 13 to offer continuous service between Lawson Heights Mall and Stonebridge via USask, with new evening and weekend service for Lawson Heights Mall.
• Local route adjustments
  • Route 16 improves speed and connections to City Centre, USask and Market Mall; service along 7th Street is removed and replaced by service along Main Street.
  • Routes 84, 86, 87 will have faster travel times and better connections to Centre Mall; these routes will not operate west of Centre Mall.
• Schedule changes to Routes 18 and 83 to improve reliability.

These early improvements lay the foundation for Saskatoon Transit’s Bus Network Redesign (BNR) Phase 1, which will be developed through continued engagement starting this fall.

Download the Transit app to help with trip planning, or visit saskatoontransit.ca for new maps and schedules.

Questions regarding these changes can be directed to Customer Service 306.975.3100 or transit.services@saskatoon.ca.

Saskatoon Transit is excited to announce the winners of the 6th annual Student Art Contest.

The winning pieces were based on their reflection of the "Public and Active Transportation" theme. They emphasized the importance of integrating various transportation modes, including public transit, paratransit, cycling, walking, and ridesharing.

2025 Winners:

• Grade 3 Winner: Max A., North Park Wilson School
• Grade 7 Winner: Sanuthi S., Prince Philip School

This contest is aimed at students in grades 3 and 7, as public and active transportation is part of the curriculum for those grades.

Each winning art piece will be prominently displayed on five Saskatoon Transit buses, totalling ten buses, throughout the city. Enjoy spotting the designs while riding the bus or travelling around the community!

Congratulations to the winners, and a big thank you to all students and teachers who participated this year.

The City of Saskatoon’s plan to build a long-term, City-owned organics processing facility will receive up to $8.4 million from the federal government.

Through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF), the Government of Canada will contribute funding for the construction of the new facility, which will provide organics processing for the residential green cart program and replace drop-off services currently offered at the City’s West Compost Depot.

“This investment is about real results for people in Saskatoon; better waste services, a cleaner environment and infrastructure that keeps up with a growing city,” says the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development. “Here, and across Canada, the federal government is stepping up to support communities with the tools they need to thrive."

"This new facility is a win for our community and our environment. It means Saskatoon families will have a reliable, long-term solution for organics waste, and it brings us one step closer to a cleaner, greener city for future generations," said Mayor Cynthia Block. "We’re grateful for the federal support that’s helping us turn our sustainability goals into real, local action."

“We’re very pleased to receive this funding from the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water & Waste Operations. “It not only helps with the cost of building a permanent, City-owned organics facility, but also supports our efforts to divert more waste from the landfill and extend its lifespan.”

The City Administration previously evaluated several long-term organics processing options and determined that constructing a City-owned facility would result in the lowest long-term cost while continuing to provide the same service levels. Planning and design for the facility is well underway. Construction will begin this summer and the facility is anticipated to open to the public in late 2026.

Since the city-wide green cart program launched in 2023, more than 40,000 tonnes of organic waste have successfully been diverted from the landfill, exceeding the lower range of annual projections.

To learn more about the Organics Processing Facility project, visit saskatoon.ca/organicsfacility.

3rd Avenue will be closed between 23rd and 24th streets on Friday, June 27, starting at 11:00 a.m. for construction. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around the work zone. This project is expected to take two hours to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information are available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.