News Releases

To recognize the City’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, City Council approved on June 28, 2021, the process to rename John A. Macdonald Road, to acknowledge the ongoing harm in the community experienced by Residential School Survivors.   

Residential schools took Indigenous children away from their families, cultures and languages to assimilate them – so they would no longer exist as distinct peoples – and were responsible for the hunger, neglect, abuse and death of thousands of Indigenous children in Canada. Indigenous families today continue to experience this pain, grief, loss and inter-generational trauma. 

“The City is committed to raising awareness and understanding of residential schools and their ongoing impacts,” says Melissa Cote, Director, Indigenous Initiatives. “We recognize that John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada, played a significant role in the development of Canada’s Indian residential school system which created and continues to create many harms for Indigenous families.” 

Since Council’s direction in 2021, significant work has taken place to rename the road and there is important work still to do. The City has been meeting with Indigenous leaders, Residential School Survivors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers and youth, the Saskatoon Intercultural Association, members from the Chinese community, teachers from wâhkôhtowin School and many others to recommend a new name which will be presented to the Civic Naming Committee on August 1, 2023. 

The road name that will be proposed to the Civic Naming Committee is miyo-wâhkôhtowin Road – a Cree word meaning good (miyo) relationship (wâhkôhtowin). 

“The proposed name reflects the theme of Reconciliation and was thoughtfully and carefully chosen after listening to and learning from the community and the people that continue to be impacted by residential schools and the legacy of John A. Macdonald,” Cote explains. “Residential schools contributed to a breakdown in communities and relationships and division; good relationships will bring us together.” 

After the Civic Naming Committee, the next steps in the approval process for the renaming, are: 

• August 9, 2023: Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services to consider the recommendation to approve the name
• August 30, 2023: City Council to consider the recommendation to approve the renaming and to direct a Street Name Change Bylaw 
• September 27, 2023: City Council to consider the approval of Street Name Change Bylaw  
• Fall/Winter 2023: Street sign and map changes 

Throughout the renaming journey, the City has engaged with John A. Macdonald Road property owners and residents and this evening held a meeting to inform them of the proposed name and provide an update on the renaming process. The City will support property owners and residents with having their address changed including approved associated costs. More information on how to access support will be available directly for property owners and residents in the upcoming months. 

For more information, visit the John A. Macdonald Road webpage at saskatoon.ca/engage/renaming which is kept updated with the latest information.

Saskatoon City Council’s Governance and Priorities Committee(GPC), comprised of the Mayor and all City Councillors, made significant progress today at the second of three planned Special Budget Meetings to reduce the projected funding gap the City would face in the 2024-2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget.

After reductions of $21.6 million in 2024 and $1.6 million in 2025, the remaining gap to be addressed in future budget meetings has been lowered to $29.2 million and $20.05 million.

So far, GPCs reductions if left unmitigated would translate into a 9.96% property tax increase for 2024 and 6.17% in 2025 -- that’s down from the original starting projected property tax rates of 17.33% and 6.25% respectively. 

The Administration presented several reports, from which GPC recommended the following measures be integrated into the 2024/2025 Preliminary 2024/2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget: 

• Limit inflationary increases to 25% of the programs projected requirements  for Roadways, Facilities Maintenance, Saskatoon Light and Power’s  Maintenance Requirements and Fire Apparatus Replacement
• Defer phase-ins for future operating impacts for fire halls, the East Leisure  Centre and expansion of Transit to growing neighborhoods’ which will  be addressed in the future years when they are operationally required
• Lowering the City’s Corporate Fuel Estimates by $0.15 per litre
• Adjustments to the City’s plan to repay the 2022 Emergency Snow  Response and build funding for future responses
• Increase Parking Rates by $0.50/hour 
• Transfer the cost of Parking App User Fees to the end user 
• No increases for  City Yard Security funding 
• Defer increases for Roadway Maintenance Training positions
• Defer increases  for paved roadways and sidewalk maintenance positions
• Defer increases for snow and ice management positions
• Defer increases for new street sweeping positions 
• Defer increases for transportation services positions
• Limit inflationary increases  in the snow and ice management program to $300,000 in 2024 and $350,000 in 2025
• No increases for inflation in street cleaning and sweeping program
• No increases for funding for bus stop snow removal 
• No increases for training funding for Saskatoon Transit

There is still much more work to do: GPC will discuss further budget reductions at another Special Budget Meeting scheduled on August 15. At this meeting, deferred business line reports relating to Community Support, Saskatoon Fire, Environmental Health, Taxation and General Revenue, Land Development and Arts, Culture and Events Venues will be considered. Additional business lines reports relating to Corporate Support & Revenue, Recreation and Culture and Utilities are also planned to be presented at that time There may be additional Special Budget Meetings planned.

Council will also request that the Saskatoon Police Board of Commissioners and the Saskatoon Library Board put forward their respective draft budgets earlier than they normally would so that they can also be incorporated into future budget discussions. 

An additional motion was passed to create a working group of Administration and Council members to meet with the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and the North Saskatoon Business Association to further discuss each group’s recommendations on reducing the 2024/2045 starting funding gap. 

City Council will finalize the 2024/2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget this November at its final budget review and deliberations.

For more facts and reliable information on the 2024/2025 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget, please visit Saskatoon.ca/budget

City Administration is set to deliver a group of reports that outline options for City Council to lower the projected 2024/2025 property tax funding gap. The reports are part of the 2024/2025 Multi-Year Budget process which began in March. The reports will be discussed at the July 25, 2023, Special Budget Meeting, which is the next in a series of meetings related to the 2024/2025 Budget.

At these Special Budget Meetings, Council will provide early direction and propose solutions to the Administration so that changes can be incorporated into the Preliminary Business Plan and Budget documents that Council will ultimately consider in November.

With significant and challenging budget adjustments required to reduce the City’s estimated funding gaps for 2024 and 2025, at the July 25 meeting, the Administration will present a Budget Status Update Information Report which revises the funding needed over the next two years to maintain services at the service levels at which they are currently delivered by the City.

“We have a new starting point for the fully transparent view of the City’s budgeting process. As part of this process, the Administration is tasked to estimate the funding the City would need to keep services at the same level as they are now for the next two years,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. “With increased revenue-sharing expectations from the province and other adjustments, the prior released funding gaps of $52.4 million and $23.2 million are now $50.9 million and $21.7 million for 2024 and 2025.”

Hack says without intervention, the new starting funding gap would translate into a 17.33% and 6.25% property tax increase for 2024 and 2025, respectively.

“I must stress again, these early figures in no way represent any kind of finalized or even proposed property tax increases for residents and our business community,” Hack says.

“The entire budget process is designed to be completely public and transparent and requires the City to look ahead to 2024 and 2025 estimated costs, which is what this process is all about. Our goal is to support the delivery of services and service levels in the most efficient way possible, to keep our community safe, and to aid Saskatoon’s ability to grow and attract new residents, and businesses that create jobs. The civic Administration will present Council with several strategic options to help substantially decrease the City’s funding gap driven by inflation and other budgetary pressures.”

With a targeted goal to examine everything on the table line-by-line, to adjust and find savings throughout the organization and to help lower the funding gap, the Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) plans to explore savings options within the following business lines on July 25 to scrutinize the expenses, revenues, and historical budget increases/allocations:

• Transportation
• Community Support
• Saskatoon Fire
• Environmental Health
• Taxation and General Revenue
• Land Development
• Arts, Culture and Events Venues

Also, in response to prior Council resolutions, City Administration will present a series of Information Reports on the municipal comparison of Full-Time Equivalent employees (FTEs), impacts of a City-wide hiring freeze/not hiring additional staff, and the status of the City's temporary workforce for GPC’s review.

The full AGENDA for the July 25, 2023, Special Budget Meeting is available for review. As with all, this meeting will be LIVE streamed, access LIVE VIDEO here.

Should any member of the public wish to submit a letter or request to appear in person at the July 25 Special Budget Meeting, the deadline to arrange for this is Monday, July 24, at 5:00 pm.

GPC will table its third Special Budget Meeting on August 15, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.

Visit saskatoon.ca/budget for more information.

The City of Saskatoon (City) has received a Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grant to install a more visible pedestrian crossing at 22nd Street and Avenue V. The $80,824 grant, funded through photo speed enforcement proceeds, will go toward a pedestrian actuated signal at the intersection as well as pavement markings and signage.

“Right now, there are no pavement markings or illuminated signals to alert drivers of pedestrians crossing at this high-traffic location,” says Jay Magus, Director of Transportation. “Pedestrian safety will be significantly improved once the upgrade is complete.”

With the pedestrian crossing improvements at 22nd Street and Avenue V, drivers will be required to stop on a red signal. It is expected to be operational by this fall.

Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grants are awarded to communities twice a year. The City will continue submitting funding applications to improve safety at other intersections and school zones throughout Saskatoon.