News Releases

The City is pleased to announce the installation of new bike racks along Saskatoon’s historic 21^st Street that honour First Nations and Métis peoples’ histories and cultures.

The bike racks were created in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action No. 79:  Participate in a strategy to commemorate the contributions and history of Aboriginal peoples to Canada. 

Saskatoon is located on Treaty 6 Territory and Homeland of the Métis. As a way to honour this history, the City worked together with First Nations Elder, Harry Lafond, and Métis Elder, Senator Nora Cummings, to feature Treaty 6 Territory and Homeland of the Métis medals on bike racks along 21^st Street. These medals were chosen as meaningful symbols that could demonstrate respect for Saskatoon’s Indigenous histories on one of the city’s major historic streets.

“Thank you so much to Elders Senator Nora Cummings and Harry Lafond as well as the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre and Gabriel Dumont Institute for partnering with the City of Saskatoon on this project. Our streets have a story to tell. Saskatoon’s story is about being a gathering place where First Nations, Métis and non-Indigenous people have come together over generations,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “Bike racks can also be sculptures on our streets. This is a great way to use those sculptures to reveal a deeper history for our own residents and visitors to our city, right in the heart of the Downtown, here in Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.”

“Saskatoon is a beautiful walking and cycling city. The new bike racks reflect the aesthetics of the city while expressing the reconciliation spirit of who we want to be as a community,” says First Nations Elder Harry Lafond. “The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has brought us to a place in our history to recognize thousands of years of settlement on the banks of the Saskatchewan River. We are experiencing the beauty of an intensifying diversity and with it the challenge to physically express our recognition of this gift throughout our growing city. The bike racks not only reflect the beauty of 21^st Street, but more importantly the spirit and beauty of who we want to become.”

"As Métis people, especially in the city, our history and our experiences have often been overlooked. We have never had a medal before, so for me it is exciting to see the City using this medal to honour our rich history and culture,” says Métis Senator Nora Cummings. “The medal includes symbols that are important to us as Métis people. By having these medals on the bike racks, it helps to educate others about our experiences here and to encourage pride amongst ourselves and especially amongst our young people. It’s important that they have pride in themselves, their history and their identity.”

The Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre and Gabriel Dumont Institute provided important historical information to explain the significance of the bike rack medals and the history of First Nations and Métis peoples in Saskatoon and surrounding area. 

With the support of the Downtown Saskatoon Business Improvement District, this information is posted in the directories along 21^st Street.  

“Downtown Saskatoon is proud that historic 21^st Street was chosen for this project and that needed infrastructure was constructed in such a way to commemorate the many contributions of Indigenous peoples to Canada,” says Brent Penner, Executive Director of Downtown Saskatoon. “Downtown Saskatoon is a connected community, offering a #PlaceToBelong to all our neighbours.”

For more information on the Treaty 6 Territory and Homeland of the Métis bike rack project and to learn more about the history of First Nations and Métis peoples in Saskatoon and surrounding area, visit saskatoon.ca/medals.

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is excited to introduce the newest members of the Zoo family – bobcats Sherlock and Watson! These two brothers were born in 2021 at the Zoo Sauvage de Saint Felicien and are just under one year old.

“We are very fortunate to have Sherlock and Watson join the Zoo family,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “The pair arrived safely at the Zoo this morning and will be introduced to their new temporary home in the vacant eagle exhibit before transferring to their permanent home later this summer.”

Bobcats get their name from their short, bobbed tail and are found mostly in North America in mountainous forest regions. They weigh anywhere from 6.5 to 18 kilograms and can jump over 3 metres high. Their diet consists mainly of rodents, birds and fish and are known as ambush predators that stalk and hunt their prey with an element of surprise.  

Preparations for the bobcats’ arrival started this spring with renovations to the previous lynx exhibit. The former lynx exhibit is being transformed into a new space for the bobcats that will feature a new house and dedicated play area for the bobcats to enjoy. For now, Sherlock and Watson will get to enjoy exploring the caves and terrain in the vacant eagle exhibit until the renovations to their permanent home are completed this summer.

Visitors to the Zoo will notice a perimeter buffer surrounding the temporary bobcat exhibit. This buffer helps to maintain physical distance between the public and the bobcats as cat species such as bobcats and lynx are susceptible to COVID-19. 

“Taking precautionary measures like maintaining a safe physical distance is an important part of keeping our animals safe,” says Jeff Mitchell. “The level of risk among species varies, and we take every necessary step to ensure the health and safety of the animals in our care.”

The Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit saskatoon.ca/zoo to plan your next visit or learn more about the Zoo Season Pass.

The City's Naming Committee has selected what is thought to be the first Michif street name in Saskatoon. The name "Shakamohtaa" (shaa-KAM'-moh-TAHH') was assigned to a street in the southeast quadrant of Brighton. “Shakamohtaa” is the Michif word for “connect” and symbolizes the importance of coming together and building relationships.

The Métis in Saskatchewan speak three Michif languages. The most widely known Michif is a Cree-French mixed language composed of Plains Cree (nêhiyawêwin) with some Plains Ojibway (nakawēmowin) verbs/verb phrases and French (with some English) nouns/noun phrases. A world-renowned language, Michif is spoken in all three prairie provinces and into Montana and North Dakota. Michif-French—which is a French-based language blended with an Algonquian syntax—is spoken by the Métis in Batoche/St. Louis, Saskatchewan and in St. Laurent and St. Eustache, Manitoba. Northern Michif—a Cree-based language with a small amount of French word (noun) borrowings—is spoken in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan, with most speakers living in or near Ile-à-la Crosse, Buffalo Narrows, Beauval, and Green Lake. (SOURCE: Gabriel Dumont Institute)

“The Michif language is an integral language to this land,” says Mayor Clark. “While it is long overdue, I am glad we will see the Michif language reflected on this street in Brighton. Imagine the impact for kids growing up in this neighbourhood, living on or near Shakamohtaa Street. They will feel a greater connection to these roots and the beauty of the Michif language.”

Harriet St. Pierre, a Métis Elder who has spent most of her life living in Saskatoon, says: “I am happy that the City of Saskatoon is using our Métis language. It is our Michif language that gives us a community, culture, nation, and sense of belonging – all of which makes us Métis. This makes me very proud to have a street named in our language Michif; it will make a lot of Métis Elders and Nations very happy. It’s a good start to learning more about and understanding our Métis people and culture; I look forward to seeing more like this in the future.”

The Civic Naming Committee is comprised of three members of Council and non-voting administrators who provide support and information. The Committee’s mandate is to review all requests and suggestions for naming municipally-owned or controlled facilities, streets, developments, neighbourhoods and parks. The Naming Committee works with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee to ensure there is representation from all segments of our population.

Since street names are selected during the neighbourhood planning stage, the physical street does not yet exist anywhere other than on planning maps. It’s expected that the road will be in place along with its accompanying street sign in about two years’ time. Please see the below map to see where Shakamohtaa Street will be located.

Over the next week, the City of Saskatoon will be mailing out Amended Assessment Notices to commercial property owners where an update to the assessed value of their property is required for a full year.

“We’ve had several longstanding commercial assessment appeal decisions ruled on by the Court of Appeal and these also affected the Board of Revision in 2021,” says Bryce Trew, City Assessor. “This has led to implications for retail, warehouse and office buildings greater than 5800 square feet.”

Property owners who receive an Amended Assessment Notice will have a 30-Day Assessment Review and Appeal period from the date an Amended or Supplementary Notice is mailed to them in which to file a formal appeal on their property's assessment. 

“It's important to note that not all commercial property assessments changed as a result of the recently finalized appeal decisions,” adds Trew. “If an assessment changed in 2022, it could be because of physical alterations to the property such as new builds, additions, renovations, or demolitions, changes in tax status or ownership, and/or a Board of Revision decision.”

Currently, there are Board of Revision appeals from 2021 that are with the Saskatchewan Municipal Board. Appeals filed in 2022 are with the Board of Revision. If decisions from these appeals require further changes to assessment models, property owners will be issued amended notices.

Following the provincially legislated reassessment year in 2021, property owners who since January 1, 2021, had a change in the assessment, tax status, or ownership of their property would have received a 2022 Assessment Notice earlier this year. The 2022 Assessment Roll was open until February 4, 2022, also the deadline to file a commercial or residential 2022 appeal with the Board of Revision. The Province is on a four-year assessment cycle with current property assessments in place from 2021 to 2024.

Visit saskatoon.ca/assessment for more information or contact 306-975-3227 for assessment-related questions. We’re here to help.