News Releases

The City is joining thousands of North American employers to celebrate a commitment to building a safe and healthy workplace during Safety and Health Week May 5-11. Safety is a core value at the City of Saskatoon and its part of who we are.

“Throughout the week work groups will gather to recognize our accomplishments and reinforce our commitment to employee health, safety and wellness,” says Sarah Cameron, Chief Human Resource Officer. “Occupational Health & Safety committees across the corporation are planning events and information sessions to promote a safe and health workplace and home life.”

The goal during Safety and Health Week is to focus employers, employees, partners and the public on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in the community. NAOSH Week was renamed Safety and Health Week in January 2019.

City Council proclaimed May 5-11 as NAOSH Week, as requested by the local Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, and a flag is flying in Civic Square.

City Council will put into practice a new Code of Ethics following recommendations from the Saskatoon Municipal Review Commission (MRC) and a series of Council discussions.  Council approved Bylaw 9537, The Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of City Council Bylaw, 2019 (Code) at its regular business meeting April 29, 2019.

The Code unites the 2012 Code of Conduct, the 2017 Code of Ethics Bylaw, and the recommendations of the MRC’s Municipal Code of Conduct Committee Report, dated February 11, 2016.

New! Integrity Commissioner

The addition of an independent Integrity Commissioner is established in the Code, as are complaint and investigation processes.

More clarity around gifts & benefits received

Members of City Council may only accept gifts or benefits that are permitted by the list of exceptions in the Code. The Code stipulates disclosure of gifts over $100 for individual gifts or cumulative gifts received from one source during the calendar year. Food or beverages consumed at receptions, meetings, sporting events, or other similar activities are excluded from disclosure in the Code.

Outside activities, what’s allowed

Council Members may continue to support community and charitable organizations, however, members must not directly manage or control any monies received relating to community or charitable organization fundraising unless they are an employee of the organization. The Code permits members to hold board director roles in charitable or non-profit organizations that hold community events in the city.

The Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of City Council Bylaw supports the Strategic Goals of Continuous Improvement and Quality of Life by promoting transparency of municipal government and supporting City Council in providing good governance to citizens of Saskatoon.

To find out more, or to read Bylaw 9537 in full, visit saskatoon.ca.

The City is pleased to announce Artists in Place: The Bunkhouse Project (The Bunkhouse Project), an artist-in-residence pilot program taking place in the historic Bunkhouse at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo. 

Sponsored by the City of Saskatoon, with a grant from the Saskatchewan Arts Board’s Artists in Communities program, several local artists were selected to set up studios in the Bunkhouse for a year-long residency. 

“We are pleased to support The Bunkhouse Project through our Artists in Communities grant program. Residencies like these facilitate collaborations between professional artists and members of the public. They make art more accessible to everyone,” says Michael Jones, CEO of the Saskatchewan Arts Board. The Artists in Communities program is supported by funding from SaskCulture, through the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation.

The artists in residence at the Bunkhouse include Danica Lorer (professional storyteller), Lenore Maier (sound artist, musician, filmmaker), Muveddet Al-Katib (visual artist), Wendy Sharpe (painter, fibre artist, filmmaker) and Marcel Petit (producer, filmmaker, actor, photographer, playwright). 

“The Bunkhouse Project furthers one of the key directions of the City’s Culture Plan, which is to Foster Creative Placemaking,” says Kevin Kitchen, the City’s Manager of Community Development.  “By partnering with the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo to renovate and reimagine the Bunkhouse as artist studio space, we are able to provide a platform to host artists and engage the community through public art projects.”

Over the course of their residencies, these artists will be working on a variety of different interactive projects including story creation workshops; monthly sohbets (conversations) where participants will explore the symbols of their culture and create small paintings; a stop-motion animation workshop; and, opportunities to spin wool into yarn. In addition to their community engagement projects, each artist will provide an artist talk about their art practice. 

“It is very exciting to have the artists here at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo, bringing new life to the Bunkhouse and engaging with the public,” says Tim Sinclair-Smith, Manager of the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo.  “The renovations to the building are impressive.  Many people have worked hard to restore the building from what had become a storage facility to the beautiful space it is today.”

For more information on The Bunkhouse Project, including a schedule of activities, please visit saskatoon.ca/bunkhouse.

Bus Rapid Transit — or BRT — routes will travel down 1st Avenue downtown and Broadway Avenue in Nutana.  City Council made the decision at its regular business meeting Monday, April 29. 

Council opted for BRT dedicated lanes on 1st Avenue downtown and in mixed traffic for Broadway. 

The downtown north-south BRT route would run in dedicated transit lanes constructed in the centre of 1st Avenue with two centre median stations. One station is proposed to be constructed at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 21st Street and the other at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 23rd Street.

On Broadway, the mixed traffic plan is to construct two pairs of BRT stations on either side of Broadway Avenue at 12th Street and at 9th Street.

Under this option, there are no dedicated BRT lanes along Broadway Avenue, but Transit Signal Priority measures would be installed in traffic signals. The proposed BRT would mix with motor vehicle traffic that typically travels along Broadway Avenue, as well as vehicles entering and leaving on-street parking spaces.

BRT construction is not expected to begin until 2023 with a planned completion in 2025 and an estimated cost of $7.3 million for the Downtown and Nutana portions, subject to approval of funding. 

Downtown Active Transportation Network
Council endorsed a Downtown Active Transportation Network but wants more engagement on the design of sidewalk and cycling infrastructure along approved corridors. 

Fourth Avenue bike lanes to be removed 
City Council also approved a motion to remove the temporary bike lane demonstration on Fourth Avenue by the end of June.

The detailed reports and relevant attachments can be found here. 

Regina and Saskatoon are collaborating to find technology solutions that will improve mobility around their cities. The Civic Innovation Challenge, made possible through the support of Innovation Saskatchewan, seeks new approaches or innovative technology solutions that will reduce reliance on personal vehicles and enable better movement around the two cities.

“Saskatoon is home to so many innovative tech start-ups and companies and we have one of the fasting growing tech sectors in the country,” said Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark. “This partnership with the City of Regina and Innovation Saskatchewan can help to leverage this talent and expertise that our community and province has to address the challenges we are facing in creating a connected, accessible community for all.”

Saskatchewan and Canada’s best and brightest innovators and technology start-ups are invited to propose solutions that could help address the urban transportation challenge.

“This is a unique opportunity to work with Saskatoon to explore and pursue innovative solutions to transportation challenges facing both cities,” said Regina Mayor Michael Fougere. “We are interested in hearing diverse solutions and perspectives, while pursuing and incorporating modern, innovative technology.”

Participants offering solutions are invited to submit their proposals for consideration by May 13.  A winner will be selected through a competitive process and announced in the summer of 2019.

Companies interested in participating the challenge can become involved by visiting Communitech.ca/collisiondays.