News Releases

Improving business development and employment for Métis people and communities is the focus of a one-day conference today in Saskatoon. Open to business leaders, organizations, educational institutes and economic development corporations, the conference covered a range of topics that addresses barriers faced by regional Métis businesses.

The Forum’s keynote speaker Jason Madden, Managing Partner with Pape Salter Telleit, spoke on the recent ruling of the Supreme Court Ruling and the government’s responsibility to negotiate with Métis and non-status peoples. Other sessions focused on best practices for economic development and reconciliation, and employment and procurement policies.

The Forum was organized in partnership with the City, Central Urban Metis Federation Inc. (CUMFI), Saskatoon Aboriginal Employment Partnership (SAEP), and Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Association (SREDA).

Quotations

“We recognise the whole community prospers when there are opportunities for everyone, including Aboriginal and Métis people, to participate in the economy. The more there are opportunities for Métis business leaders to network, the greater the likelihood Métis peoples can succeed in creating jobs and a better quality of life for the entire community.”

• Gilles Dorval, Director of Aboriginal Relations, City of Saskatoon.

“It is important for the Métis people in Saskatoon to be involved in the growth of our economy by creating new business opportunities.”

• Shirley Isbister, President, Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. (CUMFI)

“In order to help grow, strengthen and diversify the Saskatoon Region economy, we need to increase the number of partnerships and business opportunities that engage our Métis communities. This Forum will help us all share opportunities, strengthen relationships and ultimately lead to more successful economic development opportunities.”

• Alex Fallon, President and CEO, Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority.

The City of Saskatoon’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's calls to action supports City’s Strategic Goal of “Quality of Life” by strengthening partnerships with Aboriginal and Métis organizations to enhance access to training, employment, economic opportunities, and housing.

Almost 500 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal experts, leaders, youth and Elders will “learn from one another to build community” and commit to moving forward on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action at the second annual Wîcihitowin (wee-CHEE-toh-win) Aboriginal Engagement Conference.

“In our second year, we’re focusing on learning and resources for non-Aboriginal organizations to improve engagement and inclusion of Aboriginal peoples, whether it be as an employee, volunteer or in a board role,” says Gilles Dorval, Director of Aboriginal Relations for the City of Saskatoon.

Wîcihitowin is Cree/Saulteaux for “helping each other” or “working together”, which is an important component of delivering enhanced programs and services. This conference is presented in partnership with the City of Saskatoon, the United Way of Saskatoon, Saskatoon Health Region, and Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan.

“When done well, Aboriginal engagement can improve outcomes for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community members, strengthening both the organization and our community by incorporating the voice of the Aboriginal community in programming and service delivery,” says Warren Isbister-Bear, Director of Aboriginal Relations for United Way of Saskatoon.

This year’s conference will address themes outlined in the Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, such as: education, language & culture, health, media, newcomers to Canada and sports & reconciliation.

“These sessions offer organizations opportunities to learn more about what reconciliation might look like in a safe environment. Each organization might have a slightly different response to the calls to action and we’re learning from one another how to move forward,” says Neal Kewistep, Manager, Our Neighbourhood Health Centre & Building Health Equity for the Saskatoon Health Region.

The conference aims to support organizations working to incorporate Aboriginal values within program and service delivery settings with the goal of creating culturally respectful organizations.

“We have an opportunity through this conference to assist local organizations, be it human service, government of private industry, to address the real and perceived barriers in preventing Aboriginal people from participating fully in the economy,” said Brad Bird, Aboriginal Cultural Coordinator, Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Marie Wilson, Former Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and Chief Darcy Bear, seven-term leader of Whitecap Dakota First Nation. Full agenda for the Wîcihitowin Aboriginal Engagement Conference available here. 

Wîcihitowin supports the City’s Strategic Goal of “Quality of Life” by identifying actions for enhancing Aboriginal well-being and participation in our community.

Following a police investigation and legal review, a Crown Prosecutor has recommended no charges be laid against the operator of a City street patching truck involved in a collision earlier this year.

Just after 8:30 a.m. on June 1, 2016, City officials responded to a collision between a street-patching truck and a cyclist at the corner of Idylwyld Drive and 29th Street West.

Saskatoon Police say as a result of the collision, the cyclist was warned to drive a vehicle with required due care.

In addition to a police investigation, the City follows its own protocols after a critical incident to ensure the proper operating procedures were maintained. 

The operator returned to duty in June and the conclusion of the police investigation also concludes the matter for the City.

Weather

Saskatoon continues to deal with the first winter Weather Event of the year, however Environment Canada has ended its snowfall warning for Saskatoon and area.

Even so, Saskatoon experienced a few more flurries overnight.

As of Friday morning total snowfall was 30 cm.

Hurricane Matthew is posing challenges for forecasters creating some variability in weather prediction models.

In a briefing to City officials Friday morning, Environment Canada’s John Paul Cragg says Saskatoon and area could expect up to another 5 cm of snow. Cragg says this is likely to happen very early-to-mid Sunday morning with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark.

Because of the possible fluctuating temperature, any snowfall may turn to rain.

Cragg says we may also experience easterly winds over the same period Sunday at 20 Km/h gusting to 40 Km/h. 

Roadways & Operations

As a result of the Weather Event and with near melting temperatures, roads are wet, not icy.

Roadways expects any snow accumulation predicted for the holiday weekend to be very manageable.

Crews will remain working around the clock now until Tuesday.

Sanding crews will focus on high-priority trouble areas day and night, applying sand and salt as necessary.

For timely updates, check the snow and ice service alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and on Twitter by following @YXEServiceAlert.

In the interests of public safety, Roadways will focus efforts on improving road conditions. As a result, staff will monitor and minimize water ponding and surface drainage issues as the snow melts. Only emergency flooding areas will be monitored for now.

The Fall Sweep is tentatively delayed 1 week and Roadways is considering rescheduling to start Monday, October 17, weather dependent.  

Transportation

Signals: Crews have made one pass and cleared all snow-blocked signals. There is a crew checking problem areas today to see if anything needs to be done again. 

Signs: Crews continue to patrol and clear any blocked signage. The focus remains on stop and yield signs.

As always, be extra alert at intersections.

Saskatoon Light & Power

Wind will continue to be the main challenge for the City’s power company over the weekend and especially early Sunday morning.

At this point, SL&P crews are in clean-up mode collecting downed tree limbs or pruning back trees near lines.

Crews can manage any outages that occur from overloaded tree branches or other weather related factors.

To report a tree limb contacting or threatening a Saskatoon Light & Power service line, please call 306-975-2414.

For a SaskPower service line please call 306-310-2220.

Service Alerts with regular updates will continue to be issued if outages occur. They will provide information about the cause of the outage and the anticipated time for restoration. 

Construction & Design

To let concrete cure on the pedestrian overpass, a lane closure remains in effect for the curb lane on College Drive heading towards the University Bridge.

The early autumn snowfall has also presented City construction projects with some challenges. Specifically for anyone currently on temporary water service for water line replacement, the unseasonably cold temperatures have made it necessary for property owners to keep their taps on to prevent the temporary water lines from freezing.

Overall, most of the City’s construction projects are nearing completion or in the process of being closed for winter.

The impact this weather will have depends less on the amount of snow that fell, rather on the length of time the snow sticks around.

A few days of snow that quickly melts is the same as rain.

If we have enough warm, dry weather, work sites will dry up which means paving and other construction projects can continue.

Major Projects

Work on major projects continues including work on the Attridge Drive and Central Avenue intersection. Excavation at the northeast boulevard of Attridge Drive and Central Avenue is scheduled to remain ongoing through the entire weekend. Weather depending, line painting on Attridge Drive eastbound is scheduled for Sunday. 

Drivers are reminded the traffic accommodation through this intersection includes two westbound through lanes.

For drivers who typically use the right (curb) lane to travel through the intersection, please continue to use this lane and follow the signs and delineators; the right lane does not merge into the left lane at the intersection. More information is here.

Bolting of Span 4 of the Traffic Bridge is scheduled to proceed as planned through Sunday.

Earthworks for the south embankment of the Traffic Bridge will remain ongoing through the entire weekend, weather depending. 

Earthworks for the west embankment of the North Commuter Parkway bridge will remain ongoing through the entire weekend, weather depending.

Transit

Transit service is operating as regularly scheduled. Customers could experience delays should weather conditions worsen.

NOTE: Holiday operating hours are in effect for Monday, October 10, 2016. 

Customers are reminded to dress for the weather and to track their bus in real time through Transit App and Google Transit.  

Parks & Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry crews are responding to tree damage on a priority basis.

We presently have 100 calls and more coming in today.

2 aerial crews and 2 ground crews are responding to this work and will arrange assistance from contract crews if needed.

Parks received 3 urgent calls overnight to clear roads and sidewalks.

Horticulture staff continue their inspections and report damage in parks. This work is scheduled but keeping roadways, sidewalks and paths clear is the priority.

Until more of the snow melts, everyone is advised to be cautious near trees in parks and around the city.

To report damage to City-owned trees that have failed and are blocking roadways and sidewalks, please call 306-975-2890 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After hours tree damage can be reported to the Saskatoon Customer Service line at 306-975-2476.

Trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner and brush that is cleared as a result of private trees obstructing public sidewalks or roadways will be left on the adjacent private property for the owner to clean up.

Any elm branches must be disposed of at the Saskatoon landfill. 

For timely updates check the City website and snow and ice service alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and on Twitter by following @YXEServiceAlert.

Weather

Saskatoon is currently experiencing the first Weather Event of the year. Environment Canada continues to issue a Snowfall Warning for Saskatoon and area. A final 2 to 4 cm is expected to fall in the warning area today before tapering off to a few flurries by tonight.

Snowfall totals are in the 20-30 cm range which has led to poor visibility, icy conditions and drifting in outlying and open areas.

Temperatures heading into the weekend will also pose challenges. Some of the forecasting models are predicting cooler daytime temperatures around the freezing mark and overnight lows around -3C or -4C into next week. These conditions could lead to more ice formation.

Roadways & Operations

Throughout the snowy conditions, city sanders and plows worked all night, plowing and salting high-priority streets and intersections, and outlying areas.

As the snow keeps falling, crews are focused on improving the Priority 1 network – the high speed, high traffic roadways.

The following equipment has been mobilized:

• 14 Graders
• 6 Plows
• 5 Sanders
• 5 Sidewalk Plows
• Private contractors
  • Sidewalk Snow Clearing
  • Area Grader Assistance

City staff just completed a full surveillance of Circle Drive.  Recent temperature increases and reduced winds have reduced drifting and softened the ice, allowing crews to knock off many of the ruts on the priority network. 

• The loops are still being worked on, but significant progress is being made.  Graders have been working to remove ruts on the lower priority routes over the past two hours (09:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) and progress is being made on those fronts as well.
• A sidewalk plow is clearing the slush from bike lanes. They will still be wet, but will be usable for a bike.
• Roadways will continue to adjust tactics as conditions change throughout the day.
• City staff and contractors are available 24 hours per day to patrol outlying areas, clear drifts and keep driving lanes open.
• Sidewalk Plows are also out in full force city wide.

Trails: Roadways will be instructing snow clearance operators to report damage interfering with the MVA trail as they send crews to complete this work later today.

Back lanes: We are getting reports of water ponding and drainage issues due to the high precipitation. 

• Status: We are focusing all of our efforts on improving road conditions as a matter of public safety, only emergency flooding areas will be looked at for now.

Snow Storage Site Availability

• Status: All snow storage sites are closed due to wet and soft conditions to prevent damage to the sites.

Fall Sweep

• Status: The Fall Sweep is tentatively delayed one week and Roadways is considering rescheduling to start Monday, October 17, weather dependent.  

Transportation

• Crews are continuing to clear snow from signals at curbs, medians, and overhead as wind speeds have decreased and safer for workers in bucket trucks.
• Stop, yield and road signs are also being cleared.
• As always, be extra alert at intersections
• No issues have been reported about traffic signals out or malfunctioning.

Saskatoon Light & Power

Wind will be the main challenge for the City’s power company today and as the stormy conditions continue. 

There were fewer outages overnight and this morning. Neighbourhoods affected within SL&P’s service area were:

• Nutana
• Buena Vista
• Exhibition

Power went out around 7:00 a.m. and was restored to these areas at 9:30 a.m.

There were also a handful of localized outages affecting single properties or smaller groups of buildings.

Service Alerts with regular updates will continue to be issued if outages occur. They will provide information about the cause of the outage and the anticipated time for restoration. 

Major Projects

Work on major projects continues including work on the Attridge Drive and Central Avenue intersection.

Drivers are reminded the traffic accommodation through the intersection includes two westbound through lanes.

For drivers who typically use the right (curb) lane to travel through the intersection, please continue to use this lane and follow the signs and delineators; the right lane does not merge into the left lane at the intersection. More information is here.

Transit

Transit service is operating as regularly scheduled. Customers could experience delays due to heavy snowfall, ice or traffic congestion should weather conditions worsen.

Customers are reminded to dress for the weather and to track their bus in real time through Transit App and Google Transit.     

Parks & Urban Forestry

All Urban Forestry crews are responding to tree damage on a priority basis.

We presently have 38 reports of tree damage. Calls are still coming in.

Contractors are on stand-by but they have not been asked to assist as our crews are still able to handle the current response needs.

• We are seeing a lot of heavy snow on branches resulting in the drooping of lateral limbs especially on conifers and trees still in leaf.
• We expect there will continue to be damage reported until conditions change and the weight on limbs is reduced as the snow melts.
• We have received some calls about low hanging limbs weighed down by snow. However we would not remove limbs on City trees that have not failed unless there is evidence of a weak branch attachment.
• We expect most trees will withstand the current snow load and will recover.
• Sutherland neighbourhood pruning contract is in progress and will continue today.
• Horticulture crews inspected parks and naturalized areas yesterday and any non-urgent park tree damage will be addressed as resources permit.
• A further inspection of park pathways and play areas will be completed over the remainder of the week with the assistance of Horticulture staff.
• To report damage to City-owned trees that have failed and are blocking roadways and sidewalks, please call 306-975-2890 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• After hours tree damage can be reported to the Saskatoon Customer Service line at 306-975- 2476.
• Trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner and brush that is cleared as a result of private trees obstructing public sidewalks or roadways will be left on the adjacent private property for the owner to clean up.
• Any elm branches must be disposed of at the Saskatoon landfill. 

For timely updates check the City website and snow and ice service alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and on Twitter by following @YXEServiceAlert.