News Releases

NEW
TAYLOR ST CLOSED FROM MCKINNON AVE S TO MUNROE AVE S
(Road Paving)
Start: October 24, 8:00 a.m. End: October 25, 6:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR SB CURB (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED APPROACHING CIRCLE DR S
(Guardrail repair)
Start: October 24, 9:00 a.m. End: October 24, 6:00 p.m.
21ST ST E FROM SPADINA CRES E TO 3RD AVE S/4TH AVE CLOSED BETWEEN 20TH ST & 22ND ST
(Hometown Hockey event)
Start: October 24, 3:00 p.m. End: October 27, 6:00 a.m.
OVERNIGHT: 22ND ST & 3RD AVE INTERSECTION RESTRICTIONS
(Sanitary lining)
Start: October 24, 7:00 p.m. End: October 25, 7:00 a.m.
ONGOING

21ST ST CLOSED FROM 3RD AVE TO SPADINA CRES
(Hometown Hockey event)
4th Ave through traffic maintained at 21st St intersection
Start: October 23, 6:00 a.m. End: October 24, 3:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR NB & SB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANES CLOSED BETWEEN CLAYPOOL DR & THE AIRPORT
(Median widening)
45th Street W closed from Koyl Avenue to Airport Drive
Start: October 22, 7:00 a.m. End: November 7, 6:00 p.m.

22ND ST W WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT KENSINGTON BLVD
(New intersection)
Through traffic will be maintained in the median (inside) lane
Start: October 22, 10:30 a.m. End: October 25, 6:00 p.m.

SASKATCHEWAN CRES WB CLOSED FROM MCPHERSON AVE TO IDYLWYLD CRES
(Rotary Park Construction)
Start: October 20, 10:30 a.m. End: November 3, 3:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

For Immediate Release:  October 23, 2014

Today, the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G), comprised of political leaders and administrators from the Cities of Saskatoon, Martensville, and Warman, the Town of Osler, and the Rural Municipality (RM) of Corman Park, as well as an advisory representative from the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) announced that they have selected consulting firm O2 Planning + Design Inc. (O2) to develop a Regional Plan for the Saskatoon area.

O2 is a Calgary-based global practice with extensive urban and regional planning expertise. The firm will work closely with a recently hired project manager for the development of the P4G Regional Plan.

“I am confident O2 has the experience and capability to deliver a Regional Plan that sets out a long-term, sustainable vision for land use, infrastructure, and economic development in the Saskatoon Region,” says Alex Fallon, Independent Chair of the P4G Regional Oversight Committee and President and CEO of SREDA. “The decision by P4G to award the contract to O2 is an important step in continuing to build on the Saskatoon Region’s economic momentum and plan for future growth.”

The goal of the P4G Regional Plan is to ensure each of the five partnering municipalities can benefit from growth opportunities, increase efficiencies, and reduce costs by working together. The P4G Regional Plan will focus on creating strong partnerships, and a prosperous future; and prosperity and exceptional quality of life for everyone in the region.

“Today’s announcement is a major step in working with our partners toward a prosperous future for our Region,” says Judy Harwood, Reeve of the RM of Corman Park. “The development of this Regional Plan will provide for continued, healthy, and planned growth and prosperity while respecting the needs of all of the P4G partners. We want to ensure that the RM of Corman Park, as well as all of our partners can enjoy and benefit from balanced and fair economic growth.”

The Plan, which is expected to be completed by mid-2016, will consist of plans for land use, transportation, and servicing. It will also outline the funding strategies needed for implementation and proposed new governance and administrative structures for the region.

Stakeholder and community engagement will be a key part of the P4G Regional Plan process. In the coming months, P4G will announce how citizens and stakeholders can become involved.  

“Growing as fast as we have over the past five years has created a lot of great opportunities for Warman and the surrounding area,” says Sheryl Spence, Mayor of the City of Warman. “We recognized early on the value in partnerships that allows us to get the best product in a reasonable amount of time. As we continue to grow, partnerships such as this one with P4G, will be integral to achieving our residents’ vision of sustainable growth for Warman.”

"The City of Martensville is a strong supporter of regional planning and we are very excited to see the process move to this next stage,” says Kent Muench, Mayor of the City of Martensville. “I am hopeful that having an experienced and innovative consultant to lead us through a process that engages the community will produce a Regional Plan where everyone benefits."

“Planning for growth encourages all partners to grow their space in a collaborative, effective manner,” says Ben Buhler, Mayor of the Town of Osler. “As we share our intents, not only with our neighbours but the entire region, there will be a solid ongoing connection between municipal governments. The Town of Osler looks forward to working with the region in a positive and practical way while keeping community in mind.”

The budget for the P4G Regional Plan Project is $926,000, including the cost of the O2 contract and a dedicated project manager. Each of the partnering municipalities will be contributing to the cost of the project.

“I am pleased to offer my support to this landmark regional partnership,” says His Worship Donald Atchison, Mayor of the City of Saskatoon. “Our goal is to create a region that offers all partners the opportunity to benefit from economic expansion. In doing so, we will provide a better quality of life for families for generations to come.”

The Saskatoon area is one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada. Recent estimates indicate it grew by approximately 4% over the past year and could reach a population of 500,000 within 20 years.

Saskatoon City Council will be asked to award the contract to O2 at its meeting on October 27, 2014, on behalf of the P4G partnering municipalities.

 For more information, visit www.saskatoon.ca and look under “R” for “Regional Plan.”

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours, and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

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In honour of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty today in Ottawa, the City of Saskatoon will lower the flags to half-mast.  

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Cpl. Cirillo’s family and to everyone in the Nation’s Capital. 

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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or our City Blog. Click on the links at www.saskatoon.ca. 

NEW
21ST ST CLOSED FROM 3RD AVE TO SPADINA CRES
(Hometown Hockey event)
4th Ave through traffic maintained at 21st St intersection
Start: October 23, 6:00 a.m. End: October 24, 3:00 p.m.

33RD ST EB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN NORTHUMBERLAND AVE & AVE Y
(Curb box repair)
Start: October 23, 7:00 a.m. End: October 23, 6:00 p.m.
CIRCLE DR NB RAMP CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE TO 11TH ST W CLOSED
(Manhole maintenance)
Speed limit reduced to 60km/h
Start: October 23, 9:00 a.m. End: October 23, 4:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N NB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 35TH ST W TO GREY PL
(Median Repair)
Start: October 23, 9:00 a.m. End: October 23, 4:00 p.m.
3RD AVE NB LANES CLOSED FROM 21ST ST E TO 22ND ST E
(SL&P vault work)
Start: October 23, 9:00 a.m. End: October 23, 12:00 p.m.

OVERNIGHT: 1ST AVE/2ND AVE & 22ND STREET INTERSECTIONS RESTRICTIONS
(Sanitary lining)
Start: October 23, 7:00 p.m. End: October 24, 7:00 a.m.
ONGOING

AIRPORT DR NB & SB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANES CLOSED BETWEEN CLAYPOOL DR & THE AIRPORT
(Median widening)
45th Street W closed from Koyl Avenue to Airport Drive
Start: October 22, 7:00 a.m. End: November 7, 6:00 p.m.

22ND ST W WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT KENSINGTON BLVD
(New intersection)
Through traffic will be maintained in the median (inside) lane
Start: October 22, 10:30 a.m. End: October 25, 6:00 p.m.

SASKATCHEWAN CRES WB CLOSED FROM MCPHERSON AVE TO IDYLWYLD CRES
(Rotary Park Construction)
Start: October 20, 10:30 a.m. End: November 3, 3:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) Report has just released their seventh annual ranking of Top Entrepreneurial Communities, and Saskatoon continues to possess the favourable entrepreneurial characteristics the CFIB scores that make a city stand out for their “business presence, policy, and perspective.”

Using fourteen specific indicators, the CFIB report assesses the degree to which cities (grouped by size) enable entrepreneurs and small businesses to start, grow and prosper their ventures.  High ranking entrepreneurial cities typically “have the presence of a high concentration of entrepreneurs, high business start-up rate, high level of optimism and success, and supportive local government tax and regulatory policies.”

Among centres with population of 150,000 or more, Saskatoon ranked third in Canada as an Overall Top-Ranked Entrepreneurial Major City in 2014, just behind Calgary and Edmonton.  Saskatoon was also ranked the number one city for Entrepreneurial Perspective – those cities that had the most upbeat business owners.  St. John’s and Regina ranked second and third.

Saskatoon also ranked third in the category of Entrepreneurial Policy, meaning these cities “tend to have the least distorted property tax systems measured by comparing the relative equity of commercial and residential property tax rates.”

According to Les Smith, City Assessor, these rankings align with the City’s strategic goal of Economic Diversity and Prosperity.

“We continue to create and support a business-friendly environment in Saskatoon, one that maintains fair and competitive tax rates for residential and business property taxes,” says Smith.  “Saskatoon’s tax regime has solid, clear and reasonable public policies.”

Large and small companies view Saskatoon as a great place to do business.  With a young population and median age of 35, strong manufacturing growth, a resource based economy and overall solid job growth, Saskatoon attracts entrepreneurs that want to start, grow, maintain and prosper their new venture.

“We are a city that celebrates and embraces an entrepreneurial spirit,” says Randy Grauer, General Manager of Community Services.  “To support this, we continue to create a business-friendly environment that focuses on our city and region’s competitive strengths; this is a key long-term strategy for the City.  We will continue to invest in the infrastructure needed to attract and support new businesses and skilled workers to the city.”

People from across the province, Canada and the world are drawn to Saskatoon for its quality of life, limitless opportunities and highly-skilled and educated workforce.  The City of Saskatoon works in partnership with economic development authorities, local businesses and educational institutions to promote and ensure Saskatoon is a great place to live, work and play.