News Releases

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is excited to welcome its latest addition a pair of Gila Monsters!

“Gila Monsters are one of the few venomous lizards in the world and we are very excited to have the opportunity to share their story with our guests,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “These Gila Monsters will be important animal ambassadors in our education programs, helping visitors and students explore the fascinating world of venomous animals — from the role of venom in nature to how scientists use venom in modern medicine.”

Named after the Gila River Basin in Arizona where they were first discovered, Gila Monsters are known for their vibrant, colourful skin patterns, often in shades of orange, pink and black.

You can find the Gila Monster habitat at the Affinity Learning Centre. 

The Zoo is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visit saskatoon.ca/zoo to plan your next visit or learn more about the Zoo Season Pass.

The City of Saskatoon is committed to providing uninterrupted customer service and business operations in the event of a potential Canada Post service disruption, which may begin on Thursday, May 22, 2025.

“In the event of disruption to mail delivery, we want to remind the community that “it’s business as usual at City Hall,” says Mike Voth, Director of Corporate Revenue. “We encourage residents to use our convenient online services, sign up for paperless ebilling and also visit the City’s website for information and updates.”

The City Offers Convenient Online Services:

Longer than usual in-person and phone wait times for Customer Service Representative assistance may be anticipated in the event of postal service disruption. Customers are encouraged to visit the City’s website saskatoon.ca for updates and for information on how to use our convenient online services:

• Pet License purchasing and renewals
• Business License applications and renewals
• Parking Ticket payment
• Leisure Registration.

Utility Billing:

To ensure your payments are made on time should there be a postal strike, the City strongly encourages residents to adopt these alternative payment methods for utility billing and property tax payments:

• At your banking/financial institution
• Through online banking
• In-person at City Hall (main floor), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Drop off your cheque in the secure night deposit outside the front of City Hall

The City invites its utility customers to sign up for ebill to avoid delay in receiving billing and account updates, it’s easy to use and secure. You’ll gain access to your utility account history and your current consumption charges and receive email notification when your bill is ready. Sign up today.

Property Tax:

The City started the mailout of the 2025 Property Tax notices to over 100,000 property owners on May 7, 2025. 

• If you have not received your tax notice by May 30, please call 306-975-2400. Non-receipt of your property tax notice does not exempt you from late payment penalties.
• Property owners, mailing delays do not change tax deadlines; you remain responsible for ensuring your 2025 property tax payment is received by the City of Saskatoon by the June 30, 2025, deadline to avoid late payment penalty.
• Enter your address in the easy to use Property Assessment and Tax Tool to view your 2025 property tax payment amount ( does not include the phase-in increase or decrease), it’s under the Tax Information TAB. Visit saskatoon.ca/taxtool or call 306-975-2400.

Need to check your utility bill or property tax balance? We've made it easy:

To find out your balance owing for your utilities or property tax, call the City’s automated phone system at 306-975-2400 or call Toll-Free 1-800-667-9944. Please have your utility billing account # or property tax roll # ready:

• For utilities, press 1, then press 1.
• For property tax, press 2, then press 1.

Visit saskatoon.ca for information and updates, email revenue@saskatoon.ca or call 306-975-2400. We’re here to help.

The City has released its 2024 Report on Service, Savings, Sustainability (SSS). The SSS Report has been released annually since 2005 when City Council     directed Administration to prepare a yearly report on efficiencies implemented in the previous year. The report highlights the ways the City’s departments and teams worked together in the preceding year to:

• Capture savings and find efficiencies
• Enhance services for residents through creativity and innovation
• Make improvements in the area of sustainability

“This report highlights the work that our employees do every day to create better services and experiences for the residents of Saskatoon,” says Richard Phillips, the City’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. “We are always looking to meet the needs of our growing and diverse community. This report  captures how our City employees, as responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, have found innovative and creative ways to enhance service delivery, capture savings across the organization, and grow in a sustainable way in 2024.”

The report identifies over $5.4 million saved through cost savings, cost avoidance and reductions, with an additional $1.9 million in cost avoidance to come over the next three to five years.

The 2024 SSS Report is available at saskatoon.ca/SSSreport. As well, you will also find a video on this webpage that provides a preview of the full report, highlighting four of the stories featured in 2024. 

 

Saskatoon Transit contracted the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) through the National Planning Service for the Government of Canada’s Zero Emission Transit Fund, to create a comprehensive Zero Emissions Bus (ZEB) Implementation Plan. The plan assessed Saskatoon Transit's readiness to transition to a fully zero emission bus fleet.

The study considers economic, technological, social and environmental benefits, risks and constraints of investing in zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure in Saskatoon using three scenarios: full battery electric bus (BEB) fleet, full hydrogen fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) fleet and a fleet with a mix of both.

Both battery electric and hydrogen-powered buses rely significantly on the power grid for charging or fuel production. Saskatchewan power plants use fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas to generate electricity, which emit greenhouse gases and offset the benefits of reduced tailpipe emissions from zero emission buses.

Financial cost is also a significant factor, as the total life cycle cost (15 years) of a fleet of 100% FCEBs would cost $1.1 billion using current prices and $18.2 million for facility retrofits. A fleet of 100% BEBs would have a total life cycle cost (15 years) of $479.2 million and require $47.7 million in facility costs and on-route charging infrastructure.

“The data and analysis in the zero emissions bus study provide a roadmap for Saskatoon Transit to follow when power is generated by a higher proportion of renewable energy sources in Saskatchewan,” says Mike Moellenbeck, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “Saskatoon Transit will continue to monitor advancements in technology, funding programs and changes in the power grid to transition to ZEBs when it is feasible.”

"Transit decarbonization is a critical pathway to the reduction of emissions at the municipal level. But based on the carbon intensity of provincial grids, electrification is not always a slam dunk because of pollution from electrical grids,” says Josipa Petrunic, President and CEO of CUTRIC. “As the provincial grid system decarbonizes in upcoming decades, electrification will become a more viable option for cities like Saskatoon as they transition away from fossil fuels."

A new Transit fleet renewal strategy for annual diesel bus purchases will be presented to City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Transportation (SPCT) for consideration in June.

For more information, please refer to the Full-Fleet Zero Emission Bus Implementation Plan - CUTRIC Report on the agenda for today's SPCT meeting.

An employment program designed to make community safety and well-being improvements is underway in Saskatoon. 

To acknowledge the launch of the Saskatoon Wellbeing Employment Enterprise Program (SWEEP) and in preparation for Red Dress Day on May 5, a smudging ceremony had taken place this morning to coincide with the cleaning and maintenance of the Red Star Dancer monument located outside the Saskatoon Police Service headquarters.

The monument, known as "Wicanhi Duta Win” (Red Star Woman), is a sculpture that honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. To go about the cleaning of the monument in a good way, an all-female SWEEP team had tasked with the cleaning.

SWEEP is a collaborative initiative between the City and Quint Development Corporation (Quint), funded by Public Safety Canada’s Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF). The program goal intends to enhance community safety and well-being through the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). By focusing on environmental improvements, SWEEP aims to reduce crime and foster a sense of security within neighbourhoods. The pilot program will run until March 2026.

“SWEEP is a testament to the City's commitment to fostering an inclusive and safe community. By collaborating with the community, we can support residents by creating jobs that might not otherwise exist due to barriers and past experiences. This allows us to build a stronger and safer Saskatoon while also enhancing community safety and well-being,” says Tenille Thomson, Community Development Manager. “The cleaning of the Red Star Dancer monument is just one example of the great work performed by SWEEP's crews and represents the many successes that have emerged out of this program."

The program, operated by Quint, provides employment opportunities for community members who are leaving a correctional life or who may face significant barriers to workforce entry. Individuals have a chance to rebuild their lives through stable employment, which is complemented by comprehensive support services. SWEEP crew members receive life-skills training and wraparound support, including assistance with housing, family reconnection and navigating parole. This holistic approach ensures that participants are well-equipped to reintegrate into society and contribute positively to their communities.

“SWEEP is a unique social enterprise that addresses unjust social and economic barriers and embodies our organization's mission. The program stacks positive outcomes, both revitalizing our neighbourhoods and empowering participants to transform their lives. In less than a year, we have already seen the remarkable impact SWEEP has had not only on our participants but also the community at large,” says Kristen Thoms, Executive Director, Quint Development Corp.

SWEEP’s services are dedicated to tasks that improve overall public safety, cleanliness and community wellbeing. Examples of work performed by SWEEP crews include:

• Trash removal and diversion
• Graffiti maintenance
• Biological waste removal
• Additional supports to City operations

Those who are interested in hiring a SWEEP crew can do so by contacting Quint at info@quintsaskatoon.ca.

For additional information about SWEEP, visit: quintsaskatoon.ca/sweep.

The City of Saskatoon and Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik (Women Walking Together) invite families and community members to join them in recognizing Red Dress Day on May 5—the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ People. The day aims to honour, and to broaden and sharpen societal awareness of the thousands of Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people who have experienced disproportionate violence in Canada. This year's events include a focus on the prevention of future violence against these groups in our community.

The day will begin with a Knowledge Sharing event at Cosmo Civic Centre, featuring information booths focused on raising awareness of safety, domestic violence, human trafficking and its risk factors, and current community supports. The goal of the Knowledge Sharing is to build capacity within the community to prevent and ultimately eliminate the risk that Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit+ individuals face in everyday life. Community members can register for a session on Training Active Bystanders, where they will gain tools for responsible intervention and supporting those in need while avoiding complicity through inaction.

The Red Dress Day Walk will follow the Knowledge Sharing. The walk was started three years ago in Saskatoon by Faith Bosse, daughter of Daleen Bosse, a 25-year-old University of Saskatchewan student, wife, and mother, who disappeared in 2004 and was later found murdered. Faith explains, “As the daughter of a missing and murdered Indigenous woman, hosting this walk is important to me, and being her voice, as well as the voice of other women and girls, who are still missing or have been taken away from their families. My main goal is to get the message out to our community and also educate them about the dangers we as Indigenous women face every day.”

Darlene Okemaysim-Sicotte is a 20 plus year member and co-chair of Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik (Women Walking Together), one of the partner organizations for Red Dress Day. Darlene affirms, "Red Dress Day is for families of MMIWG 2SLGBTQQIA to share their love about their missing loved ones. Nothing about us without us."

Other partners coming together to host Red Dress Day include the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), Métis Nation—Saskatchewan, the City of Saskatoon, Central Urban Métis Federation Inc., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Police Service, and Family Information Liaison Units (Department of Justice, Government of Canada). Financial support for the event comes from the Government of Saskatchewan’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ Community Response Fund.

For details on Red Dress Day events, visit http://www.saskatoon.ca/reddress 

For media interview requests please contact:

Carrie Catherine, Event Organizer: 306-241-6297 makesharechange@gmail.com

2025 is going to be an exciting year as the Link rapid transit project drives forward, according to reports going forward to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation on May 6, 2025. The reports outline the concept plan of Link along College Drive, as well as a construction update for 2025. This builds on the numerous come-and-go events the project team held in March and marks a major milestone in the project as construction moves forward toward a goal of a 2028 service launch.

“The College Drive section of the Link route is incredibly important, as it will move a large number of people from, to and through the area,” says Terry Schmidt, General Manager of Transportation and Construction. “We are also pleased to share that we will be building 44 Link station platforms across the city in 2025, a major addition to the six platforms that were built in 2024. The rest of the platforms, as well as the building of shelters, information displays and other furniture will come online over the next few years with system launch planned for 2028.”

Link rapid transit routing, including dedicated bus lanes on College Drive and 1^st Avenue, was approved by City Council in April 2019 and work has continued since through technical design and engagement with the public. 2025 construction work is anticipated to start in mid-May and will continue through to mid-October. Construction of corridor improvements on College Drive is planned to commence in 2026.

“More than 73 per cent of the cost of Link is being covered by partnerships with the Province of Saskatchewan and the Government of Canada,” says Schmidt. “Once service is launched it will move people across the city more sustainably and efficiently and will change the way transit works in Saskatoon.”

For more information on the project please visit saskatoon.ca/link.

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and the City of Saskatoon celebrated a special signing ceremony today in Council Chamber. During the ceremony the Municipal Services and Compatibility Agreement, and the corresponding Police Services Agreement, were signed by Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Chief Peter Beatty, along with Council of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners Chair, Shirley Greyeyes. The agreements pave the way for the Nation’s land located at 1623-1625 Quebec Avenue to be designated as an urban reserve by the federal government.

At its regularly scheduled meeting on September 25, 2024, City Council approved the Municipal Services and Compatibility Agreement negotiated with Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation. The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners also approved the Police Services Agreement at their regularly scheduled meeting on September 19, 2024. These agreements fulfill the municipal requirements for urban reserve designation. Due to the 2024 municipal election the signing ceremony was delayed until today.

"This signing ceremony is the culmination of many people’s efforts and dedication to economic Reconciliation in our community, including our partners at Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and our former and current Mayor and Councils. The City of Saskatoon’s approach to economic growth is rooted in collaboration with Indigenous leadership," said Mayor Cynthia Block. "I’m proud of the work we’ve done to create opportunities for Indigenous communities, including supporting the establishment of 12 urban reserves - more than any other city in Canada. Reconciliation must be more than words. We need to move forward side-by-side with mutual benefit, as the Treaties intended.”

"I look forward to seeing our partners at Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation continue to grow and thrive in our city."

This marks the 12^th urban reserve application in Saskatoon, with eight urban reserves having been formally designated by the federal government. Decisions on reserve designation are made by the federal government. When a property transfers to reserve status, it is no longer under City jurisdiction.

The municipal and police services agreements address:

• municipal and police services the City will provide;
• service fees Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation will pay the City in lieu of property taxes; and,
• compatible land-use and development standards.

“We look forward to this partnership with the City of Saskatoon. This assists us in continuing to grow and adds to our other seven businesses that are already established in Saskatoon and area through Peter Ballantyne Group of Companies and its partners,” says Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Chief Peter A. Beatty

“Our development as a First Nation is tied to Economic Development activities as one of the success factors. The creation of an urban reserve in Saskatchewan’s largest city and economic centre will assist PBCN in achieving those goals and only makes sense to do this. We look at this as a win-win scenario for PBCN and the City. It benefits all by establishing more jobs and employment opportunities in the local area as well as creating more revenue for the local economy.

We would like to thank the former Mayor Charlie Clark and Council for starting this process as well as the current Mayor Cynthia Block and Council members for continuing to invest in the future of the City and PBCN.”

For more information on urban reserves, please visit saskatoon.ca/urbanreserves.