News Releases

Over the next several weeks, visitors to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) will start to see the Zoo animals preparing for the cooler winter temperatures ahead. Many species including the snow leopard, lynx, bobcats, bison and caribou thrive in cooler temperatures thanks to some very cool natural adaptations.

“Caribou are well adapted to life in cold climates,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “The herd at the Zoo is already working on developing their dense undercoat made up of ultra-fine fur and a longer overcoat of hollow guard hairs that will keep them warm throughout the winter. Caribou also have large, sharp hooves that act like snowshoes allowing them to walk on top of the snow.”

Other animals like the grizzly bears and prairie dogs, are getting ready to sleep away the cold winter days.

“Mistaya and Koda have started making their beds so to speak,” says Mitchell. “You might see the bears combing through the extra straw and leaves the zookeepers have placed throughout their habitat. Mistaya and Koda like to carefully select each leaf and piece of straw, only taking the best of the best back to their den to make their bed.”

Dingoes Maple and Euci will soon be off-exhibit as the cool weather settles in. While the dingoes love to play in the snow for brief periods of time, they will be spending most of their time in their indoor habitat in favour of warmer temperatures.

A reminder to purchase your 2023 Zoo Season Passes before December 31, 2022 to receive 2022 rates. Zoo Season Passes are available for purchase at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo or any Leisure Centre.

The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visit saskatoon.ca/zoo for more information or to plan your next visit.

Helping Canadians upgrade their homes to be more energy-efficient fights climate change, creates good jobs and helps save on monthly bills.

The Community Efficiency Financing initiative is offered through the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) delivered by FCM and funded by the Government of Canada. CEF helps communities of all sizes implement innovative local financing programs that directly help homeowners cut their greenhouse gas emissions, make their homes more energy-efficient, comfortable and affordable, while creating local jobs and keeping the local economy moving.

This initiative is one of the ways GMF continues to build on its 20-year record of supporting transformative environmental initiatives at the community level. The Government of Canada has invested $1.65 billion in the GMF since its inception, enabling municipalities to support projects like this that will leverage local resources to drive innovative solutions.

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Dozens of residents in Saskatoon’s Haultain and Queen Elizabeth neighbourhoods can rest a little easier knowing there is less of a likelihood of their properties flooding during intense rainfalls. A new dry storm pond in W.W. Ashley District Park, enjoyed as a newly developed park and sports field during dry weather, officially opened today.

The new dry storm pond is the first of nine to be completed under the Flood Control Strategy (FCS) which was approved by City Council in 2018. The second project is underway right now in Churchill Park and will open in fall 2023. In early 2023, construction will start on a dry storm pond in Weaver Park and six more FCS projects will be built between 2024 and 2027. The Government of Canada has contributed $21.6 million towards Saskatoon’s Flood Control Strategy through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.

“Our Government is proud to be contributing to Saskatoon’s Flood Control Strategy,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “By investing in disaster mitigation and adaptation, we are safeguarding Saskatonians’ homes and livelihoods against the natural events brought on by climate change and building more resilient Prairie communities.”

“The W.W. Ashley Park Dry Storm Pond has already proven to be a tremendous success,” said Saskatoon Mayor, Charlie Clark. “During a significant rain event this summer, it prevented flooding in an area of the city that historically experiences floods. It also provides accessible walking paths and retains recreational space and green space when not containing storm water. The City has plans for more dry ponds and will continue work on projects in the Flood Control Strategy to help minimize flooding in the highest risk locations in the city. Through continued partnerships, we’re able to deliver better infrastructure to residents that help mitigate damage from natural events.”

“We have a well thought out strategy in place to ensure all of our projects are built and functioning by 2027,” said Russ Munro, Director of Saskatoon Water. “Flooding is never ideal, but I think we were fortunate to witness how this first flood mitigation project actually ended up exceeding our expectations during the rainstorm on June 20^th. It demonstrated these projects are a solution when it comes to protecting neighbourhood homes from being devastated by floods.”

Dry storm ponds hold water that would otherwise cause nearby flooding during intense rainfalls. The water flows into storm drains, then through underground pipes into the dry storm pond, where it then flows toward and empties into the South Saskatchewan River.

Once the FCS projects are completed, the City anticipates seeing a substantial decrease in the amount of neighbourhood flooding in the top 10 highest risk areas of Saskatoon.

For more information about the FCS, visit saskatoon.ca/floodplan.

Saskatoon Transit received 40 bus stop nominations from residents during the 2022 edition of the Bus Stop Blues campaign.  

As part of the campaign, which is now in its fourth year, stop nominations are grouped into one of three categories: sidewalk/accessibility; new shelter/repair; or general maintenance. This year, 90% of the nominations were for either for a new shelter or repairs to an existing shelter.

A total of 19 nominations were received through this year’s campaign for a new shelter, all of which will be reviewed in detail.

“When determining a new shelter location, we look at safety and connectivity, property lines and also examine how a location request correlates to what is proposed within the future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network,” says Cory Shrigley, Customer Support & Engagement Manager with Saskatoon Transit. “Boarding data, direction of travel, service frequency, and whether it serves multiple routes is also taken into consideration.”

Shrigley also notes that many of this year’s campaign nominations involved broken glass at existing bus shelters, these will all be addressed in the coming weeks. When the glass in a shelter is broken, it is cleaned up as soon as it can be, on the day it is reported to Saskatoon Transit, with glass typically replaced within a week. However, this summer many shelters were being smashed on the same day as glass was repaired with the total cost of replacing all glass in a shelter being $2,000.

“The Bus Stop Blues campaign is important to us, as it allows riders an opportunity to communicate where the priority areas are to improve the transit experience” says Shrigley. “Safety, reliability, and ease of access are essential to increasing ridership.”

“As we work towards a BRT system, Transit connectivity becomes even more important. We’re looking to the future in terms of the locations that make sense, along with responding to the needs of those we serve today,” says Taha Najam, Transit Planning Engineer.

The total investment for bus stop improvements from September 2022 – September 2023 is $100,000.

The International Council of Aging designated October 3 to 9, 2022, as Active Aging Week – a time to celebrate aging and the benefits of active living at any age.

Active Aging Week challenges society’s expectations of aging by showing that regardless of age or health conditions, adults over 50 can live life to the fullest.

“Recreation & Community Development prioritizes and encourages Active Aging through the variety of drop-in and registered programs offered at our Leisure Centres”, says Andrew Roberts, Director of Recreation & Community Development. Programs have been categorized as Fit Over 50 programs and provide a guide to physical activity for people 50+.

To celebrate Active Aging week, the City’s Recreation & Community Development department invites residents to stop by a Leisure Centre during Active Aging Week. An ambassador will be on location to talk about fall programs. It’s also a chance to win prizes, visit with friends and relax after exercising.

• Shaw Centre: Monday, October 3 (9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
• Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre: Tuesday, October 4 (9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.)
• Lakewood Civic Centre: Wednesday, October 5 (8:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.)
• Saskatoon Field House: Thursday, October 6 (9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.)
• Lawson Civic Centre: Friday, October 7 (10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)

To learn more about Active Aging Week and programs available, visit saskatoon.ca/fitover50.

One more way to take Reconciliation action in conjunction with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Registration has opened for the 8th Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference. After two years of meeting virtually, this year’s conference will be held in person at TCU Place on November 28-29. There is also an option to attend virtually.

The Wîcihitowin Conference has been an annual event since 2014 when a group of organizations in Saskatchewan came together to imagine and deliver the first event. “Wîcihitowin” is a Cree/Saulteaux term meaning “to help each other/to work together”. 

“I attended a residential school from 1958 to 1969,” says Residential School Survivor and conference advisor, Eugene Arcand. “This conference is to honour and learn from Residential School Survivors and those that have survived with resilience from the Sixties Scoop. I want to thank everyone who chooses to participate because showing up matters and these conversations matter.”

The conference provides a platform for those with acquired or lived experience to share their teachings. It also provides a forum to share resources and tools to support culturally respectful organizations. The event is for anyone working towards respectful Indigenous engagement and inclusion.

“The City of Saskatoon has been a proud partner of this event since its inception,” says the City’s Director of Indigenous Initiatives, Melissa Cote. “The program is always exceptional and the perspective of speakers so vast and varied. We feel humbled to be a part of this important event that so many people look forward to each year.”

Between 2007 and 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada travelled to all parts of Canada to bear witness to residential school experiences; to create a permanent historical record; and to engage and educate the public about Survivor experiences and intergenerational impacts. The theme of the 2022 Wîcihitowin Conference will be Bearing Witness in acknowledgement of this critical aspect of Reconciliation. 

This year’s speaker line-up includes the Commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: The Honourable Murray Sinclair, Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild, and Dr. Marie Wilson. Conference attendees will also hear from Chief Cadmus Delorme, Chief of the Cowessess First Nation, and others who are demonstrating leadership in the area of Reconciliation.

Executive-in-Residence at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy and conference emcee, Neal Kewistep, says: “Bearing Witness is something that didn’t end with the completion of the TRC’s work. In keeping with the oral traditions of Indigenous Peoples, witnesses are called upon to be the keepers of history when a significant event happens. Bearing Witness is a way to acknowledge, validate, and legitimize the Truth.”

Registration is available at wicihitowin.ca. For conference updates, you can also follow Wîcihitowin YXE on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

The Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference is made possible through contributions by the City of Saskatoon, United Way Saskatoon & Area, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, Saskatchewan Health Authority, and Saskatoon Public Library. The organizing committee would also like to thank its many investors including Nutrien, the Saskatoon Community Foundation, Saskatchewan Health Quality Council, Discover Saskatoon, and many more.

The City of Saskatoon and Reconciliation Saskatoon are co-hosting a Pipe Ceremony & Survivors’ Flag Raising this morning to start the week that includes the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

“Our objective is to collectively set intentions for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and the Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation,” says Pipe Carrier and Knowledge Keeper, Corine Eyahpaise. “We are coming together to reflect and also to set our sights on a brighter future for every member of this community.”

The flag being raised is the newly unveiled Survivors’ Flag, meant to honour Residential School Survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the Residential School System in Canada. Each element depicted on the flag was carefully selected by Survivors from across Canada. Eugene Arcand – who attended St. Michael’s Residential School in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan and is now Chair of the Saskatoon Survivors Circle – was one of the Survivors consulted in the flag’s creation.

Eugene Arcand says: “On the flag, there is an incomplete circle that surrounds this image much in the same way that there are still many Truths to be told before we come close to understanding the impact residential schools had on Survivors, communities, and the entire nation. And there is a story yet to be told. We are at a point in time where we have to ask ourselves how we want our future generations to see what actions we have taken towards healing and reconciliation.”

The Survivors' Flag will be on display in Civic Square (off 23rd St E, between 3rd and 4th Ave N) until Oct. 3, 2022. Note that the Survivors’ Flag, and all flags in Civic Square, will fly at half-mast until Sept. 29 in recognition of Firefighters National Memorial Day and Police & Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day.

Orange Banner Project

During the Pipe Ceremony & Flag Raising, Saskatoon Tribal Chief, Mark Arcand and Saskatoon Mayor, Charlie Clark were invited to speak to the Orange Banner Project. The Orange Banner Project is an initiative to raise awareness about Reconciliation in conjunction with the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It refers to the close to 250 orange banners with Reconciliation messages that were installed on light poles over this past weekend.

“The Orange Banner Project is meant to honour the children that didn’t make it home, the ones who made it home, and the ones that are still lost and away from the home fires,” says Tribal Chief Arcand. “By connecting the west and east sides of the city, the banners signify the need to build bridges throughout our city. It also takes us on a path of recognizing our relatives in the core neighbourhoods, along Spadina Crescent where many churches are located, and by the U of S as a symbol of higher education and a brighter future.”

The banners appear along the following route:

• Starting at 20th Street W where it intersects with Avenue P S
• Continuing east along 20 Street as far as Spadina Crescent E
• Continuing northeast along Spadina Crescent as far as University Bridge
• Restarting on the other side of University Bridge, heading east on College Drive
• Continuing along College Drive until Preston Avenue N

There are 10 different banners, reading as follows:

• Banner #1: More than 150,000 attended residential schools 
• Banner #2: Many never returned home 
• Banner #3: It isn’t just Indigenous history 
• Banner #4: It is our shared history 
• Banner #5: We are telling our stories 
• Banner #6: Every Child Matters   
• Banner #7: Over 160 years of pain 
• Banner #8: But together we can heal 
• Banner #9: Saskatoon Survivors Circle – ayacimoyok “We are telling our stories” 
• Banner # 10: Commitment to Reconciliation [Metis Survivors] 

“We wanted to reach as many people in our city as possible with this initiative,” says Mayor Clark. “We hope that people will make some time to walk along a piece of the route and take in the messages and reflect on them. This is an opportunity to continue building awareness and to create a sense of community since Truth and Reconciliation is up to all of us.”

The Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation on Sept. 30 will take place along a portion of the Orange Banner Project route. You can learn more about the Rock Your Roots Walk at saskatoon.ca/Indigenous or by connecting to the Facebook Event.

The Orange Banner Project is an initiative of the Saskatoon Tribal Council and City of Saskatoon. The Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation is organized by Reconciliation Saskatoon with support from the City of Saskatoon. 

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is deeply saddened to announce the loss of Buddy, a 15-year-old grey wolf. Animal care and veterinary staff made the difficult decision to euthanize the geriatric wolf due to his declining health associated with his advanced age.

Buddy had been facing some geriatric health concerns including arthritis, kidney issues and failing vision. Staff had been closely monitoring and managing his comfort and care, but in recent months, Buddy’s condition declined significantly. Veterinary and animal care staff made careful adjustments to his medications and treatment plan to ensure Buddy’s comfort. However, his condition had progressed to the point that staff could no longer ensure his comfort and quality of life.  

Buddy arrived at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo in 2007 and played an integral role in the educational programming at the Zoo inspiring guests, students and families to help conserve and protect this incredible species.

“Buddy loved to have visitors at the Zoo,” said Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “He would often come up to the glass to greet students and families with his unique whimper of excitement. He was an amazing ambassador for his species and will be missed by all who came to know him.”

The average life expectancy of a grey wolf is six to eight years in the wild and up to 15 years in zoological facilities. They grey wolf is classified as Least Concern on the endangered species list.

The Zoo has set up two commemorative signs outside the wolf exhibit at the Nutrien Ark. Everyone is welcome to write a message for Buddy, the signs will be on display until Tuesday, September 27.

The City of Saskatoon has released its 2021 Annual Report to the public having received the opinion of the external auditor. Per The Cities Act, the 2021 Audited Financial Statements and Reports were presented to City Council for information on Monday, August 29, 2022. The Annual Report containing the consolidated financial statements is the legally required public report of the City's finances.

“The 2021 Annual Report highlights the City’s progress on major projects and initiatives by business line, our achievements and ongoing priorities as set out in the Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget, and the City's financial position at the end of 2021,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. 

“Against the ongoing challenges and the uncertainty of COVID-19 in 2021, we continued to find creative ways to be resilient and responsive in the delivery of our key civic services to the community,” says Hack. “We remain committed to ensuring residents receive value from the services and programs provided by local government, and from the investments made through their tax dollars.”

Financial highlights from 2021 show the City had:

• consolidated operating revenues of $1.08 billion and operating expenses of $892.3 million resulting in a net surplus of $186.7 million
• a strengthened accumulated surplus from $4.6 billion to $4.8 billion, an increase of 4.0% over 2020’s figures
• a 2.95% increase in overall Reserves from $208.7 million to $270.4 million
• a year-end deficit for tax-based operations before the transfer from the fiscal stabilization Reserve of $1.1 million, the same operating deficit that was reported to City Council at its meeting on April 25, 2022

Award-Winning Financial Reporting

For the 14^th consecutive year, the City of Saskatoon received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Canadian Award for Financial Reporting (2020). The 2021 Annual Report will be submitted to the GFOA for consideration for this year's award.

The City also had its S & P Global ‘AAA/ Stable’ credit rating reconfirmed for 2021 (and again in January for 2022 ), supported by the City’s cautious financial decision-making and willingness to explore innovative and alternative ways to fund, finance, deliver and make progress on important infrastructure projects.

Intending to be one of the best-managed cities in Canada, the 2021 Annual Report reflects the City’s ongoing dedication to continuous improvement, accountability to the public we serve, transparency and clarity in financial reporting.  

Visit saskatoon.ca/finance to view the 2021 Annual Report. Citizens may request an individually printed copy by emailing finance@saskatoon.ca.

A pair of size options to collect residential garbage at single family households will be presented to the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities & Corporate Services (EUCS) at its meeting Tuesday, September 6. The options are part of a report preparing the City’s move to a variable garbage cart utility in January 2024.

A variable black cart utility is a rate-based program where residents pay fees for the volume of waste they dispose and the services they receive based on the size of their garbage cart.

“While people are free to choose whatever they want, the volume-based rate structure is designed to encourage residents to divert as much waste as possible away from the landfill,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water and Waste Operations. “Residents with the largest garbage carts pay more and those with the smallest pay less.”  

The decision to fund both the garbage and organics services through payments on utility bills was approved October 18, 2021 by the Governance and Priorities Committee of City Council, at which time the Committee asked the Administration to evaluate the funding model and present options on timing, phase-in and affordability.

The two options up for discussion are:

• Option 1 (Recommended by Administration):
  • Three different garbage cart sizes would be available to residents upon request.
  • Residents would have a choice of cart sizes ranging from a 180 litre, 240 litre and the current 360 litre for year-round bi-weekly pick-up service.
  • This illustration compares the volume of the three black cart sizes. 

• Option 2:
  • Two different garbage cart sizes would be available to residents upon request -- the current large 360 litre and new medium 240 litre black cart for year-round bi-weekly pick-up service.

“Moving to a volume-based cart program will give residents choice based on their waste needs and it’s one of many components under the City’s Waste Reduction and Diversion Strategy to meet our waste diversion goals,” Lemke says. “We recommend Option 1 to City Council because it increases the customer’s control over their costs and provides financial incentives for waste diversion at a lower overall investment.”

The full report and attachments (appendix 1; appendix 2) can be found here.

For more information on waste and recycling, visit saskatoon.ca/wastediversion.