News Releases

For the safety and protection of residents and homeowners on the east riverbank, new regulations are being proposed to support continued development of riverbank areas.  The City has identified two zones on the east bank with existing ground conditions that may experience slope instability to be regulated on a go-forward basis.  

“The regulations provide options for owners to continue development within the area while maintaining, to the extent possible, the integrity of the riverbank,” says Kara Fagnou, Director of Building Standards.  “Meanwhile the City continues to monitor the east and west riverbank slopes for slope instability.”  

Fagnou says historical studies, recent geological assessments and a review of slope management practices from across Canada have been used to develop the proposed regulations. The regulations she says are intended to provide consistency and a clear process to support development in the two zones. 

The proposed regulations are outlined in an Administration report to the Municipal Planning Commission which meets today, Tuesday, October 29.  The regulations provide a clear process for the development of new structures, changes to existing structures and site work.  Examples of development are minor projects such as decks and garages, and major projects including houses, retaining walls, and swimming pools.   

Owners will be required to hire a geotechnical engineer to prepare a geotechnical report to support their building and development permit application. Geotechnical reports are already required for subdividing and rezoning property on the east riverbank and the proposed regulations will help to make requirements consistent throughout the area.

Owners will need to review the recommendations with their geotechnical expert, including costs of development, to understand the impacts of developing their property both for themselves and for the surrounding area.  

Following the Municipal Planning Commission meeting the regulations are expected to proceed to the Public Hearing meeting of City Council on November 18.

A map of the Riverbank Slope Overlay District can be viewed here.

The City and Kahkewistahaw [kak-uh-WISH’-tuh-how] First Nation have cleared a path to designate the First Nation’s land at 1215 Claypool Drive as an urban reserve.

Mayor Charlie Clark and Chief Evan Taypotat, along with the Council of Kahkewistahaw First Nation, and Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners Chair, Darlene Brander, today signed urban reserve agreements during a special signing ceremony.

“Creating a new urban reserve in Saskatoon is a sign of strength for our city,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “We can be proud as a community that the Kahkewistahaw First Nation saw opportunity in Saskatoon for a partnership and committed to work with the City to spur investment and opportunity. Urban reserves forge new relationships and stimulate growth, and I would like to thank the Chief and Council for advancing this in Saskatoon.”

At its regularly scheduled meeting on September 30, 2019, City Council approved the Municipal Services and Compatibility Agreement negotiated with Kahkewistahaw First Nation. The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners also approved the Police Services Agreement at their regularly scheduled meeting on October 17, 2019. These agreements fulfill the municipal requirements for urban reserve designation.

The agreements address:

• Municipal and police services the City will provide;
• service fees Kahkewistahaw First Nation will pay the City in lieu of property taxes; and,
• compatible land-use and development standards. 

“Chief and Council of the Kahkewistahaw First Nation represent approximately 2,100 Cree band members. We are pleased to come to an agreement with the City of Saskatoon on a proposed Municipal Service Agreement (MSA). We are appreciative that this MSA was approved unanimously by the Saskatoon City Council. This demonstrates that they are in favor of Kahkewistahaw’s proposed land development in the Hampton Village Business Park. We intend to name this property Kahkewistahaw Eagles Landing,” says Kahkewistahaw First Nation Chief Evan B.G. Taypotat.  

“We firmly believe that economic development is where Kahkewistahaw’s sovereignty lies. If we can make jobs, we employ our people. If we employ our people, they make money. If a person has money for their family, they have opportunity. If they have opportunity, then we leave the affect of residential school in the past. That is the vision and direction we will proceed with Kahkewistahaw Eagles Landing. We are excited that there will be numerous possibilities for all the people who call Saskatoon home. Together, we will make Saskatoon the greatest city in Canada to live in.”

Decisions on reserve designation are made by the federal government. Once the property is designated as a reserve, it will become the eighth urban reserve in Saskatoon. When a property transfers to reserve status, it is no longer under City jurisdiction.

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

About Kahkewistahaw First Nation
Kahkewistahaw First Nation is a member of the Yorkton Tribal Council whose home reserve is located approximately 15 kilometres north of Broadview, Saskatchewan. A signatory of Treaty No. 4, Kahkewistahaw First Nation has 2,020 members. Approximately 670 members reside on the home reserve and 1,350 members live in other communities throughout the province. 

The City of Saskatoon has now recovered just over two thirds or nearly $700 thousand of the City’s money that was directed to a fraudster’s bank account in August 2019 through a fraud scheme – that’s roughly $300 thousand more than last month’s update.

“We recognize and are thankful for the efforts expended by multiple parties in order to recover these funds and look forward to further recovery in the coming weeks,” says City Manager Jeff Jorgenson.

Jorgenson says the next court hearing on this matter is scheduled for November 5, 2019, in Toronto.

“As we continue our work with investigators, banks and our legal team in Ontario, we’re optimistic that the remaining funds that are still frozen in several bank accounts will soon be returned to the City.”

Jorgenson anticipates an update report on the findings of the internal investigation will be provided to City Council and the public likely in November or December of 2019. 

A fraudster obtained $1.04 million in the scheme, and any money that has not been returned to the City has been identified, traced and locked down by the Court.

View related news releases on this matter on saskatoon.ca.

Over 800 leading experts, community leaders, elders and youth are coming together in Saskatoon today for the Wîcihitowin (wee-chee-HEE’-toe-win) Indigenous Engagement Conference.

Reaching its highest attendance yet, the conference focuses on responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and how to address Indigenous engagement and inclusion issues. The conference also aims to build allies in the community and honour Indian residential school survivors, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, sixties scoop and day schools.

This year’s conference theme - Be a good person, try to lead a good life - honours the late Walter Linklater, a well-known and respected knowledge keeper who shared many universal teachings that continue to help guide people on a path to reconciliation.

“Our late father Walter Linklater often spoke about education as a way to bring people together and build bridges of understanding,” says son Lyndon Linklater, Traditional Knowledge Keeper. “To use our traditions and ceremonies to meet the challenges and crises we will encounter in our lives. Above all, to respect each other, to be kind to one another, and to try to live a good life.”

The conference welcomes an impressive and diverse line-up of 50 keynote speakers and panelists from across Canada, including Dr. James Makokis and Anthony Johnson, better known as Team Ahkameyimok, winners of The Amazing Race Canada, Season 7.
This year, attendees will learn from core teachings, gather key takeaways, and gain practical resources to incorporate reconciliation in both their personal and professional lives.

“Moving towards reconciliation takes courage and commitment from leading organizations within our communities, and a recognized responsibility from each of us as individuals to listen and learn the truth,” says Lisa Mooney, Global Lead, Sustainability & Strategic Inclusion, Nutrien.  “Nutrien is proud to support Wîcihitowin in cultivating an environment of openness, acceptance and healing through sharing the stories of Indian residential school survivors and encouraging safe conversations that plant the seeds of understanding.”

Conference topics include Indigenous health transformation, the impact of colonialism on Indigenous values, traditions, languages and customs, and restoring the rights of Indigenous women and girls to citizenship and safety.

“As a residential school survivor, to see this conference evolve to where it is today, is a testament of our Elders who prayed for us while we were at these schools and to our courageous youth who listened to those prayers and by letting others know that we were not forgotten. My healing journey continues with Wîcihitowin in my heart,” says Gilbert Kewistep, Knowledge Keeper, Indian residential school survivor and Wîcihitowin Conference Organizer.

This conference is made possible because of the financial support of community investors such as Nutrien, the Saskatoon Community Foundation, Affinity Credit Union and 15 other organizations representing businesses and organizations from across the province.  

The Wîcihitowin Organizing Committee is already looking ahead to next year’s conference to be held on October 6 - 8, 2020.

Following a request from the City of Winnipeg, twenty workers from Saskatoon Light & Power and the Parks Division will travel tomorrow to help clean-up efforts in the Manitoba capital.

“We are all very proud of our staff for volunteering to leave their friends and families,” says City Manager Jeff Jorgenson.

“When the call went out asking for anyone interested to go to Winnipeg, there were more volunteers than spots available. This speaks to the dedication of City workers willing to help our neighbours during a time of need.”

On Saturday October 12, Winnipeg EMO asked its Emergency Management counterparts in Saskatoon for assistance after a severe winter storm hit the province Wednesday, October 9.

The storm badly damaged Winnipeg’s urban forest, with estimates in the tens of thousands of City-owned trees damaged. The storm’s effects prompted that city to declare a Local State of Emergency on Sunday. 

A safe clean-up requires trained and skilled staff with the proper equipment, so City of Saskatoon staff worked over the weekend to gather resources to deploy to Winnipeg. To help clear downed trees, limbs and debris in Winnipeg, the 20 workers will respond with:

• 4 aerial lift trucks with chippers
• 2 ground trucks with chippers
• 1 log truck
• 2 half ton trucks

The City of Winnipeg will cover all costs. The Saskatoon team is expected to leave at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow and scheduled to be in Winnipeg for five days.

The City and Kahkewistahaw First Nation have cleared a path to designate the First Nation’s land at 1215 Claypool Drive as an urban reserve.

The City will host a special signing ceremony on Tuesday, October 22, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. in Council Chambers for the Kahkewistahaw First Nation Chief and Council, the Mayor and the Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners to come together to formally sign the Agreements and honour the relationship between Kahkewistahaw First Nation and the City. 

At its regularly scheduled meeting on September 30, 2019, City Council approved the Municipal Services and Compatibility Agreement negotiated with Kahkewistahaw First Nation to fulfill the requirement needed for urban reserve designation. 

The agreements address:

• Municipal and police services the City will provide;
• service fees Kahkewistahaw First Nation will pay the City in lieu of property taxes; and,
• compatible land-use and development standards. 

Decisions on reserve designation are made by the federal government. Once the property is designated as a reserve, it will become the eighth urban reserve in Saskatoon. When a property transfers to reserve status, it is no longer under City jurisdiction.

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

About Kahkewistahaw First Nation
Kahkewistahaw First Nation is a member of the Yorkton Tribal Council whose home reserve is located approximately 15 kilometres north of Broadview, Saskatchewan. A signatory of Treaty No. 4, Kahkewistahaw First Nation has 2,020 members.  Approximately 670 members reside on the home reserve and 1,350 members live in other communities throughout the province. 

City Council, at its regular business meeting held on September 30, 2019 opted to maintain the list of acceptable items, minus black plastics and polycoat (e.g. disposable coffee cups), as recommend by the Administration. This decision comes during a wave of uncertainty in the global recycling markets, driven by restrictions imposed by the Chinese Government, falling oil prices, and weak market prices in the plastics market.

“An ideal scenario would have us accepting all recyclable material, but unfortunately that is out of our control,” says Russ Munro, Director of Water & Waste Operations. “Changing markets and higher processing costs are the reality we are facing, but we will continue to be diligent in working with our recycling partners to run an efficient and cost effective recycling program for Saskatoon residents. We believe the decision made by Council to enter into this long term contract will help stabilize us during this time of uncertainty in the recycling market and put us in a more favourable financial position than other prairie cities with similar recycling programs.”

City Council also opted to continue the Glass Recycling Partnership with SARCAN Recycling which would see a greater number of glass bottles being diverted for recycling. Glass will still be collected through the Curbside Program but this additional drop-off option results in less breakage and a greater potential to recycle glass containers.

The current contract for curbside residential recycling services expires on December 31, 2019, and a new contract is required for 2020 and beyond. After a competitive RFP process, the City has entered into negotiations with the highest ranked proponent to finalize an agreement. Details of the 2020 recycling program will be shared when negotiations are complete, including information on service levels, accepted materials, and rates.

The detailed report and all of its attachments can be found here.

A Queen’s Bench judge has allowed the owner of a Briarwood home – already slated for demolition – more time to file information and evidence to support the property owner’s request for an interim injunction or delay on the home’s demolition.

An injunction has not been granted.

Rather, Mr. Justice R.W. Elson today, ordered the owner of 166 Beechdale Crescent to bring back a proper application on Friday, October 11, 2019.

While this matter is pending, the City of Saskatoon has been directed not to demolish the property at 166 Beechdale. The City’s demolition is on hold.

The construction equipment, along with perimeter fencing, was already mobilized at 166 Beechdale Crescent; the construction equipment will be removed until the judge makes a decision.

Key Points:

• The owner of 166 Beechdale lives out of Canada and despite the City’s many efforts has not had any contact with the City until now 
• The property has become a serious health and safety hazard to neighbours
• Since March 2019, the City has followed the proper legal process for derelict or deficient properties
• The building may look fine on the outside, but inside it is uninhabitable and beyond a cost-effective repair 
• The property has been abandoned since 2016; as a result, the property suffered a water-filled basement from burst frozen pipes
• Because of the excessive water and moisture, severe mould damage developed throughout the entire home; the entire interior of the home is structurally unsound, again, a safety hazard.
• The demolition does not cost City taxpayers – the demolition cost is added to the property’s taxes or is the owner’s responsibility.