News Releases
Saskatoon Fire - News Releases
Inland Steel secures deal in Marquis Industrial: Avenue P yards to close
November 8, 2021 - 3:30pm
Saskatoon Land and Inland Steel Products have reached an agreement on a parcel in the Marquis Industrial area which will lead to the relocation of the company’s current operations at Avenue P and 17th Street West.
“Reaching this land agreement with Saskatoon Land creates the opportunity for our company to build a new headquarters and state-of-art metal recycling facility in Saskatoon, where our family business was formed 55 years ago,” says Matt Ditlove, President of Inland Steel Products. “This investment demonstrates our company’s continued commitment to serving the people of Saskatoon and surrounding area, and to the creation of additional jobs for our community.”
The new expanded metal recycling facility on the Marquis lands will ensure a fast and stress-free experience for recycling scrap metal in Saskatoon, for both industrial vendors and individuals. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art processing equipment will increase the company’s ability to recycle more volume and continue to grow the company’s ability to service clients throughout Saskatchewan.
Mayor Charlie Clark says Inland’s decision demonstrates confidence in Saskatoon’s future, which is especially welcome as we come through the pandemic.
“This project is a big win-win for the community and for Inland Steel. It is a great commitment by Inland Steel to continue to grow this company and create good jobs right here in Saskatoon, as they expand their activities across the continent. Moving their activities from Avenue P to the North Industrial will also reduce heavy industrial activity close to the homes and schools in that area, which has been a long term goal for the city.”
The City had three parcels that total nearly 12.4 hectares (30.6 acres including a 10.7 ha or 26.4 acre industrial site) which had been held back from the market with the strategy that it would attract a heavy industrial buyer such as Inland Steel Products to foster expansion, relocation and job creation in the region.
“These parcels are shovel-ready,” says Frank Long, Director of Saskatoon Land. “All are fully serviced and immediately available for construction.”
The land deal will set in motion the opportunity to have the current Inland Steel site rezoned for light industrial uses.
“We’ve wanted to move away from heavy industrial uses in this area for many years,” says Director of Planning and Development, Lesley Anderson. “With Inland’s eventual departure, future land use on the site as a light industrial use will be a better fit with the surrounding residential neighbourhoods.”
Crews continue response to winter storm: focus on maintaining mobility
November 8, 2020 - 6:53am
- Have an inventory of everything that the members and pets in your household would need for several days, including foods and medications.
- Charge your phones, tablets, and portable battery packs; and equip yourself with a supply of batteries for radios and other battery-operated devices.
- Reach out to people who may require support:
- More than 300 people in Saskatoon are self-isolating due to COVID-19.
- Consider whether any of your neighbours might need assistance, including those that are seniors or have disabilities.
- If travel is necessary:
- Equip yourself with an emergency kit containing warm clothes, blankets, candles, and snacks.
- Be sure to let someone know where you’re going and when you arrive.
- Plan for delays in your commute to work on Monday and for getting children to school.
- Activate the GPS locator app on your smartphone (‘Find My’ on iPhone and ‘Find My Device’ on Android) to allow assigned contacts to track you.
- A more detailed list of emergency preparedness tips can be found at saskatoon.ca/snowstorm2020
The City is actively responding to the ongoing winter storm, after Saskatoon received freezing rain overnight, leaving streets and sidewalks ice-covered under the continued snowfall.
Saskatoon is under a Winter Storm Warning from Environment and Climate Change Canada with forecasted snowfall of up to 35 cm and wind gusts of up to 80 km/hr. Road conditions and visibility are expected to worsen throughout the day.
Snow Clearing
Overnight, crews were spreading sand and salt, plowing Circle Drive and grading snow on the City’s highest traffic streets. High winds are making it challenging to fight ice formation.
“We’re putting everything we have into this storm today, tonight, tomorrow, and into the coming days,” says Goran Saric, Director of Roadways, Fleet and Support. “We’re staying focused on our priority road system. Once the highest priority streets are cleared, we’ll move through the rest of the system, at times returning to the highest priority roads multiple times to maintain mobility.”
Today’s focus includes sanding and salting ice-covered streets, intersections and bridge decks and minimizing snow accumulation on freeways, expressways and arterials by plowing and grading snow. Equipment today includes 27 graders, 18 sanders, 8 high-speed plows and 5 sidewalk plows.
Residents should avoid unnecessary travel on Sunday as freezing rain, continued snow accumulation, and high winds will lead to dangerous driving conditions.
If travel is necessary, adjust for driving conditions and watch for snow removal crews equipped with blue and amber flashing lights. Stay a safe distance behind and be prepared to stop quickly. Some traffic signs are covered with snow, so drivers should practice extra caution at intersections.
More information on the City’s snow clearing efforts can be found at saskatoon.ca/snow
Civic Election, Monday November 9th
Residents are encouraged to get out and vote tomorrow in the Civic Election if they haven’t already. Caution is advised when walking or driving throughout the city. If polling stations are affected by snowfall to the point of being inaccessible or if streets are impassible, crews will respond appropriately.
Residents are encouraged to keep their sidewalks clear, as much as possible, to provide safe access for those who may be walking to polling stations. Please do not push snow out onto the street when clearing snow from sidewalks and driveways, as this can clog up streets with snow and create accessibility issues.
Voting locations can be found here.
Emergency Preparedness
The City would like to once again remind residents of some important emergency preparedness tips to help ensure their safety during the storm.
Residents are encouraged to subscribe to NotifyNow for updates on public safety messages.
For timely updates on snow and ice alerts visit saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and follow us at twitter.com/YXEServiceAlert.
Crews responding to severe winter storm system
November 7, 2020 - 7:44am
- Have an inventory of everything that the members and pets in your household would need for several days, including foods and medications.
- Charge your phones, tablets, and portable battery packs; and equip yourself with a supply of batteries for radios and other battery-operated devices.
- Reach out to people who may require support:
- More than 300 people in Saskatoon are self-isolating due to COVID-19.
- Consider whether any of your neighbours might need assistance, including those that are seniors or have disabilities.
- If travel is necessary:
- Equip yourself with an emergency kit containing warm clothes, blankets, candles, and snacks.
- Be sure to let someone know where you’re going and when you arrive.
- Plan for delays in your commute to work on Monday and for getting children to school.
- Activate the GPS locator app on your smartphone (‘Find My’ on iPhone and ‘Find My Device’ on Android) to allow assigned contacts to track you.
Saskatoon is bracing itself for a severe winter storm – in two waves –, with snowfall today and blizzard conditions with more significant amounts of snowfall and wind carrying into Sunday. The City is actively planning and responding to what could be a record snowfall; approximately 35 cm by Sunday evening with wind gusts of up to 80 km/hr.
Snow Clearing
City snow crews are sanding priority roadways and are on standby to begin plowing, clearing and de-icing when needed. During the snowfall, efforts will be focused on the busiest streets and access to emergency services. Crews may need to revisit these streets multiple times to maintain mobility before the snowfall stops.
“Mobility may become a challenge, particularly on Sunday and into Monday morning,” says Goran Saric, Director of Roadways, Fleet and Support. “We ask that residents try to avoid unnecessary travel, but if they must, please practice caution around city crews and allow them to execute the snow clean-up as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Once the highest priority streets are cleared, crews will move through the rest of the priority system, which is expected to take several days to work through.
Saric adds with the Civic election on Monday, the strategy aims to maximize, as is safe and practical, people being able to move around the City before, during, and after the storm, which includes accessing polling stations.
Residents are reminded that snow removal crews are equipped with blue and amber flashing lights. They should stay 2-3 vehicle lengths behind and be prepared to stop quickly.
More information on the City’s snow clearing efforts can be found at saskatoon.ca/snow
Emergency Preparedness
The City would also like to remind residents of some important emergency preparedness tips to help ensure their safety during the storm.
A more detailed list of emergency preparedness tips can be found at saskatoon.ca/snowstorm2020
Residents are encouraged to subscribe to NotifyNow for updates on public safety messages.
For timely updates on snow and ice alerts visit saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and follow us at twitter.com/YXEServiceAlert.
City details emergency preparedness plans in the event of severe winter storm forecast for this weekend
November 5, 2020 - 8:29am
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Clear sidewalks as best you can.
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Exercise caution when in the proximity of snow maintenance equipment.
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Report power outages, fallen tree limbs, or icy road patches to 306-975-2476.
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Have a 3-day supply of what your family needs on-hand including water, food, any medical requirements.
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Avoid travel – stay home
The City is planning for the strong possibility that Saskatoon will be hit by a severe winter storm this weekend. The City’s Emergency Management Organization (EMO) is overseeing the necessary emergency preparedness.
“The winter storm that is being predicted is one that has the potential to interfere in our residents’ ability to safely navigate the city this weekend,” says Pamela Goulden-McLeod, EMO Director. “For this reason, we need to all prepare for the possibility that we might need to stay home for a few days and plan accordingly.”
City snow crews are on standby and are prepared to begin clearing and de-icing when needed. During the snowfall, efforts will be focused on the busiest streets and access to emergency services. To respond to this storm, a combination of city crews and contractors will be used, including: 15 graders, 10 plows with sanders, 4 underbelly plows, 20 sanders, 11 sidewalk plows and a number of loaders, dozers and snow- blowers. The City will bring in additional contractors if necessary.
“We’ll have as many as 200 workers out clearing the city, and that’s pretty significant,” says Terry Schmidt, General Manager of Transportation and Construction. “If the snow is as bad as predicted, it’s possible that streets may get snowdrifts or icy conditions between passes from our equipment. Drivers will need to take great care and even stay off the streets if they can.”
Polls are scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day (Nov. 9th) for voters to attend in-person. We encourage voters to follow safety precautions and plan to have lots of time to get to and from voting locations taking into account road conditions.
There is the possibility that a severe enough storm could result in power disruptions due to wet, heavy snow interfering with power lines. Saskatoon Light & Power staff are ready to respond as needed.
With the substantial snowfall expected over the weekend, Saskatoon Transit will do everything possible to maintain schedules but there could be delays while crews are working to clear streets. Transit service alerts, real-time bus locations, and arrivals are available on third party apps like Transit and Google Transit on desktop. Access Transit may be affected by heavy snow on residential streets.
There is also a possibility that, because leaves are not fully off the trees, wet heavy snow may cause limbs to fall. Parks crews are ready to deal with any issues that arise.
How residents can help:
City Hall closed until noon Tuesday: critical incident debriefing
November 2, 2020 - 12:18pm
There was a serious incident today inside the lobby at City Hall and a man was injured. City staff are now being offered mental health supports in the wake of this event.
The Saskatoon Police Service publicly shared the following details:
At approximately 2:00 p.m., November 2, 2020, Police responded to City Hall after reports that a man was in the lobby and threatening to cause harm to himself. The man then did produce a knife and caused injury to himself before police could intervene. There were no threats made against any other persons. The 21-year-old man was transported to hospital for treatment and is believed to be in stable condition at this time.
City Manager Jeff Jorgenson says there were many staff members who saw this happen and some may be deeply affected by this traumatic incident. “We understand what our staff members and first responders are going through, and we support them,” he says. “Our thoughts are also with the man that paramedics took to the hospital.”
Jorgenson says counselling resources are available to everyone touched by this. Most immediately, Jorgenson says one-on-one sessions are being arranged with trained counsellors for staff who need someone to talk to.
Additionally, to further help provide the necessary support and counselling to staff, City Hall and the customer care line will be closed on Tuesday, November 3rd from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Online services are available.
The advance polling station at City Hall, accessible through door 1A, will stay open.
We greatly appreciate everyone’s understanding and compassion at this time.
City Council to review options for school and playground zones
November 1, 2021 - 11:08am
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New playground zones with reduced speed limit of 30 km/h;
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Year-round lower speed limits in both school and playground zones 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Adjustments to posted signs and length of current school zones; and
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Removal of lower speed school zones from high schools, designating them a “school area” where U-turn are still restricted.
Year-round school zones and the introduction of playground zones with reduced speed limits were endorsed at City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Transportation today. City Council will debate the merits of the recommended options for these zones and vote at its November 22 meeting.
The recommendation would align the City’s school zone policy with national guidelines and implement other best practices for pedestrian safety, including:
There is no recommendation to develop a lower speed limit in areas with more seniors. Other measures such as traffic calming or pedestrian crossing devices will continue to be used to ensure pedestrian safety at important crossings near these facilities.
Project information is available at saskatoon.ca/engage/speed-limit-review.
Dingoes and grizzly bears gearing up for colder weather
October 30, 2020 - 4:39am
With the colder temperatures kicking in, the dingoes and grizzly bears at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) are settling into their new daily routines. Grizzly bears Mistaya (miss‑TIE’‑yuh) and Koda (KOH’-dah) are preparing for their annual deep sleep and dingoes Maple and Euci will be heading inside for warmer temperatures.
“Native areas for dingoes typically do not see temperatures below minus 5 degrees Celsius,” says Zoo Manager Jeff Mitchell. “Since Maple and Euci have not adapted to our cold weather in Saskatoon, we will be providing them access to one of our indoor facilities.”
Mitchell notes, while the dingoes will still have access to outside, they will likely stay indoors once colder temperatures set in.
As for the grizzlies, it is business as usual for Mistaya and Koda as the bears prepare for their annual deep sleep called torpor.
“The bears have been steadily building up their fat reserves during hyperphagia – a time when they eat over 10,000 calories a day and drink up to five gallons of water,” says Jeff Mitchell. “Once their deep sleep begins, we expect to see their heart rate and breathing rates decrease along with their body temperature.”
During torpor, bears can sleep for more than 100 days without eating, drinking or passing waste. It is expected that Mistaya and Koda will begin their deep sleep in the coming weeks.
Cameras will once again be live in the bear dens so that the Zoo can closely monitor behavior, activity levels, and breathing patterns. The Zoo will be working closely with Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums Nutrition Advisory and Research Group to carefully monitor the bears throughout the winter.
The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is by donation until March 31. For more information on the Zoo, please visit saskatoon.ca/zoo.
City Council defeats The COVID-19 Gathering Bylaw, 2021 No.9782
October 29, 2021 - 10:53am
- Red: 16% reduction in gathering size but no decrease in proportion of people mixing in the community.
- Olive: 43% reduction in gathering sizes but no decrease in proportion of people mixing in the community.
- Green: modest reduction in people mixing in community.
- Blue: greater reduction in people mixing in community (half of pre-pandemic mixing).
- Magenta: greater reduction in people mixing in community (half of pre-pandemic mixing).
- Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or negative test within 72 hours are mandatory for ages 12 and over within all Leisure Centre areas and indoor arenas as per a Public Health Order and subsequent Council direction.
- A Public Health Order requires masks to be worn in all indoor public spaces including all City facilities.
New map highlights areas affected by SL&P power outages
October 28, 2021 - 2:00pm
Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P) has launched a new interactive power outage map, making it easier than ever for customers to access and view outage information.
“While our crews are troubleshooting and repairing an outage, we’re committed to keeping customers informed in the easiest, most helpful way,” says Trevor Bell, Director of SL&P. “Service alerts issued on Twitter and on the City website are the primary form of communication for outages, but now the map will also be included with the alerts making it easier to see the area impacted, cause, and estimated time of repair.”
Outages are either identified from data notification from the electrical system (i.e. smart meters) or through calls from customers. Crews are then dispatched to determine the cause of the outage, and then isolate the issue and complete the repair. Outages may involve minor work, such as trimming trees away from power lines, or much larger tasks such as replacing broken poles, faulty cables, or damaged transformers. Repair work can take minutes or up to several hours.
“Prior to the power outage map, the impacted outage area was written in a service alert, but since the outage area usually does not follow neighbourhood boundaries it can be difficult to describe the affected area accurately,” says Bell. “While the written information will still be provided, the new map will be a better visual representation of the outage area and will be especially helpful in the event of planned outages.”
Bell adds that Saskatoon Light & Power’s index of reliability in 2020 was 0.9998, which means that power was delivered to the average customer 99.98% of the time.
Saskatoon Light & Power provides power to over 60,000 properties within its service area. All customers outside of the service area should refer to the SaskPower website for any outage related information.
Visit saskatoon.ca/outages for more information on the new power outage map and for power outage tips.
Civic Election Update: Mail-In Ballot Applications
October 28, 2020 - 6:25am
- For voters who do receive their mail-in ballot package before November 2, mark your candidates and promptly send your ballot back in the mail using the postage-paid envelope provided.
- For voters who receive their mail-in ballot package on or after November 2, given the uncertainty of mailing times, plan to drop your mail-in ballot off in-person or have a designate drop it off for you at the election office (226 Cardinal Crescent) before 8 p.m. November 9.
- Due to the high volume of mail-in applications received and awaiting verification, in the coming days, we will identify additional city facilities where voters can drop off their mail-in ballots before election day.
Like the pandemic and its uncertainty, the response for mail-in ballots has been unprecedented. Thousands of Saskatoon residents have chosen the option to vote by mail for the 2020 Civic Election and are taking part in the important democratic process of electing their mayor, city councillors and public or Catholic school board trustees. To date, the Civic Elections Office has received over 14,000 mail-in ballot applications through the online form.
The Civic Elections Office acknowledges some voters have not had a smooth online application experience. This is the first election the online application has been offered and it’s been a slower than anticipated process in replying to residents that their mail-in ballot application has been received.
We recognize there are improvements to make in future elections. More immediately the Election Office is addressing the concern and has added additional staff and work hours to support the process of reviewing, approving, creating the ballot package specific to the ward for which the voter has applied, and mailing the ballot packages out.
The civic election mail-in ballot application review process takes longer to verify for each voter. Municipal elections in Saskatchewan do not rely on an established voter’s list. It is a different process than the provincial election and it requires more checks because there are three races – mayor, councillor and public or Catholic school board trustee.
After careful review, mail-in ballot applications may be rejected due to incomplete information, the form only partially filled out, or in some instances, identification not supplied.
If your application for a mail-in ballot has been rejected, there are other options for you to cast your ballot. With COVID safety protocols in place at all voting locations, we invite residents to consider in-person voting options such as the advance polls October 30 to November 5, or on Election Day, November 9. The 2020 Voter’s Guide on saskatoon.ca/vote2020 has the dates, times and details on safety at the polls.
The provincial law for municipal elections states that mail-in ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. on election day (Monday, November 9) by the 2020 Civic Election Office officials in order to be counted.
Mail-in Ballot process update for voters:
The election team wishes to thank all Saskatoon residents for their patience as we are working with full force to process the unprecedented and amazing demand for mail-in ballots.
Visit saskatoon.ca/vote2020