News Releases

Spring is in the air and temperatures will continue to rise and fall below freezing. In preparation, City crews are uncovering catch basins and thawing frozen locations that aren’t draining on the street.  

After more than 50 cm of snow in a six-day span to start the month of March, there is still a lot of snow piled on residential and business properties. The City encourages residents and businesses to prepare their property for the spring melt; spend time digging out covered catch basins and making a path for snowmelt to drain where it’s safe to do so.  

As we transition from winter to spring, people need to be cautious when encountering puddles. Pesky potholes can pop up as moisture gets into cracks in the road, and when they fill up with water, can cause damage for vehicles, as well as a tripping hazard. Drivers also need to pay attention to avoid splashing people on the sidewalk and at bus stops.   

What you can expect from us 

1. Our storm sewer system can easily carry the flow of snowmelt. Most ponding and flooding around catch basins are caused by ice blocking the drain. 

2. Crews are defrosting catch basins and clearing gutters to improve drainage, keeping a close eye on intersections prone to flooding.  

3. City crews will respond quickly to reports of flooding on major streets that is interfering with traffic or has potential for any property damage. 

How you can help us 

1. Clear snow and ice from sidewalks and paths to reduce ponding and dangerous ice during the thaw/freeze cycle.   

2. Keep snow in your yard. If you throw it on the street, it can create issues for rutting or affect drainage.  

3. Where possible, safely clear snow, ice and debris from the catch basins in your area.   

4. Report locations where water is collecting and impacting traffic or crosswalks on busy streets at saskatoon.ca/frozendrain. 

5. For more urgent situations, call the Customer Care Centre at 306-975-2476. 

Protect your property from flooding  

If the snow melts quickly, your home may be at risk of flooding, even if you haven’t flooded before. We hope that doesn’t happen, but just to be safe, please watch our video on Snowmelt and find more tips to help reduce your risk of a snowmelt flood in your home at saskatoon.ca/snowmelt.   

*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.

NEW

No new projects are scheduled to start on this date.

ONGOING

BRIGHTON BLVD ROAD CLOSED FROM TASKAMANWA ST TO 8TH ST E
(Construction)
Use McOrmond Dr
Start: November 20, 2023, 7:00 a.m. End: November 18, 2024, 5:00 p.m.

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

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.

*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.

NEW

7TH AVE N ROAD CLOSED FROM 33RD ST E TO BALMORAL ST
(Sanitary sewer lining)
Start: March 16, 7:00 a.m. End: March 16, 5:00 p.m.

ONGOING

BRIGHTON BLVD ROAD CLOSED FROM TASKAMANWA ST TO 8TH ST E
(Construction)
Use McOrmond Dr
Start: November 20, 2023, 7:00 a.m. End: November 18, 2024, 5:00 p.m.

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

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.

Registration for the City’s Spring / Summer recreation programs begins Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. by logging into to your account on Leisure Online at leisureonline.saskatoon.ca, or by calling 306-975-2800.

Registrations for private and semi-private swim lessons will open on Monday, March 18. Registrations are accepted by phone only. Call the Leisure Centre you are interested in taking lessons at to register. 

Opening night for registration is very busy, and the City sincerely thanks residents for their patience. While additional online and telephone resources are in place to make the process run as smoothly as possible, there will be many people registering at once.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for a smooth registration:

• Do not use Internet Explorer to complete transactions. Compatible web browsers include Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. Ensure your web browser is up to date. Online transactions are not supported using a device or operating system older than Windows 7, Mac OS 10, Android 5, iPhone 5.
• Ensure you have an active Leisure Online registration account and know your username and password prior to registration night. If you are unable to access your account, call any Leisure Centre to have your account reset. 
• Have a list of second and third program choices in case you do not get into your first choice.
• Join the wait list! Every full program has an online wait list and new classes may be created if there is enough demand.
• Consider other nearby Leisure Centres if your preferred location isn't available.

Several changes have been made to Leisure Online to optimize the site on registration night. From 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, access to view drop-in programs will be disabled. Only the registered program section will be available at that time. Images will also be removed from the registered programs page to improve the load time of the page when a high volume of users are on the site at the same time.

Leisure program registrations processed through Leisure Online are now charged an additional $1.00 (+GST) convenience fee on each program registration. This fee was introduced March 1, 2024 after City Council approved the fee during the 2024-25 budget process in November of 2023. The revenue from the convenience fee will help support the City’s operating budget. 

The City of Saskatoon’s online payment provider is unable to process American Express transactions for leisure program registrations through Leisure Online. Alternative forms of payment for online registrations processed through Leisure Online include Visa and Mastercard. 

The Spring / Summer Leisure Guide, which is Saskatoon’s go-to source for fitness programs, recreational activities and arts and culture opportunities for all ages and abilities, was released on March 1. It is available online at saskatoon.ca/leisureguide or for pick up at any City leisure facility, Saskatoon library or over 120 retail locations throughout Saskatoon and limited surrounding areas that the StarPhoenix is sold.

7th Avenue will be closed between 33rd Street and Balmoral Street on Saturday, March 16, starting at 7:00 a.m. for sanitary sewer lining. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around the work zone. This project is expected to take one day to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information are available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.