News Releases

The City of Saskatoon (City) is reaching out to the community for any information about two collisions that caused damage to separate overpasses during the evening of Wednesday, December 20, 2023.

The first collision happened at around 6:15 p.m. A southbound truck on Idylwyld Drive was hauling a large excavator exceeding height restrictions when the excavator hit and damaged girders underneath the 51st Street overpass.

The second hit-and-run incident happened less than an hour later at around 7:00 p.m. The cloverleaf overpass for Circle Drive above Highway 11 was also hit by a northbound vehicle exceeding height restrictions. This collision exposed reinforcing steel in the concrete and caused the rocky debris to fall, damaging an adjacent vehicle. As noted, the driver responsible for the damage did not remain at the scene.

City engineers have inspected both overpasses, which are safe and remain open to traffic. Damage estimates are not immediately available, however repairs are expected to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If the responsible driver or drivers are not found, the City will pay for the full cost of repair from the bridge repair reserve fund. Municipalities are unable to submit infrastructure damage insurance claims through SGI, but if the driver is identified, the repair may be covered by their insurance.

The City is asking anyone who may have witnessed these incidents to contact the Saskatoon Police Service at 306-975-8300 and use File Number 24-1119 for the 51st street overpass damage and File Number 23-169644 for the Circle Drive/Highway 11 cloverleaf damage.

The Government of Saskatchewan has announced it will remove the carbon charge for utility customers who rely on electric heat as their primary home heating source. As such, the Saskatchewan government has directed SaskPower, the province’s electrical utility, to stop collecting the carbon charge on electric home heating, effective January 1, 2024.

Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P) has historically set its electrical rates, programs and rebates to match those of SaskPower. This is to ensure consistency and fairness among Saskatoon residents regardless of their service provider, SL&P or SaskPower.

SL&P will also provide equivalent electric heat relief for its customers who use electric heat (typically baseboard heating) as their primary home heating source. For the City of Saskatoon, SaskPower will reimburse this relief to offset the cost of providing the rebate to the City’s customers. The rebate will be cost neutral for SL&P.

“We estimate there are approximately 2,000 SL&P customers in Saskatoon who use electric heat as their primary home heating source,” says Mike Voth, Director of Corporate Revenue. “The majority of Saskatchewan residents will not qualify for this one-time rebate; about 85%, use natural gas heating as the primary source of heat for their home. Corporate Revenue Customer Service will work with customers who contact us to determine if they are eligible.”

Are you an SL&P customer who uses electric heat as your primary home heating source?

If so, you may be eligible for the Saskatchewan Electric Heat Relief rebate. This one-time rebate, calculated on 60% of the carbon charge applied to your total electrical energy consumption from January 1 to April 30, 2024, would appear as a credit on your utility bill before the end of June 2024.

“Heating is estimated to account for up to 60% of power consumed during the winter months for those customers who use electric heat as their primary heating source for their homes. The SL&P one-time rebate aligns with the relief offered by SaskPower,” adds Voth.

How to apply/find out if you are eligible

To apply for and learn if you are eligible for the Saskatchewan Electric Heat Relief one-time rebate for SL&P electric heat customers, please email Revenue@saskatoon.ca or contact Revenue Customer Service at 306-975-2400.  Check Map of SL&P Service Area

Visit saskatoon.ca/electricrebate

Starting today, January 2, the City of Saskatoon will mail 2024 Assessment Notices to approximately 13,000 residential and commercial property owners in Saskatoon who, since January 1, 2023, have had a change to their property’s assessment, tax status or ownership. (Bylaw No. 8067, Assessment Notices Bylaw, 2002).

The City's 2024 Assessment Roll, a listing of all property assessments in Saskatoon, opens for public inspection on January 2, 2024, and will remain open until February 5, 2024. Inspection of the roll can be in person at the Assessment and Valuation Office located at 325 3^rd Ave N, one block north of City Hall, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., excluding Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays, or online using the Property Assessment & Tax Tool at saskatoon.ca/taxtool.

“The 30-Day Assessment Review and Appeal period is an important time for property owners to review their property’s assessment for accuracy, fairness and equity,” says Bryce Trew, City Assessor. “Our Assessment and Valuation team is dedicated to answering any assessment-related questions property owners may have, connect with us, we’re here to help.”

Important dates and information for residential and commercial property owners:

• If you have questions about your property's assessment, tax class, or exemption status, please contact Assessment & Valuation at 306-975-3227.  Most assessment-related questions can be resolved by speaking with an assessor before deciding to file a formal appeal for your property.  Detailed assessment and tax information about your property can also be viewed by entering your property’s address into the Property Assessment & Tax Tool.
   
• If you would like to proceed with filing a formal appeal with the City’s Board of Revision regarding the valuation, classification or content of your property’s assessment, your Notice of Appeal and the accompanying fee must be received during the 30-Day Assessment Review and Appeal period January 2 to February 5, 2024.
   
• A property owner does not need to receive a 2024 Assessment Notice in order to file a formal assessment appeal in 2024. Property tax is not included in the appeal process. An informative guide will accompany the 2024 Assessment Notice mailing.

• Property owners have the option to apply for and pay online for property assessment appeals, visit saskatoon.ca/assessmentappeals
   
• To download an appeal form visit saskatoon.ca/assessmentappeals

Mail or in-person deliver your assessment appeal and your cheque/money order for the fee to:

The Secretary, Board of Revision
c/o City Clerk’s Office
222 3^rd Ave North
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan   S7K 0J5

Assessment appeal hearings are public hearings. All documents filed for an assessment appeal are public records and will be posted on the City of Saskatoon website, subject to certain exceptions under The Cities Act or a confidentiality order made by the Board of Revision.

To learn more about the factors used to determine a residential property's assessed value, view the informative video Understanding Residential Property Assessment.

Visit saskatoon.ca/assessment for more information including how to make a change to school tax support. For more information on the Board of Revision formal assessment appeal process, call 306-975-3240 .

Saskatoon Transit and SGI have partnered once again to offer free evening bus service on New Year’s Eve.

Free service will be available on Sunday, December 31 from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. on January 1 (times may vary slightly by route). Registered Access Transit customers can also reserve free service until 2 a.m. 

SGI has partnered with local transportation agencies in Regina, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, and Saskatoon to help minimize the occurrence of driving while under the influence.

“Free service removes any financial barrier to planning a safe ride home after a night out,” says Cory Shrigley, Customer Service Manager, Saskatoon Transit. “We are thankful to have SGI as a partner to offer a safe alternative to impaired driving.”

Everyone is encouraged to think about using a variety of transportation modes on busy nights like New Year’s Eve. Plan your trip before heading out using the real-time mobile app Transit or Google Maps Transit. Multi-modal options are available to seamlessly integrate trips with Riide or Uber with Transit+. By combining transportation modes wait times and costs can be minimized.

Taking Transit makes transportation on New Year's Eve easier and safer. Leave your car at home and let Transit do the designated driving.

To learn more, visit SaskatoonTransit.ca or call 306.975.3100.

Saskatoon City Council has approved in principle the Connecting Avenue C: Walking and Cycling Improvements project report, which details plans for the All Ages and Abilities (AAA) cycling route. 

“The initiative aligns with Saskatoon’s Growth Plan and Active Transportation Plan, focused on cultivating a vibrant, sustainable and accessible community for present and future generations,” says Jay Magus, Director of Transportation. 

Avenue C, a north-south route, from Spadina Crescent West to 45th Street West, is slated for a transformative transportation upgrade in three phases, which are aimed at fostering accessibility, comfort, convenience and safety for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Improvements will be completed in three phases, with the highest priority segments being completed first. It’s recommended for Spadina Crescent to Jamieson Street to be completed in Phase One, Jamieson Street to 38th Street in Phase Two and 38th Street to 45th Street for Phase Three. 

Vehicle travel lanes for the entire proposed stretch are planned to be maintained with varied options for separate Active Transportation pathways. *See Attachments

This project responds to the City’s pledge outlined in the Active Transportation Plan, emphasizing economic, health, environmental, societal and safety benefits that robust active transportation infrastructure brings. 

The Connecting Avenue C: Walking and Cycling Improvements project encompasses sidewalks, protected bike lanes, neighbourhood bikeways and shared-use pathways, including safety measures such as curb extensions, raised crosswalks and accessibility ramp installations. 

Extensive community involvement occurred across three phases integrated into the design process, reflecting the city's commitment to engaging residents in shaping their environment. 

Pending detailed design refinements and funding considerations in upcoming City Council discussions, this project signifies Saskatoon's dedication to creating a more connected and accessible city for its residents. 

For more information on the City of Saskatoon’s Active Transportation Plan, visit saskatoon.ca/ActiveTransportation.