News Releases

Saskatoon Transit has received the prestigious 2023 Smart Cities Award for its partnership with Preteckt, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology company, to enhance Transit’s bus maintenance operations. The award recognizes Saskatoon Transit’s innovative use of Preteckt’s AI-powered predictive maintenance with its bus operations.

“We want to provide better reliability with even safer vehicles on the road,” says Tracey Davis, Saskatoon Transit Maintenance Manager. “This technology works with our existing systems at Saskatoon Transit and is a great application of AI to bus maintenance. This technology developed by Preteckt detects issues in buses before they become critical interruptions to service and empowers our technicians to make these repairs earlier than currently possible. We noticed immediate benefits, like reductions in parts and labour costs, which will become part of our regular maintenance practices.”

“Being the first city fleet in Canada to source our technology through a competitive process means a lot to us, and we’re looking forward to working with more fleets and cities in Canada,” says Krish Inbarajan, CEO of Preteckt. Inbarajan congratulated Saskatoon Transit on its leadership in incorporating AI technology into its maintenance operation.

Preteckt’s expansion into transit authorities across North America has been successful, with 10 commercial contracts and several pilots already underway. The company’s AI technology sifts through billions of data points from vehicles to identify or flag potential maintenance issues.

The Saskatoon Transit – Preteckt partnership highlights integration of advanced technology and will be essential to providing reliable, safe, and efficient transportation services.

About Preteckt

Preteckt is a Hamilton-founded, Memphis-based AI company focused on maintenance to increase vehicle availability, improve safety, and reduce costs to support maintenance staff and enable the future of work. The technology was initially developed for trucking but has since expanded to serve other fleets such as transit and school buses. Preteckt supports existing gas and diesel engines and is bringing its technology to electric vehicles in partnership with several fleets. The Preteckt team is passionate to serve the maintainers in the industry. Maintenance, maintainers, and digital workflow is its initial focus area.

Some of Saskatoon’s most travelled roads are scheduled for major upgrades this summer. Construction projects will include resurfacing the west bound lanes of Circle Drive North between Millar Avenue and Alberta Avenue, and resurfacing sections of Preston Avenue between Preston Crossing and 8th Street.

“There are several areas of Preston Avenue that are in rough shape and in need of new asphalt,” says Terry Schmidt, General Manager of Transportation and Construction. “We’ll also get to Wanuskewin Road to resurface both sides between 71st Street and Penner Road.” 

Many roads will be completely resurfaced following water main replacements. Replacing the decades old water mains with durable PVC piping will continue in several areas of Saskatoon, including Downtown.

“Downtown water main replacement work will happen in phases throughout the summer and fall to avoid closing several blocks at the same time, starting with 22nd Street East between 3rd Avenue and 4th Avenue.” 

About $67.19 million is earmarked for road and bridge construction and maintenance in 2023. One of the most significant construction zones is already set up on the Circle Drive North Bridge where crews are now two months into a nine-month long rehabilitation project. Sidewalk repairs and annual street maintenance programs like street sweeping, pothole and utility cut repairs, and line painting are now underway or about to start.

Also, this month, the Saskatoon Transit Downtown Terminal will be undergoing road and sidewalk work. For approximately one week, the Terminal will temporarily move to 3rd Avenue North, in front of City Hall. Bus stop locations will be marked in advance.

Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P) is already working Downtown, upgrading the underground electrical vault on the west side of 2nd Avenue between 21st Street and 22nd Street. Work began in late April and is scheduled for completion by mid-June. This is a cornerstone project that will allow SL&P to proceed with additional electrical renewal projects to update Downtown power infrastructure.

Despite some street closures due to construction, Schmidt says Downtown businesses will remain open and accessible by sidewalk.

“There will be pedestrian and traffic detours Downtown and throughout the city all summer. We thank residents for their patience and are asking everyone to respect work zones.”

For more information on current and future construction, please visit saskatoon.ca/construction.

While a verbal agreement had been in place for several weeks, Loraas has finalized an agreement to accept organic waste materials at its facility north of Saskatoon in the RM of Corman Park. This latest move is part of the contingency plan that was pre-set in the green cart contract the City has with Green Prairie Environmental (GPE).

Activating the pre-set contingency plan became necessary following the April 24 RM Council decision to deny the discretionary use application for GPE’s property in Corman Park where it already operates a landfill.

“The City has now finalized the contingency plan for green cart processing. Organics materials will be hauled to Loraas for processing on an interim basis as we continue to work with GPE to confirm alternate plans to fulfill their requirements under the contract,” says Angela Gardiner, General Manager of Utilities & Environment. “Residents should know that any extra cost of the contingency plan will be carried by GPE and not the City. Green cart collections will begin Monday as planned.”

Facts about the green cart processing contract:

• Following a public procurement, the City awarded a contract to GPE in September 2020 to provide organics processing services to support the City’s Curbside Organics Program.
• Under the terms of the contract, GPE must be ready to receive materials on May 1, 2023.
• It is the City Administration’s understanding that GPE believed its property - where it planned to process the organic waste - was already within the approved RM zoning because GPE already operates a landfill for solid waste and has for the past nine years at that location south of Saskatoon in the RM of Corman Park.
• The green cart project and contract were progressing for the May 1 start date and it was not until GPE applied to the RM for a routine building permit for its permanent facility (a coverall building) earlier this year that the question of discretionary use arose. The RM administration recommended allowing the discretionary use.
• With the RM Council’s decision to deny GPE’s discretionary use application, the City has an agreement with Loraas to accept and process organics materials on an interim basis starting on Monday while discussions progress with GPE on an alternate plan to fulfill their requirements under the contract.
• With the materials going to Loraas, there is no change to the type of materials that will be accepted and therefore, this plan is still in alignment to meet the City’s waste diversion targets.
• Residents should know that any extra cost of the interim contingency plan will be carried by GPE and not the City. 
• The City continues to prepare for the launch of the program next week and collections will not be affected by this RM Council decision.
• All eligible households will have their green carts by the end of this week. 

City-wide green cart collection will begin next Monday, May 1 for every household that has rollout garbage and recycling carts. Green cart collection will alternate biweekly with black cart collection, so be sure to check your collection calendar. You can check your collection dates, print your calendar or set collection reminders by visiting saskatoon.ca/greencart or downloading the Saskatoon Waste Wizard app.

If you are an eligible household and have not received your green cart or kitchen pail, please contact Corporate Revenue at 306-975-2400. For more information about green carts, please visit saskatoon.ca/greencart.

The City of Saskatoon is starting the exciting first phase of engagement for the Downtown Event & Entertainment District and we want to hear your ideas! 

“The public is invited to come on the journey with us to create a thriving Downtown, built around great public gathering spaces and amenities,” says Dan Willems, Director of Technical Services.

In November 2018, City Council directed the Administration to plan for a Downtown event centre/arena and new or expanded convention centre as part of a Downtown Event & Entertainment District. Following public consultation in November 2022, City Council approved the purchase of the Midtown Shopping Centre North Parking Lot as the site for the future Downtown event centre/arena.

City staff are working on a comprehensive District Plan that will establish the Downtown as a hub for entertainment and culture, with vibrant spaces that are welcoming for everyone and attractive for new residential development. The District Plan will also guide the designs for the surrounding streets, parks and other public spaces to be accessible to all residents and visitors. Stantec, HOK and LMN have been hired to create conceptual designs for the new event centre/arena and convention centre, as well as the surrounding outdoor spaces.

The City is now seeking public input on things we should incorporate into the design of the District, new event centre/arena, and new or expanded convention centre and outdoor public space, so they are welcoming, inviting and accessible to all who visit or live in Saskatoon.

“What we hear from the community, along with research and funding considerations, will be considered in the development of the District Plan and conceptual designs for the Downtown event centre/arena and convention centre,” says Willems.

Engagement Opportunities

From April 27 to May 18 the public is invited to share their thoughts in the following ways:

• An opt-in online public survey - Saskatoon residents, as well as those from other communities, can self-select to participate;
• Pop-up “storefronts” at malls and other convenient locations where the community is invited to stop by at their own convenience, see information, talk to City staff and provide feedback through worksheets or the online survey; and
• Many community-led workshops.

A full listing of engagement opportunities is available on saskatoon.ca/engage.

Next Steps

Initial designs for the event centre/arena, convention centre and outdoor gathering spaces will be developed using community feedback, technical research and early budgeting.

The initial ideas, feedback and an early funding strategy will then be presented to City Council’s Governance & Priorities Committee in July 2023.

“After direction from Council, the City will be coming back to the public in the summer and late fall-early winter to get further thoughts and feedback,” Willems explains. “Final draft designs will be presented to City Council for decision and this is expected by the end of 2023.”

A timeline of the decision-making process and next steps for the public to get involved is available here.

Details including the complete background on the Downtown Event & Entertainment District, timelines and decisions are here: saskatoon.ca/eventdistrict. 

Saskatoon Transit is taking the first step in electrifying its bus fleet by signing a contract for two Nova LFSe+ electric buses. These will be the first two permanent battery-electric buses in Saskatoon Transit’s fleet and the first in Saskatchewan.

The long-range battery-electric bus can travel more than 300 kilometres on a single charge. This will save Saskatoon Transit approximately $44,000 in fuel costs annually per bus and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 tonnes per bus annually once in operation.

"Taking transit is already one of the best ways people can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, but through electrification and other actions outlined in the Low Emissions Community Plan, we’re working to further reduce our impact on the climate,” says Terry Schmidt, General Manager of Transportation and Construction.

This is a critical step towards achieving climate targets outlined in the City of Saskatoon’s Low Emissions Community Plan and Climate Action Plan. Some of these targets include emission reductions of 55,000 tonnes CO₂e by 2050, increasing transit trips to 5 per cent of total trips by 2030 and 10 per cent by 2050.

This $2.7 million investment in battery-electric buses was approved by City Council in December 2021. We expect delivery of these new buses in 2024.

“We are very excited that Saskatoon Transit will be experiencing the long-range electric version of the safe and reliable Nova Bus buses,” says Ralph Acs, President of Nova Bus. “Electrifying transit bus fleets is the smartest option for transit authorities to reduce GHG emissions, and we’re glad Saskatoon Transit is leading the way in Saskatchewan by acquiring the province’s first all-electric buses.”

More information
City of Saskatoon Climate Action Plan webpage

For more information about Saskatoon Transit, visit saskatoontransit.ca or follow @StoonTransit on Twitter. Plan your route in advance using Google Transit or the Transit App on your mobile device.