News Releases

We are constantly reassessing developments to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and citizens, and how the City delivers public services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saskatoon Transit updates

As an added level of safety, mid-route bus cleaning has started during the day in the downtown terminal. Passengers will be required to exit the bus while all hard surfaces are wiped down.

Starting Thursday, April 2, Saskatoon Transit will not be entering the University of Saskatchewan campus until further notice. This applies to the transit stop in front of Place Riel. Visit saskatoontransit.ca for up-to-date information on off-campus routes, and pickup and drop-off locations around College Drive.

Residents are reminded to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and avoid non-essential travel. To avoid crowded buses, please consider travelling during off-peak times. Always maintain about a two-arms-length or 2-metre distance from other riders.

Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge Walkway Closed; University Bridge Walkways Open to One-way Pedestrian Traffic

In addition to the changes previously announced to the Traffic Bridge walkways and the CP Pedestrian Bridge, the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge walkway is now closed and the University Bridge walkways are now for one-way pedestrian traffic (one-side westbound and one-side eastbound). This will allow the practice of social/physical distancing of at least 2-metres (six feet) from others.

The City continues to review other bridge walkway and pedestrian overpasses, underpasses and tunnels. Crews will be posting signage on many of the pathways to remind people to respect social/physical distancing.

Zoo Season Pass Sales Temporarily Suspended

All 2020 Season Pass sales are temporarily suspended until further notice. Season Pass rates for 2020 will be re-evaluated once an opening date is determined. Refunds/credits will be available to customers who have already purchased a 2020 Zoo Season Pass. Details on the refund process will be available soon.

Thank you, Saskatoon for doing your part and maintaining physical distance to keep everyone safe.

Updates will continue to be provided at saskatoon.ca/covid-19

The City continues to make changes with its work plan so that it can deliver core services and keep other municipal business moving forward.

“We are into week three of our lives being transformed as we work to protect our community from the COVID-19 virus.  I want to thank everyone for your efforts as we each take this on together,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.

“It is so important right now to continue being vigilant in our physical distancing efforts. We also need to make sure we are all doing what we can to support our local economy and ensuring we have the right programs and processes in place to protect the most vulnerable in our community. This will keep everyone safe.”

City Manager Jeff Jorgenson says the pandemic has flipped everyday-life on its head.

“We have not experienced anything like the COVID-19 pandemic in our lifetimes. The past weeks have been a steep learning curve. COVID-19 has tested nations, governments, companies and organizations in every sector around the world.”

One of the biggest challenges for the City Jorgenson says, has been adjusting many of its employees to work from home and implementing new safety precautions in work environments where people need to be on location offering core services to our community.

“Our core services like water, sewer, fire protection, and electrical services are in great shape and we have layers of redundancy and employee protection in place to ensure our staff remain safe,” he says. “The City plays a critical role in providing many core services to the citizens of Saskatoon and we are very fortunate to have terrific people working throughout our organization.”

A great example of dedicated civic staff Jorgenson says, is the team at Roadways, Fleet & Support who are out today responding to the freezing rain and snow. The freezing rain started around 4 a.m. and with proactive planning to ensure a good start, the team had twelve sanders out when the rain began.

“This was a great response as always, while simultaneously following new physical distancing and equipment cleaning procedures,” Jorgenson adds. “This is yet another example of the dedication and professionalism that we see daily from City staff, including those who provide critical equipment maintenance and repair services.”

The Director of Emergency Management Organization says she continues to plan with many community partners about who needs information to stay healthy. Pamela Goulden-McLeod says youth, in particular, are a key focus.

“We will all have to work together across all age and social groups to tackle the virus. As the details of cases in our city and province have shown, COVID-19 can affect anyone at any age.”

Jorgenson acknowledges it hasn’t been an easy process also recognizing Saskatoon residents are balancing the changes happening within and beyond their homes as well.   

“I want to thank the citizens of Saskatoon for their understanding and patience. To all the people who work for the City, I again want to say how pleased and proud I am of their dedication to keep our core services running smoothly through the worst of what may lay ahead.”

We are constantly reassessing developments to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and citizens and how the City delivers public services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 Property Tax

The City is committed to providing increased flexibility and immediate short-term relief for your 2020 Property Tax payment.  On your notice, your 2020 Property Tax due date will still show as June 30, 2020.

However:

• The City is extending a three-month grace period to provide you with additional time to pay your 2020 Property Tax.
• You will not incur any late payment penalties on your 2020 Property Tax if you pay the full amount due by September 30, 2020.

TIPPS Customers

• If you are a TIPPS customer currently paying your 2020 Property Tax over 12-equal monthly installments, you may request to be removed from TIPPS at any time should you require immediate, short-term financial relief without incurring a penalty. Your full property tax amount will then be due by September 30, 2020. 

To cancel your participation in TIPPS:  Please contact us via email with your property roll#, address and ownership name and your request to be removed from TIPPS.

We would like to answer your property tax-related questions; we understand and will work with you. If you have further property tax-related questions, our Corporate Revenue Customer Service Representatives can assist you at 306-975-2400. 

Utility Services & Payments

The City will continue to bill for utility services as normal. However, to best serve customers in these extraordinary times, the City has made the following changes to current utility collections activities:

1. Utility disconnections due to arrears will be suspended until September 30, 2020;
2. Late payment charges will be suspended on all utility accounts until September 30, 2020; and
3. We will continue to generate utility bill reminders and other related notices for customers who are in arrears to keep them informed of their current situation.

These measures are aimed at providing financial relief for customers who may not be able to afford to pay their bills on time.  By suspending late payment charges, utility customers will have the option to delay bill payments without putting themselves in additional financial hardship. 

City staff will continue to work with utility customers about payment arrangements, so customers are not left in a difficult future financial situation. Delaying disconnections will help ensure that all homes have access to water, allowing for proper hand-washing and personal hygiene.
Have other utility-related questions? Please call our Revenue Customer Service Representatives at 306-975-2400. We understand and will work with you.

Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo

The Zoo will remain closed until further notice. During this closure, the Zoo Keepers will be on-site to ensure the health of our animals.

The park remains open, but the play structure is closed. Visitors must maintain a safe, two-metre (six feet) physical distance away from others in the park. Consider outings by yourself or with just one other person at the appropriate distance.

As a CAZA accredited Zoo, the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo will be reviewing all funding support options.

Updates will continue to be provided at saskatoon.ca/covid-19

We are constantly reassessing pandemic developments to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and citizens. We have also continued to reassess the way we deliver public services following the decision to close City Hall and civic facilities.

“We have made the difficult decision to lay off a number of casual staff,” says City Manager Jeff Jorgenson. “Going forward there will be no scheduled hours. From our perspective, layoffs are an important step to enable staff, without any scheduled hours, the ability to access options such as employment insurance benefits as soon as possible.

“It gives the people affected some certainty as opposed to waiting indefinitely for us to be able to return to normal operations.”

Casual staff refers to employees whose hours are typically scheduled on a weekly to monthly basis, based on work need. Examples include lifeguards, cashier-receptionists, activity leaders and recreation technicians.

“For permanent staff, we are not looking at significant layoffs in the coming weeks.”

Jorgenson says citizens need City work to continue in the core services.

“Our people matter, and we must be financially responsible, especially now as many citizens and businesses are hurting and are directly affected by the pandemic.”

Jorgenson says the City’s approach is to continue with strategies that are, and will, keep the economy and as many services going as possible so that when we start returning to a more normal operating environment, the City is as far ahead as it possibly can be.

“Re-starting our economy on the other side of this pandemic will be paramount, and the City will play a major role in the coming months,” he says.

Residents asked to use Transit for essential travel only

To increase social distancing measures, Transit riders are asked to use the bus service only for essential travel.

When possible, those in a wheelchair are asked to use the rear facing wheelchair station and to buckle themselves in to ensure social distance from operators.

These changes are in addition to transit service reductions and the closure of many public facilities including schools.

Details on Transit’s reduced schedule can be found on Saskatoon Transit’s homepage.

Household Glass Program with SARCAN Temporarily Suspended 

SARCAN has made the decision to close locations across Saskatchewan indefinitely. This means the Household Glass Program will be suspend until locations re-open. During this time, residents are asked to avoid overfilling their Blue Cart/Bin and to hang on to their clean and dry recyclables until their next collection day.

Gordon Howe Campground Delays Opening

The City will temporarily suspend all visitor services at Gordon Howe Campground and will stop taking new reservations until May 1, 2020. The campground reopening will be subject to an assessment of the COVID-19 status. Further updates will be provided as they become available.

Building Permit Inspections

Building Permit Inspections have resumed and are now available, along with Plumbing Permit Inspections, via FaceTime and Skype video calls.

AMI Water Meters
Meter upgrade appointments are suspended until further notice. Learn more about the project at www.saskatoon.ca/watermeter.    

2020 Property Tax Financial Relief & Flexibility - Update
For citizens experiencing the effects of the economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is committed to providing increased flexibility and immediate short-term relief for your 2020 Property Tax payment.

The City is extending a three-month grace period to provide additional time to pay your 2020 Property Tax. You will not incur any late payment penalties on your 2020 Property Tax if you pay the full amount due by September 30, 2020.

Also, for TIPPS customers currently paying their 2020 Property Tax over 12-equal monthly installments, you may request to be removed from TIPPS at any time should you require immediate, short-term financial relief without incurring a penalty. Your full property tax amount will then be due September 30, 2020.

Updates will continue to be provided at saskatoon.ca/covid-19 and at saskatoonpolice.ca