News Releases

The City of Saskatoon’s Emergency Management Organization (EMO) reports that this morning’s 10:00 a.m. city-wide notifynow TEST message was successfully delivered to 87,996 contacts using 141,029 message pathways (text, phone message, and email).

“Saskatoon’s population is now over 270,000 and growing. To date, we’ve had just over 26,000 residents customize their notifynow profile,” says Pamela Goulden-McLeod, Director of Emergency Management. “We have had an increase in sign-ups since we sent a notifynow message last month, but we would really like to see more residents customize their profile, telling notifynow how to best reach them. Notifynow can’t reach you and your family if you have incomplete or out-of-date contact information in the notifynow system.”   

Did you receive your notifynow TEST message today? Notifynow is a free service and these important safety messages can help you be prepared, connected and informed in the event of a city-wide emergency or one affecting only your neighbourhood.

“If you have a phone number that is publicly available, you may be in the notifynow system,” Goulden-McLeod says. “However, we encourage residents to visit the City’s website to tell us how they want to receive their notifynow public safety notification messages.”

Goulden-McLeod says people can receive notifynow messages on their cell phone, by text and email, and also register up to five different addresses that are important to them.

“To ensure you receive notifynow public safety information messages, you must have at least one address registered.”

It’s easy to customize your notifynow profile and your communication preferences. Signing-up lets you choose your preferred communication method. Help notifynow reach you - and more Saskatoon residents with timely, trusted and targeted public safety notification messages.

“Notifynow messages should play an important part of your family’s emergency preparedness plan,” adds Goulden-McLeod. “These public safety notification messages can tell you what to do, what to expect, or even where to go in an emergency situation, and this greatly helps to reduce stress for you and those you care about.”

Last month, at the request of the Saskatoon Police Service, a city-wide notifynow public safety notification was sent to alert Saskatoon residents on the escape of two inmates.

The notifynow system issued a public safety message to a localized area in August 2017 for a potential flooding situation, and again in November 2017 to a targeted neighbourhood area when a semi-tanker rolled-over on College Drive.

Visit saskatoon.ca/notifynow today to customize your communication preferences or call 306-975-3210 for more information.

Following three days of presentations, questions, and debate of the City’s first Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget, Mayor Charlie Clark and City Council have finalized the budget investments for 2020/2021. City Council’s Strategic Priorities, Strategic Plan and public input guided the multi-year budget process.
Notable Multi-Year Budget Investment Highlights

City Council started its budget review with a property tax increase of 3.14 per cent in 2020 and 3.52 per cent in 2021. City Council made several adjustments and adopted various options to minimize tax increases to ensure citizens would receive maximum benefits for their tax dollars invested for 2020 and 2021.

The municipal property tax has been finalized at 3.70 per cent for 2020 (the lowest increase in 10 years) and 3.87 per cent for 2021. In 2020, 1 per cent of the property tax is equivalent to $2.45 million, and $2.56 million in 2021.

Multi-Year Budget Property Tax Rates for Residential Property Owners

For a homeowner with a property assessment value of $371,000, in 2020, the 3.70 per cent increase equates to $5.82 per month or $69.87 for the year. In 2021, the 3.87 per cent increase equates to $6.28 per month or $75.35 for the year.

City Council Considered Various Budget Options

Approximately $19.0 million in funding was available to advance City Council’s priority projects in 2020 and 2021 comprised of: a one-time doubling of the Federal Gas Tax in 2019, available Reserve for Capital Expenditure (RCE) funding in 2020 and 2021, and funding from the Multi-Material Stewardship Western (MMSW) Program in 2020.

City Council had the option to allocate these funds based on its earlier prioritization results or retain any amount of reserve funds in anticipation of future needs or initiatives not yet identified.

At the recommendation of the Administration, $242,000 was left in reserves to be utilized for future contingency or other emerging issues. Notable capital investments include:

• $10.0 million in 2020 for the Curbside Organics Program
• $2.0 million in 2020 and $800,000 in 2021 for Growth Plan implementation and Corridor Planning/Infill Development
• $180,000 in 2020 for continued work on an intelligent transportation system that communicates rail crossing delays to first responders
• $150,000 in 2020 for a Downtown Stimulus Strategy
• $150,000 in both 2020 and in 2021 to make measurable progress on Green Infrastructure implementation

Operating Budget Adjustments

• A total of $1.8 million was phased-in for Asset Management Plans for Bridges, Parks and Sidewalks
• $175,000 increase for Transit expansion into Rosewood in 2020, and $175,000 to expand Transit into Brighton in 2021
• $250,000 increase for the Low Emissions Community Plan
• ​$178,900 increase for various items such as increases to the funding agreements with Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Services and Wanuskewin, dust issues on Beef Research Road, the Recreation Game Plan, anti-racism initiatives and Culture Plan implementation

This first Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget for 2020 and 2021 is an important first step to further improving the City’s strategic investments, transparency and ongoing accountability. City Council’s investment decisions in the priorities and services that matter most to citizens will ensure Saskatoon continues to be a great place to live, work, learn and play.

The finalized 2020/2021 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget document will be on saskatoon.ca/budget as soon as it is available.

An Ontario Superior Court Justice has today ordered the return of $335 thousand in City money fraudulently obtained in August.  This means the City will recover all $1.04 M that was directed to a fraudster’s bank account in August 2019 through a fraud scheme.

“This is exactly the outcome we have wanted for the past three months,” says City Manager Jeff Jorgenson. “We are grateful to the Court and for the efforts made by many people and organizations to recover this stolen money.”

Mr. Justice Michael A. Penny reserved his decision on November 5. The remaining funds had been the subject of court hearings in Toronto, where three parties claimed they had been unwitting victims of the fraud scheme.

Justice Penny found none of the remaining defendants provided enough evidence to require a trial. He also awarded the City $25 thousand in Court costs.

Each defendant has 30 days to appeal.  Until then the money will be held in trust by the City’s lawyers.

Jorgenson says the City is currently finalizing the costs of the recovery and has already installed tighter accounting measures at City Hall.

“The finance team has worked closely with our internal auditors to implement appropriate controls that are now in place to help ensure that nothing like this happens again.”

Jorgenson anticipates an update report on the full cost of the recovery and findings of the root cause investigation will be provided to City Council before year-end.

View related news releases on this matter on saskatoon.ca.