News Releases

The Saskatoon Fire Department is collaborating with Saskatoon Police Service arson and major crimes detectives as they investigate a suspicious death following an early morning house fire.

“With all fire deaths, we proceed with the assumption of some level of suspicion until it can be disproved,” says Acting Fire Chief Anthony Tataryn. “Our fire investigators work closely with the police arson investigators and they’re the ones who determine who needs to be involved and at what point.”

At 2:31 a.m. fire crews were called to reports of smoke in the area of Avenue F North and Bedford Road. A single engine from Station No. 1 was dispatched to further investigate the reports. After a search in the neighbourhood, the responding fire crew discovered smoke coming from the rear of 229 Avenue F North.

More crews were called immediately – upgrading the response with two more engines, an aerial ladder truck and a rescue truck from stations No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4.

Fire crews made a quick interior fire attack from the rear of the structure. They had the flames under control in 12 minutes.

“The damage was fairly extensive,” Tataryn says. “Based on the interior and the charring in the structure, the fire was likely burning in a closed environment for a length of time prior to us getting the call – but that will be determined by the investigators.”

Fire crews searched the home and found an adult body. The deceased person was left in place and the Saskatoon Police Service was notified.

The arrival of warmer temperatures has allowed the City to get an early start on its microsurfacing work. Microsurfacing is a road surfacing treatment that preserves the roadway without the cost and inconvenience of full road replacement. It’s applied to weathered or worn surfaces that are structurally sound.

“Microsurfacing is one of those treatments that many residents don’t really like the look of when it’s first applied,” says Celene Anger, Director of Construction & Design. “It appears kind of rough and pebbly immediately after application. But, over time, it wears into a smooth and structurally sound surface that road users can appreciate.”

The City is undertaking microsurfacing at approximately 70 locations in 2018. Many of these locations are residential but there are some higher traffic routes that will also be treated including sections of the Sid Buckwold Bridge, Idylwyld Drive, and 51^st Street.  The work will be undertaken at night at those locations where the noise won’t be disruptive to area residents.

Microsurfacing is fast moving work that poses little interruption. In most locations, if weather cooperates and there are no unforeseen issues, contractors can be in and out of a location within a day or less.

More information about the 2018 Building Better Roads plan is available at saskatoon.ca/betterroads. You can also access Traffic Detour Service Alerts at saskatoon.ca/servicealerts or follow @YXEServiceAlert on Twitter.

It’s a new time and a new way forward for the City of Saskatoon. We’re moving to a new multi-year business plan and budget.  Rather than budgeting for one year at a time, residents can now expect to see a two-year business plan and budget created for 2020-2021. 

To get started, a new Civic Satisfaction & Performance Survey will kick off the first significant public engagement activity. This survey is the first of two, which along with other engagement activities, will ask residents for their input to be used in preparing our 2020-2021 Multi-Year Budget.

We value public input as an important part of the budget process and want to keep improving opportunities for residents to participate. To do that, the 2020-2021 Multi-Year Budget will create even more ways to help us better understand residents’ perceptions, views and priorities for the City. The goal is to include as many residents as possible by providing a variety of opportunities for people to participate, be heard and learn more.

This year, any resident can complete the Civic Satisfaction & Performance Survey online at saskatoon.ca/engage. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes. We hope to hear from you; tell us how we’re doing and how to improve. If preferred, a hard copy of the survey is available to print and submit to City Hall.  The Civic Satisfaction & Performance Survey is open until Sunday, July 29, 2018.

All public input collected this summer and fall will be compiled and presented to City Council in January 2019.  Your important feedback will be used throughout the year as we plan the 2020-2021 Multi-Year Budget. Watch for updates on what we heard after each survey closes.

The Saskatoon Fire Department would like to remind the community of safe practices for purchasing, enjoying, and disposing of fireworks. This Canada Day, Sunday, July 1^st, low-hazard fireworks can only be discharged on private property between the hours of dusk and 11:00 p.m.

Low-hazard fireworks are designed for public recreational use and include some roman candles and sparklers, among others, and travel less than 50m (160ft) high.

High-hazard fireworks are designed for professionals and can only be purchased by persons holding a valid Fireworks Supervisor – Level I or Level II card issued by Natural Resources Canada.

The Saskatoon Fire Department would like to remind residents and visitors of the risks and obligations associated with fireworks:

• Carefully read and follow the manufacturer instructions,

• Exercise increased caution when handling and discharging any type of firework,

• Choose your location wisely, noting that fireworks can only be discharged on private property,

• Ensure your location is free of overhead obstructions, is clear side-to-side, and is a safe distance from combustible materials,

• Familiarize yourself with the space requirements for the type of firework being discharged; requirements vary depending on the firework type,

• Be sure to properly stabilize the firework according to manufacturer direction, and

• Keep in mind that you are solely responsible for any debris that may land on your spectators or another’s property.

After dusk, when you are ready to discharge the fireworks, ensure that it is not windy, that everyone under the age of 18 is supervised by a parent or guardian, and that you always light the fuse at its tip. Other than sparklers, never light or hold a lit firework in your hand. Always have a water supply available when discharging fireworks.

Wait at least 30 minutes before beginning the clean-up process. At that time, it is a good idea to dispose of used fireworks and debris in a pail of water. Never try to relight or fix the fuse on fireworks that didn’t go off.

Always be extremely careful when discharging fireworks. The debris or smoldering embers could cause injuries, property damage, and/or fires.

The Saskatoon Fire Department wishes everyone a safe and happy Canada Day. Currently, there is no fire ban in effect for Saskatoon. It’s always recommended that residents and visitors celebrate at public firework displays that are hosted by a trusted organization; however, if you choose to celebrate Canada Day by sending off your own fireworks, please follow all safety practices, and only send them off between dusk and 11:00 p.m.

On June 25, 2018 City Council approved the recommendations to move forward with the development of a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) waste utility and city-wide organics program, both projected to launch before the end of 2019.

“The decision by City Council to move forward with these programs is an important step toward better community-wide waste management,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental and Corporate Initiatives. “The associated improvement to our waste diversion performance  will save future generations the costs of building a new landfill and recover valuable resources that lead to jobs and economic growth from what has previously been simply wasted.”

Additional details of the recommendations can be found in the June 25, 2018 report to City Council (Recommended Changes to Waste Management in Saskatoon) and include:

• that organics be collected in a single green cart for co-mingled food and yard waste;
• that waste utility fees be based on cart sizes (lower prices for smaller carts);
• and that no changes be made to the existing recycling program.

“These recommendations were informed by more than 5,000 curbside residents who participated in our community engagement events and online survey. There was a wide spectrum of responses that will help us design better programs,” Wallace says. “We want the program to be an improvement over the current situation for everyone and considering fairness and equity for all demographics is an important part of the program design. Further details on how these programs meet affordability principles will be put forward in September.”

Administration will report on more details of the curbside PAYT and city-wide organics program in September 2018.  Administration is also engaging with the Multi-unit and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional sectors, and will be tabling reports on how to manage and divert waste from these sectors throughout the rest of 2018.

For more information regarding curbside engagement results and the recommendations brought forward, visit: saskatoon.ca/engage/saskatoon-talks-trash-curbside

For more information on the City’s Waste Diversion Plan, visit: saskatoon.ca/wastediversion