News Releases

The 30 Day Waste Challenge for Saskatoon residents kicks-off today. Residents are encouraged to sign-up at saskatoon.ca/wastediversion to receive a weekly challenge focused on waste diversion.  After pledging to waste less, and as challenges are completed, participants can share their waste diversion stories on social media using the hashtag #yxetalkstrash.

“City Council has set the goal of diverting 70% of waste from our landfill by 2023,” says Councillor Sarina Gersher, the co-lead for City Council in the priority area of Environmental Sustainability. "The community benefits of decreasing the amount of waste we send to our landfill are substantial, as this can result in significant financial savings and have many positive environmental impacts. This campaign is a way of showing that everyone in Saskatoon can help to make a difference in this important work."

“There are three goals for this campaign,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental and Corporate Initiatives. “First, we know many of our residents are already diverting significant amounts of their waste through recycling and composting. We encourage those people to share their stories to serve as a positive example for others. Second, we are asking residents to expand their knowledge about how we can keep valuable resources out of the landfill.  Third, and most importantly, we want people to have fun!  Often the community conversation about waste is very sombre and full of numbers.  This challenge is about having some fun with our friends, neighbours and colleagues.”

Wallace says the 2016 Waste Characterization Study found the average household sets out 16 kg of garbage each week, equating to almost 100,000 tonnes of waste being landfilled each year. Of this approximately 10 per cent could have been recycled through the blue cart program, and 58 per cent is food and yard waste. It is estimated that over 75 per cent could be diverted with the right programs and increased participation rates.

“The first challenge to the community is to ‘Trash Less and Recycle More’,” says Wallace. “We’re asking residents to recycle something new or unique by tossing it in your blue bin/cart. It could be aluminum foil, or even a pizza box. Take of photo or video of the item in or in front of your recycle bin and post it on social media using the hashtag #yxetalkstrash.”

More information on the 30 Day Waste Challenge and City’s plans for waste diversion can be found on saskatoon.ca/wastediversion.  

The community target of diverting 70 per cent of our waste from the landfill means that 70 per cent of waste in Saskatoon will be reused, recycled or composted. In 2016, 22 per cent of waste was being diverted through programs such as the single and multi-unit residential recycling programs. This is the second lowest diversion rate when benchmarked against other Canadian cities.

The Waste Diversion Plan supports the Strategic Goal of Environmental Leadership. It includes the four-year priority to promote and facilitate city-wide composting and recycling and the long-term strategy to eliminate the need for a new landfill. It also supports the Strategic Goal of Asset and Financial Sustainability by reducing reliance on residential property taxes and setting long term sustainable rates.

Firefighters want everyone to have an escape route in the event flames threaten their home.  Next week is Fire Prevention Week and the Saskatoon Fire Department will host Open Houses at four different Fire Stations starting Monday, October 2 to Thursday, October 5, 2017.

“This year’s Fire Prevention theme ‘Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!’ reinforces why everyone needs to have an escape plan,” says Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Rodger.

“In a fire, every second really does count, and seconds can mean the difference between a tragedy or safe outcome.”

Rodger says an escape plan starts with:

• a map of your home
• identifying two ways out of every room
• making sure windows and doors are not blocked
• setting a meeting place outside your home
• testing your smoke alarm
• practicing a personal fire drill with everyone who lives in your home

Rodger adds the fire station open houses give citizens an opportunity to speak with firefighters, tour station facilities, and to see the fire trucks and specialized equipment they use to keep our community safe.

Firefighters will also host a live burn demonstration Thursday evening at Fire Station No. 6 (details below).

Fire Station No. 1 Open House (125 Idylwyld Drive S)
Monday, October 2, 2017
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Fire Station No. 2 Open House (3111 Diefenbaker Drive)
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Fire Station No. 8 Open House (207 Slimmon Road)
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Fire Station No. 6 Open House (3309 Taylor Street E)
Thursday, October 5, 2017
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
**Live burn demonstration** at 7:30 p.m.

Rodger says the Saskatoon Fire Department is excited about providing our citizens with a firsthand look at what they do.

This year’s national Fire Prevention Week will be held October 8 to 14, 2017.

Visit saskatoon.ca/fire to learn more.

The Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G) is pleased to announce the five partner municipalities, the Rural Municipality of Corman Park; the Cities of Saskatoon, Warman, and Martensville; and the Town of Osler, have endorsed “in principle” the Regional Plan (Plan), the Regional Servicing Strategy, and the Regional Governance and Implementation Strategy.

“Endorsement by the partners is a significant milestone in our efforts to plan for long-term growth across our region,” says Alex Fallon, Independent Chair of the P4G Regional Oversight Committee and President and CEO of Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority.

The Plan recommends a series of guiding principles and policies around land use, transportation, servicing, and implementation, as well as a new governance and administrative structure for the region.

“The goal of the Plan is to ensure each of the five partnering municipalities can benefit from growth opportunities, increase efficiencies, and reduce costs by working together,” says Fallon.

To implement the Plan, the partner municipalities are now creating a new P4G Planning District.  The Plan will become a “District Official Community Plan” as required by provincial law.  A District Zoning Bylaw is also being developed.  Before the partner Councils consider final approval of these bylaws, a joint public hearing will be held.  Notice will be published prior to the hearing, which is expected to be held in 2018.

The partner municipalities are also developing a short-term implementation plan to guide related regional projects over the next year.

To view the Plan, the Regional Servicing Strategy, and the Regional Governance and Implementation Strategy, please visit the P4G website at partnershipforgrowth.ca.

The City of Saskatoon in partnership with Reconciliation Saskatoon is proud to support Orange Shirt Day activities on September 30, 2017. The day aims to raise awareness of the devastating impact of the Indian residential school system on Aboriginal people and our community.

“As an Indian residential school survivor, we were taught to love God but we were also taught how to hate ourselves as native people,” says Elder and residential school survivor Frank Badger. “I still experience feelings of inadequacy and a lack of confidence due to the physical and emotional abuse I received at the school. No kids should experience what I did; we must love our kids and look after them no matter what background they have because every child matters.”

Orange Shirt Day has been gaining momentum since 2013 and was officially recognized last year by the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. Schools across Saskatoon will participate by running educational activities in the weeks leading up to September 30.

From the 1880s until 1996 when the last school closed, 150,000 First Nation, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their communities and forced to attend residential schools across Canada.

“I am inspired by Elders like Rose Atimoyoo who said, ‘The bringing up of a child can be likened to braiding a willow. It will grow as you braid it. So it is with a child – what he is taught and what is done with him as a child is how he will grow up, just like the braided willow,’” says Harry Lafond, Executive Director, Office of the Treaty Commissioner and residential school survivor. “Orange Shirt Day reminds us that love breeds love and pain breeds pain. What do we want for our grandchildren?”

All members of the community are encouraged to get involved by wearing an orange T-shirt or clothing item on September 30 and attend the Community Pancake Breakfast planned to honour residential school survivors.

“Orange Shirt Day is an important day for all members of the community to unite in a spirit of reconciliation and honour residential school survivors, their descendants and the children who were lost,” says Shirley Isbister, President of Central Urban Metis Federation Inc. “The impact of residential schools goes far beyond the children who experienced it firsthand. Even today, five generations later, my family feels the effects resulting from decades of cultural loss and intergenerational trauma inflicted on families.”

The day grew out of the story of six-year old Phyllis Webstad who wore an orange shirt on her first day of residential school. It was forcefully removed from her and her story is now a powerful reminder of the inter-generational trauma that has resulted from decades of cultural loss.

Reconciliation Saskatoon is a 58-member initiative of community organizations, non-profit organizations, businesses and partners who have come together with a singular mission: to initiate a citywide conversation about reconciliation and provide opportunities for everyone to engage in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Calls to Action.

For more information, visit saskatoon.ca/reconciliation, www.OTC.ca or phone the Office of the Treaty Commissioner at 306-244-2100.

The City of Saskatoon’s commitment to the TRC’s Calls to Action supports the City’s Corporate Strategic Goal of Quality of Life by identifying actions for enhancing Aboriginal well-being and participation in our community.

This initiative is made possible by the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th, a collaboration between Potash Corporation, Saskatoon Community Foundation, the Government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast.

From the September 18, 2017 Meeting

 7.1.1.1 2018 Business Plan & Budget Update

Decision

*The Committee accepted a recommendation that the information be received.

Background

*At its August 21, 2017 meeting, the Governance and Priorities Committee considered the 2018 Business Plan and Budget Update report which outlined a current projected property tax increase for 2018 of 5.59%. It also stated that the Administration was working on several strategies to develop ideas and help mitigate this property tax impact. Further to this, a letter from the North Saskatoon Business Association (NSBA) dated August 15, 2017 was referred to Administration for further analysis and dialogue with the NSBA, following up with implementation where applicable.

7.2.1 Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Saskatchewan

Decision

*The Committee will recommend to City Council:

1.        That the City of Saskatoon enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Saskatchewan with the terms and intent as outlined in the report of the City Manager dated September 18, 2017; and

2.        That the City Solicitor be instructed to draft a Memorandum of Understanding based on the contents of the report, and to do so in collaboration with the appropriate persons at the University of Saskatchewan.

Background

*At a recent meeting of the President and Vice President of Finance and Resources of the U of S with the Mayor and City Manager, the idea of establishing an MOU was discussed as a way to be more intentional and strategic about collaborations. Following this, teams from the U of S and the City have been meeting to discuss this initiative in more detail and to work on such an MOU. Both the U of S and the City conducted environmental scans to identify and understand some of the current collaborations that exist, whether it be student internships, research projects, land management, transit agreements, or environmental initiatives. This allowed the two parties to see that strong collaborations already exist, and it also allowed for an understanding of where increased collaboration could occur and would be beneficial. The two organizations came up with: proposed guiding principles of an MOU; terms of reference for a joint working group on the MOU (under development); and plans for involving students in the joint projects when relevant.