News Releases

Following continual review of several financial options, City Administration has estimated the most current property tax increase at 4.96%.

“As we’ve said all along, we’re focussed on exploring numerous strategies to find savings that will help minimize next year’s property taxes,” says Director of Finance Clae Hack.

The Governance and Priorities Committee will consider the 2018 Business Plan and Budget Update at its Monday, September 18 meeting.

Despite a $6.1 million reduction in provincial funding -- equivalent to a 2.77% property tax increase -- the Administration has continued to work towards minimizing the property tax impact for 2018. 

 “While we continue to face significant challenges as a result of the provincial funding decreases, we’ve heard through our public engagement that it’s very important to maintain our existing service levels throughout the City,” Hack says.

As the GPC report outlines, several changes have been made to the 2018 projected budget to arrive at the revised property tax estimate at 4.96% for 2018, some of which include:

• Repayment of sound wall borrowings over 10 years instead of 5 which has resulted in a decrease of $250,000 in expenditures.
• Removal of the $240,000 growth allocation to roadways preservation and maintenance as their annual targets will continue to be met without this due to favourable pricing.
• Decrease of $600,000 to the transfer to Reserve for Capital Expenditures (RCE) in order to reduce the reliance on the property tax.
• Adjustment of $200,000 to traffic fines and penalties based on refined estimates; this adjustment results in an overall decrease in revenue of $300,000 instead of the originally estimated $500,000.

The 2018 Preliminary Budget is currently estimated at $491.0 million which is a $13.3 million increase over 2017.

The next 2018 Business Plan and Budget Update will be the full presentation of the 2018 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget book to the Governance and Priorities Committee on October 16, 2017.

Find further details and related budget and finance documents at saskatoon.ca/budget.

 

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo’s resident Red Panda, Phoenix, will be leaving Saskatoon on Sunday, October 1, 2017.

“For the past three years, Phoenix has lived with us in the PotashCorp Ark Exhibit and his presence was enjoyed by visitors of all ages,” says Zoo Manager Tim Sinclair-Smith.

Sinclair-Smith adds, “Phoenix’s move is part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) developed by the (American) Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered in the wild.”

“The SSP plans to grow and develop a long-term program for red pandas, and Phoenix will play a key role in the continued development of the program.”

Recently, the red panda has been classified as Endangered because its population in the wild is estimated to be less than 10,000 and continues to decline due to habitat loss among other causes.

“We hope that one day red pandas will return to the Zoo, but for now our commitment is to the SSP and the important work it is doing to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse, and stable population for red pandas,” says Sinclair-Smith.

In celebration of Phoenix’s final days in Saskatoon, the Zoo Animal Care team will be on hand to answer questions at the PotashCorp Ark Exhibit throughout the month of September.

The Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the Forestry Farm Park gates are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A special meeting of the Governance and Priorities Committee will be held on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, for City Council to hear an update on the Recreation & Parks Master Plan Long-Range Capital Plan.  The meeting will include presentations from community-based organizations interested in partnering with the City on capital initiatives.

In 2015, City Council approved the Recreation & Parks Master Plan to provide a framework for guiding the development, delivery and improvement of recreation and parks programs, services and facilities now and into the future.  It identified recommendations for implementation for the City and community over the next 15 years.

“The Master Plan was developed by a diverse team,” says Lynne Lacroix, Director of Recreation and Community Development.  “This included the City Administration and recreation experts, along with extensive community and stakeholder engagement.  The team heard from key agencies and sectors involved in and affected by recreation and parks services.”

The next step in the implementation of the Master Plan is to set priorities for long-range capital budget planning for recreation and parks facilities.  The goal will be to identify gaps and to formalize a process for setting priorities:  that is, what, when, and where to build or upgrade amenities.

“We’ve developed a game plan for prioritizing enhanced or new recreation and parks facilities.”

Lacroix says the plan focuses on three areas:

• maintenance of existing City-owned facilities;
• identifying new initiatives based on trends and partnership opportunities; and
• growth-related infrastructure in new areas of the city.

The game plan details annual capital expenditures and priorities related to recreation and parks infrastructure using the Master Plan tools and framework.  Once received by the Governance and Priorities Committee, this game plan, along with a proposed funding strategy, will proceed to City Council for debate in the budget proceedings later this year.

Please visit www.saskatoon.ca/recmasterplan for the highlights of the Recreation & Parks Master Plan, to view the plan in its entirety, and for more information on implementation.

From the September 11, 2017 Meeting

7.1.2 Capital Project #2407 – North Commuter Parkway & Traffic Bridge Construction Update

Decision

*The report of the Acting General Manager, Transportation and Utilities Department, was received as information.

Background

*At a special meeting held on September 8, 2015, City Council awarded the RFP for the North Commuter Parkway and Traffic Bridge, naming GCP the Preferred Proponent. At its meeting on November 23, 2015, City Council received information regarding the financial details of the Project Agreement (PA) with GCP. A construction update was last provided on March 13, 2017 to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation.

7.1.3 Highway 16 and Boychuk Drive, McOrmond Drive and College Drive Interchanges – Construction Update

Decision

*The report of the Acting General Manager, Transportation and Utilities Department, was received as information.

Background

*At its meeting held on November 28, 2016, City Council awarded the Request for Proposals for the Saskatoon Interchange Project, naming PCL Construction Management Inc. (PCL) the Preferred Proponent for the project. PCL and the City of Saskatoon finalized the Project Agreement with an effective date for the project of December 12, 2016. A project update was last provided on March 13, 2017 to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation.

7.2.1 2018 Residential Parking Program Expansion

Decision

*The Committee is recommending to City Council:

1. That Residential Parking Permit zones be expanded, as outlined in the report, effective in 2018, using existing resources, including that the Administration speak with businesses, institutions and organizations affected by the Residential Parking Program changes to ensure they are not encountering undue hardship, and where reasonable, accommodations be made; and

2. That the City Solicitor be requested to prepare the proposed amendments to Residential Parking Program, 1999, Bylaw No. 7862.

Committee also resolved that the Administration report back on the possibility of including multi-unit dwellings in the Residential Parking Permit program, specifically, in cases where those dwellings are similar to single family homes, such as in the case of street-facing townhouse condos.

Background

*Permit zones have been created to increase on-street parking opportunities for residents in areas with high on-street parking demand. Policies and Bylaw dictate Permit zones must:

a) be predominantly residential and not in a pay parking area;

b) have a shortage of on-street parking; and

c) be supported by no less than 70% of households on each block-face or by no less than 50% of households in Limited Permit zones.

Creation or expansion of a Permit zone is a community-lead initiative, driven by the following process:

1. Residents request a Permit zone by submitting a petition with 70% of households per block-face supporting the zone.

2. The Administration verifies the results of the petition.

3. When the petition requirements are met, the Administration conducts a parking study to confirm there is an on-street parking shortage in the area.

4. When the parking study requirements are met, a report is sent to City Council seeking approval of the new or expanded Permit zone.

7.2.2 Road Maintenance Service Level

Decision

*The Committee is recommending to City Council:

1. That the current service level for the Road Maintenance service line be maintained and approved; and

2. That the option of increasing road maintenance by $200,000 be forwarded to the 2018 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget deliberations.

Background

*At the May 15, 2017 meeting of the Governance and Priorities Committee, the Administration committed to bring forward a series of service level documents on core services. The service level template communicates two key messages:

1. Information for citizens, Committees, and City Council about “what we do”, “why we do it”, and “how much it costs” for each service line.

2. Viable options to the current state of service levels, entitled “what else is possible”.

7.2.3 Proposed Amendments to Bylaw No. 7200 – The Traffic Bylaw – Speed Limit Changes

*Decision

The Committee is recommending to City Council:

1. That the speed limit on Central Avenue from a point 220 metres north of Somers Road to Agra Road be reduced from 60 kph to 50 kph;

2. That a speed limit on Lowe Road from Agra Road to a point 800 metres north of Agra Road be reduced from 80 kph to 50 kph;

3. That a speed limit on McOrmond Drive from Fedoruk Drive to a point 800 metres east of Lowe Road be reduced from 60 kph to 50 kph;

4. That a speed limit of 60 kph on Central Avenue from Agra Road to McOrmond Drive be established;

5. That a speed limit on Lowe Road from a point 800 metres north of Agra Road to McOrmond Drive be reduced from 80 kph to 60 kph;

6. That a speed limit of 60 kph on McOrmond Drive from a point 800 metres east of Lowe Road to Central Avenue be established;

7. The Small Swale has been recognized to have similar ecological significance to the Northeast Swale, as such the decision to determine the speed limit for the Small Swale be referred to the Northeast Swale stakeholder committee before a speed limit is determined on McOrmond Drive from Central Avenue to Wanuskewin Road.

8. That a speed limit on Millar Avenue from 60^th Street to 71^st Street be reduced from 60 kph to 50 kph;

9. That a speed limit on Zimmerman Road from Highway No. 16 to a point 1,000 metres north of Highway No. 16 be reduced from 80 kph to 60 kph;

10. That a speed limit on 71^st Street West from Thatcher Avenue west to the City Limit be reduced from 90 kph to 70 kph;

11. That a speed limit of 80 kph on College Drive from a point 100 metres east of Preston Avenue to the East City Limit be established;

12.  That the City Solicitor be requested to prepare the appropriate bylaw amendment to Bylaw No. 7200, The Traffic Bylaw, effective December 1, 2017.

Background

*The recommended maximum allowable speeds for new and/or modified roadways are based on road classification, adjacent land use, driver behaviour and familiarity, and/or safety concerns. The goal is to establish a reasonable and safe speed limit that is appropriate for a particular roadway based on its design and classification.

 

From the September 11, 2017 Meeting 

7.1.1 Construction & Design, 2015/2016 Annual Report

Decision

*A report of the Acting General Manager, Transportation & Utilities Department, was received as information.

Background

*Construction & Design is a service provider to the City of Saskatoon that delivers municipal infrastructure projects; provides regulatory oversight; maintains infrastructure records; and provides expertise, advice and guidance on municipal infrastructure. Administration is proud to present the first annual report demonstrating a variety of successful municipal projects.

7.2.5 Service Saskatoon – Open Data Update Report

Decision

*The Committee will recommend to City Council:

1. That the City engage in an Open Data program;
2. That the Administration be directed to develop a detailed strategy to implement the recommendations outlined in the MPATH report, and report back by April, 2018.

Background

*The original Open Data Catalogue pilot project was presented to City Council on August 15, 2012. The pilot project received approval for $40,000 for a capital project to engage with the local develop community and to establish a beta site to publish City data sets.

The catalogue was populated with a number of data sets that were static in nature. Static data sets in the current catalogue are not consistently updated, and as a result, the information may not be current and accurate. The process of creating, uploading, and maintaining data sets is currently a manual process. Prior to publishing the new data set, a pre-Personal Information Assessment is prepared and submitted to City Clerks prior to loading it to the open data catalogue. Currently, there are no dedicated resources for the Open Data program.

7.2.6 Climate Change Mitigation Business Plan - Opportunities

Decision

*The Committee will recommend to City Council:

1. That the information pertaining to Climate Change Mitigation Business Plan be received; and
2. That the allocation of Corporate Performance Department Capital Funding of $20,000, in addition to $80,000 of Federation of Canadian Municipalities grant funding, be referred to the 2018 Business Plan and Budget deliberations to support development of the Business Plan.

Background

*In November 2015, the City became a signatory to the Compact of Mayors, now known as the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, which commits the City of Saskatoon to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Within three years of becoming a signatory, Saskatoon is required to develop and submit an action plan for demonstrating how the City will deliver on its promise to mitigate emissions.

At its meeting on June 26, 2017, City Council resolved, in part:

1. That the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for the City of Saskatoon (corporate) be adjusted to utilize 2014 as the base year, specifically, a reduction of 40% below 2014 levels by 2023; and a reduction of 80% below 2014 levels by 2050.

2. That the recommended reduction targets for the community proposed by the Saskatoon Environmental Advisory Committee be adopted.