News Releases

The Amalgamated Transit Union, 615 (ATU) has served the City of Saskatoon 48-hour strike notice, meaning citizens can expect service disruptions as early as Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.

“We are disappointed to receive strike notice since we have been bargaining all week and have made significant progress,” says Marno McInnes, Director of Human Resources.  “We have narrowed the gap between the parties and just provided the Transit union with another offer.”

The City has a responsibility to protect taxpayers’ dollars and the benefits of all City employees. In that spirit, the City has worked hard at presenting a fair and competitive offer to the ATU.

For more information and facts on Transit Contract Negotiations, please go here.

In July 2016, the Government of Canada announced the designation of 13 new nationally significant persons, places, and events that helped define Canada’s history.  Saskatoon’s Montgomery Place and Marr Residence are among those designated.

The Marr Residence received its national historic designation under the category of Developing Economies.  Constructed in 1884, the Marr Residence is the second oldest building in Saskatoon.  It is also part of the history of the Temperance Colonization Society, which established the first major European settlement in the area, facilitated by cooperation with the resident First Nations population.  The Marr Residence is the only survivor of three houses that were part of a field hospital established during the North-West Rebellion of 1885.

Montgomery Place received its national historic designation under the category of Military History.  Saskatoon’s Montgomery Place neighbourhood was developed following World War II as part the Veterans’ Land Act (Act) of 1942, which provided most veterans, ex-servicemen and women, and those with disabilities with a wide range of benefits later extended to veterans of the Korean War.  The Act’s main goal was to provide veterans with the means to become financially independent after their return to civilian life, and it included assistance to build their own homes.

Montgomery Place was built in 1946, on 230 acres of rural land previously in the Rural Municipality of Cory.  The neighbourhood featured small homes on generous, half-acre (minimum) lots, where veterans were expected to plant gardens to supplement their incomes.

2016 marks the neighbourhood’s 70^th anniversary.  To celebrate, the Montgomery Place Community Association is hosting a “Back to the 1940s!” event on Saturday, September 17, 2016.  For event details, visit montgomeryplace.ca.

Other National Historic Sites in the Saskatoon area include the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo, the Next-of-Kin Memorial Avenue, and Wanuskewin Heritage Park.

For more information on heritage properties and programs, visit saskatoon.ca/heritage.

The City’s new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system was activated in July for Saskatoon Light & Power and Saskatoon Water customers that have been connected. Meter replacements and water module installations are still underway; however, approximately 42,000 electricity customers and 4,500 water customers are now being charged using actual consumption on their monthly utility bill.

“Our customers can now use this timely, real data to understand how much electricity and water they use,” says Kevin Hudson, Manager of Metering and Sustainable Electricity for Saskatoon Light & Power. “As they make changes to reduce electricity and water consumption, customers can track the usage on their utility bills and save money.”                                                                                                          

The benefits of the new metering system:

• Opportunity to track and understand how much electricity and water is being used so changes can be made to save money;
• Early warning signs of an issue with an appliance or leaking plumbing when irregular usage is recorded; and
• No requirements to provide access to their property for regular meter reading and tenancy changes, or submit actual meter-reads because they will be done remotely.

The City’s new model of citizen service – called Service Saskatoon – is a City-wide shift in how we will deliver front line service, respond to requests and improve services into the future. As part of our Service Saskatoon model, the transition from manual meter-reading to AMI allows us to improve the quality of service to our customers now and into the future.

“In the years ahead, we will be able to use data transmitted by the meters to see where power issues or outages are occurring, which will result in faster response and restoration times,” says Hudson. “And, more importantly, better electrical and water service for residents.”

The City has been installing smart electricity meters since 2008 and is expecting to have all customers converted to the new system by the end of 2017. Water meter and communications module installations started in May 2016, by neighbourhood. Over the next three years, water customers will receive a letter from Saskatoon Water, advising when they can go online to book their appointment.

Learn more about the AMI system for both electricity and water customers at saskatoon.ca.

Starting Monday, September 19, the City will close Spadina Crescent West between Avenues A and D to conduct water main lining work. The work is expected to take about 10 days, weather permitting, and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

“A full closure of Spadina Crescent West within this area is necessary because we need to dig access pits at the intersections of Avenues A, B and C,” says Rob Frank, Engineering Manager of Asset Preservation. “We are piloting a new product to line the water main to a ‘like new’ condition while continuing to maintain the quality of water that citizens expect.”

The piloted water main liner leverages a new technology and may be used on future projects around the city. “The technique we are using is intended to be faster and economical, allowing us to rehabilitate specific types of water mains more efficiently,” says Frank. “This will help extend the service life of this water main in a less disruptive more cost effective way to residents, area businesses, and drivers.”

The water main lining work will not impact water service to residents or businesses in the area; there won’t be any temporary water lines nor water advisories in effect

Farmers’ Market parking lots will remain accessible throughout the work period, although at times there may be some minor parking restrictions. Drivers are encouraged to use 19th Street to access Avenues A, B and C between 19th Street and Spadina Crescent West.

As always, drivers are reminded to slow down, pay attention and obey signage around work zones at all times. For more information, please visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads. 

Imagine you are a Cree hunter and you discover you can no longer track Bison because a railroad is being built. Then, the government says you have to stay put and try to feed your family; this is the experience the Wîcihitowin “blanket exercise” wants to create for participants.

“We’re hoping to teach community and business leaders more about our shared history, which continues to touch our current times,” says Gilles Dorval, Director of Aboriginal Relations with the City of Saskatoon. “Education creates more understanding and compassion. In Saskatoon, we’ve made a lot of positive change for the inclusion of our indigenous community, but as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission demonstrated, we still have a ways to go.”

Covering more than 500 years of Indigenous peoples’ history, 40 participants took part in the interactive learning experience at the Frances Morrison Library today. Part of the Wîcihitowin (wee-CHEE-toh-win) Speaker Series, the event brings together people from Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations from in and around Saskatoon to gain greater understanding of historic and contemporary Indigenous issues.

This Wîcihitowin Speaker Series event takes place in advance of the Wîcihitowin Aboriginal Engagement Conference, October 12-13, in Saskatoon.

“Our organizing committee hopes to continue spreading the message and realizing the meaning of Wîcihitowin,” says Neal Kewistep, Manager, Our Neighbourhood Health Centre & Building Health Equity for the Saskatoon Health Region. “That means learning from one another to build a better community and assisting organizations in responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.”

The October conference is presented in partnership with the United Way of Saskatoon, Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Health Region, and the City of Saskatoon

“Wîcihitowin was created on the premise that by working together, we can achieve more and create a community where everyone thrives,” says Warren Isbister-Bear, Director of Aboriginal Relations for the United Way of Saskatoon. “The Reconciliation component is the participation from organizations and individuals within our community to gain an understanding of our shared history and make efforts of reconciliation.”

Follow the conversation on Facebook and Twitter using #Wicihitowin2016.

Wîcihitowin supports the City’s Strategic Goal of “Quality of Life” by identifying actions for enhancing Aboriginal well-being and participation in our community. For more information, visit Saskatoon.ca/aboriginalrelations.