News Releases

Saskatoon Transit riders will notice six new buses on city streets in the coming days. The new buses are part of Saskatoon Transit’s Fleet Renewal Strategy, which will improve rider experiences while decreasing operating costs.

“These buses are fully accessible, contain the latest Intelligent Transportation System technology and are more fuel efficient,” says Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “They have more comfortable ergonomically-designed seating, improved lighting, automated announcements, air conditioning and a darker floor which will reduce windshield glare for our operators.”

These buses are the first of 10 to arrive; four remaining buses are expected to be delivered in July. Upgrading the transit fleet with new buses instead of buying refurbished models reduces the annual fleet cost by about $200,000 a year. Saskatoon Transit will soon place an order for 10 more buses for a July 2017 delivery.   

“It just makes better financial sense to update our fleet and it helps us deliver high-quality, comfortable service that Saskatoon residents expect and deserve,” says McDonald. “We’ve seen a savings of $60,000 a year in fuel costs because of the new buses purchased over the last five years.   We anticipate more savings as we replace older buses with new ones.”

Over the next 10 years, Transit will:

• Reduce its average bus age from 11.9 to 7.3 years, which will reduce maintenance costs and the size of the fleet because  fewer “spares” are required;
• Ensure every bus meets accessibility standards by 2018;
• Offer air conditioning and other improved amenities on every bus; and
• Increase capacity on busy routes by tripling the number of articulating buses.

Overall, it’s expected the new buses will provide riders with modern transportation solutions and a better overall riding experience. 

For the June 27, 2016 Regular Meeting of City Council

8.1.2 Vacant Lot and Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program – Gardens as an Interim Use

*City Council will be asked to approve the proposed amendments to the Vacant Lot and Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program Policy.

Additional Information

*At the May 30, 2016 meeting of the SPC on Planning, Development and Community Services, presentations were received expressing support for the proposed amendment and further urban food production opportunities.
*Administration has worked with community stakeholders to amend the Vacant Lot and Adaptive Reuse Program (VLAR) to help address food security in Saskatoon.
*The Administration recommends the VLAR Program be amended to include incentives for garden plots on vacant land as an interim use.
*The incentive will be in the form of a cash grant equal to 50% of the annual value of the municipal property taxes to a maximum of $500 per year for residential properties, and $1,200 per year for non-residential sites, for up to five years.
*Non-profit organizations may have on-site sales of produce in residential areas in compliance with the garage sale provisions of the Zoning Bylaw No. 8770.
*The establishment of a garden on a vacant lot will not affect the opportunity for future incentives under the VLAR Program when the lot becomes developed.

8.3.3 Functional Planning Study – Interchange Highways 11 & 16 – Award of Contract

*The SPC on Transportation is recommending that the City enter into an agreement with ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd. for the provision of engineering services to complete a Functional Planning Study of the interchange at Highways 11 & 16 at a total cost of $160,183 (including taxes).

Additional Information

*The junction of Highways 11 & 16 is currently operating as a 1960’s era cloverleaf interchange. Both highways are considered National and Provincial primary routes and any future interchange will require a system-level interchange function and need to be flexible for conversion to an urban service-level interchange in the future. The Stonebridge partial interchange, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2016, will attract additional traffic through the cloverleaf interchange.
*This project was approved in the 2016 Capital Budget.
*Over the past 5 years 39 collisions have occurred within the existing interchange; additionally, 1 to 3 collisions involving the structure and over-height loads occur in a typical year.
*The focus of this review is a detailed engineering study of the existing and future traffic demands at this junction and the geometric improvements required to improve the safety and operation of this interchange.

8.3.8 Active Transportation Plan

*City Council will be asked:

1. To recognize and approve, in principle, the long-term benefits of the vision, goals, targets, and key directions of the Active Transportation Plan;
2. That the Active Transportation Plan be implemented in a phased, incremental
approach, requiring specific implementation plans in five-year increments; and
3. That the Administration report back with an implementation plan for the period of 2017 to 2021 with specific action items, funding and staffing resources identified.

Additional Information

*The Active Transportation Plan (ATP) was guided by community input, a vision, and goals; targets for active transportation have been developed, along with key directions and action items to improve active transportation facilities, policies and standards, support programs, and education and awareness initiatives over the next 30 to 40 years.
*Based on feedback during the early rounds of public engagement, the ATP includes a target to double the proportionate daily walking and cycling trips by the year 2045.
*The ATP contains an 80-point action plan organized around the themes of Connectivity, Safety and Security, Convenience, Land Use and Growth, Maintenance and Accessibility, and Education and Awareness. Actions have been prioritized in the short-, medium-, and long-term, and quick wins (actions that can be implemented in the next one to two years) have been identified.
*Following City Council approval in principle, a five-year implementation plan with specific action items, funding, and staffing resources will be created and brought to City Council for review.

8.4.2 2015 Safety Performance and Absenteeism Report

*City Council will be asked that the Board of Police Commissioners be requested to provide additional information on its action plans to reduce lost time injury and frequency.

Additional Information:

*The purpose of the Safety Performance Report is to provide a summary of the major activities in 2015, review the results of the City’s Safety Performance for 2015, identify strategies for improvement, as well as identify supporting initiatives to achieve the Corporate Performance target of zero lost-time incidents by 2023.
*The purpose of the Absenteeism report is to review absenteeism rates and costs, identify trends, as well as opportunities for improvement.
*Additional information can be found in this report: https://apps2.saskatoon.ca/tpapp/eamm_public/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=14357

9.6.3 Designation of Fred Mendel Park Off-Leash Recreation Area

*City Council will be asked to consider Bylaw No. 9387, The Animal Control Amendment Bylaw, 2016.

Additional Information

*At its meeting on May 24, 2016, City Council considered a report requesting approval to establish 1.28 acres as an off-leash recreation area within Fred Mendel Park and to instruct the City Solicitor to amend Bylaw No. 7860, The Animal Control Bylaw, 1999. It was later reported by the Recreation & Community Development Division that the size of the proposed off-leash recreation area had been subsequently adjusted to 1.22 acres.

9.11.1 Report from the Saskatoon Municipal Review Commission Remuneration Committee

*The Saskatoon Municipal Review Commission Remuneration Committee is making a number of recommendations. They are listed here: https://apps2.saskatoon.ca/tpapp/eamm_public/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=14371

Additional Information

*Additional information can be found in this report: https://apps2.saskatoon.ca/tpapp/eamm_public/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=14372

More than an estimated 2000 people of all ages and cultures, including religious, school, and community, participated in a Day of Reconciliation celebration in Victoria Park today. 

Participants celebrated their unique cultural heritage by wearing or holding symbols of their culture or organizations during the “Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation”.

The Day of Reconciliation continued with activities and entertainment in the park. In the spirit of Reconciliation goals, participants had an opportunity to listen to the stories of survivors and their families; learn about our history and about residential schools, in a safe, open and accessible environment; show-up to support Reconciliation in our community; and to share their personal responses to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action.

In response to the TRC Calls to Action, the City of Saskatoon, Office of the Treaty Commissioner, Saskatoon Tribal Council, Central Urban Metis Federation Inc., along with 29 supporting organizations, planned a month-long series of events to promote Reconciliation in Saskatoon. The events educated, engaged and inspired citizens on what it means to reconcile and find their own call 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.

From the June 20, 2016 meeting

8.1.1 Communications Support to Councillors – Update

Decision

*The report provided the Committee with a usage update from January 1-May 31. It was received as information.

Additional Information

*An updated tabulation of City Councillor communications allowance usage can be found here: http://owl.li/Gv4g301wTnN
*An updated tabulation of the Mayor’s communications allowance usage can be found here: http://owl.li/Tr0h301wUTR

8.1.2 2016 Local Government Elections – Appointment of Returning Officer

Decision

*The report was received as information.

Additional Information

*Ms. Catherine Folkersen has been appointed Returning Officer effective May 26, 2016, for the 2016 Local Government Elections.
*In April, City Council passed Bylaw No. 9370, The Returning Officer Appointment Bylaw, 2016.
*The Returning Officer is to perform all duties and functions prescribed under The Local Government Election Act, 2015 as well as related administrative duties in accordance with the Act, bylaws and policies of the City.

8.2.4 2016 Local Government Elections – Establishment of Special Polls (Hospitals and Special Care Facilities)

Decision

*The recommendations outlined in the report are being forwarded to City Council for approval.

Additional Information

*City Council will be asked to approve:
-establishment of Special Polls, conducted as Advance Polls on Tuesday, October 18, 2016, and Wednesday, October 19, 2016.
-Approval of the establishment of Special Polls conducted on Election Day, October 26, 2016.
-Authorization for the Returning Officer to make any changes or additions to the dates or times that may become necessary to accommodate the needs of the Special Polls.
-That a mail-in ballot provision be available to voters in hospitals, personal care facilities, or similar institutions in accordance with the established mail-in ballot voting system, and the use of mail-in ballots at these locations be facilitated by delivering the ballots to the facility.

8.2.5 Appointment of Bylaw Officer

Decision

*The recommendation outlined in report is being forwarded to City Council for approval.

Additional Information

*The committee recommends Bylaw No. 7340, The Bylaw Enforcement Officers Bylaw, be amended to facilitate the appointment of a new bylaw enforcement officer responsible for prosecuting municipal bylaw offences and representing the City of Saskatoon before a justice of the peace or a judge of the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan in the prosecution of anyone charged with a contravention of a bylaw.

Saskatoon Light & Power crews responded to restore power to several city neighbourhoods following a cascading outage which originated on the city’s east side.

“It all started at 2:33 p.m. when a large poplar tree branch fell onto one of our main high-voltage transmission lines near Taylor Street and Preston Avenue,” says Trevor Bell, Director of Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P).  “The branch tripped out the eastern portion of our transmission ring serving the city.  It caused power to go out at 18 of our 23 substations.  This affected the east side, north end, the northern portion of downtown and some other areas.”

Bell says crews responded immediately and trimmed back tree branches.  While they worked, SL&P restored power to much of downtown within 14 minutes at 2:47 p.m.

“Once it was safe to do so, we started re-energizing the rest of the city,” Bell says.  “Most areas had been restored within 42 minutes by about 3:15 p.m. and the last few customers were restored within an hour by 3:33 p.m.”

City staff used social media channels to inform the public about the outage and provided updates on Twitter and Facebook.  City staff will investigate why an off-site back-up system for City Hall failed to support the website.  Meanwhile, users were directed to a City blog for website outage information.

Basic website service has been restored; service alerts will continue to be issued as needed.