News Releases

The 2016 PotashCorp Fringe Theatre and Street Festival starts today, and the City urges attendees to consider Saskatoon Transit as their transportation option to and from the festival.

“The construction on and around Broadway Avenue means there will be even fewer parking options for festival-goers than usual,” says Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “So, avoid the hassle, come down to the Fringe, enjoy everything the festival has to offer and leave the driving to us.”

The attached map indicates the direct transit routes that will get you closest to the festival, including the high frequency Route 8, which leaves Centre Mall and travels to the corner of Broadway Avenue and 8th Street.

“We think this is a great opportunity for people to see first-hand our commitment to renew Saskatoon Transit and to get a feel for how the high-frequency service works,” McDonald says. “Riders will be able to hop on several of our buses and get off at the festival site.”

Other direct routes include:

• Route 1 Exhibition: Downtown to Broadway Avenue    
• Route 1 City Centre: Sunnyside to Broadway Avenue
• Route 6 Broadway: Travels from City Centre to Broadway Avenue
• Route 6 City Centre: Market Mall to Broadway Avenue
• Route 8 City Centre: Centre Mall to the corner of Broadway Avenue and 8th Street
• Route 8 Centre Mall: City Centre to the corner of Broadway Avenue and 8th Street
• Route 13 (only available during peak periods)

The Festival is a ten day community celebration on Broadway Avenue that features several independent theatre shows, street entertainers, street vendors and food vendors. Attendance is estimated at around 55,000 people throughout the ten days with activities happening throughout the day and into the evenings.

For more information on the transit routes above please visit saskatoontransit.ca or plan your trip to the 2016 PotashCorp Fringe Theatre and Street Festival using Google Transit.      

After seven weeks of water main rehabilitation and streetscaping, Broadway Avenue from 11th Street to Main Street is scheduled to reopen this week for visitors and upcoming events. The roadway and sidewalks will be fully accessible Thursday, July 28 and, as usual, road restrictions are expected to be in place for the Fringe Festival. 

“Area business people and residents have a fresh look along Broadway to enjoy,” says Celene Anger, Director of Construction and Design. “Whether folks are visiting for a meal, shopping or a show, they will see continuous new pavement, new sections of sidewalk and upgraded streetscaping – literally on top of a more reliable and longer-lasting water main system.” 

Water main infrastructure in the area was approaching 100 years old and had been identified as one of the areas in the City requiring the most urgent attention. The replacement work required extensive excavation, traffic restriction and detours.

“So, the remaining work on Broadway Avenue south of Main Street will be completed over the next few weeks, with water main and road rehabilitation on adjacent streets occurring up until late September,” Anger says. “During this period, crews may be doing some touch-up work at night to limit further impact to the community.” 

The City is providing alternate parking for affected residents wherever possible, and visitors are asked to please obey temporary parking signage.

The Broadway Avenue Improvement Project was scheduled in phases to minimize the length of time access to businesses was impacted. Learn more at saskatoon.ca/broadway.  

8.1.3 Arena Partnership – Terms of the Contribution Agreement for Capital Funding Toward the U of S Proposed Twin Pad Ice Facility

Decision

*City Council approved the proposed terms of the Contribution Agreement for the 1 Million capital contribution to a twin pad ice facility on the University of Saskatchewan property.

Additional Information

*The proposed terms and conditions of the Contribution Agreement with the University of Saskatchewan are centered on ongoing community access, community engagement in the early stages of planning and scheduling, and a requirement for annual reporting back on community usage statistics.
*This supports the long-term strategies of supporting community-building through direct investment and ensuring existing and future leisure centres and other recreational facilities are accessible, physically and financially, and meet community needs.

8.3.2 Building Better Transit: An Asset Management Plan for Transit and Access Transit Fleet

Decision

*Administration will prepare and submit an application for funding under the Government of Canada’s Public Transit Infrastructure Fund for the purchase of new buses.
*Administration has been directed to proceed with an initial purchase of up to 15 low-floor buses and up to 5 Access Transit buses for a total cost of $8.6M using a cash-on-hand as an interim funding source.

Additional Information

*The replacement value of the City’s Transit bus fleet is $81.91M, and the replacement value of the Access Transit fleet is $3.38M.
*The funding plan to be used for the purchase of Transit and Access Transit buses includes funding from the federal programs and utility dividends. Cash on hand will be used in the interim, until program funding and approval is certain.

8.4.1 Solar Power Demonstration Project with Saskatchewan Polytechnic Memorandum of Agreement

Decision

*The City Solicitor will prepare a Memorandum of Agreement with Saskatchewan Polytechnic.

Additional Information

*At its meeting on July 23, 2015, City Council resolved that Administration prepare an MOA with the Saskatchewan Polytechnic for the development of a solar PV tracking system. Both parties have worked collaboratively to develop the MOA.
*The solar PV tracking system will be part of a long-term demonstration site of PV technologies and the evaluation of their associated cost and performance that will direct future deployment.

9.2.1 Inquiry – Costs to Deliver Meewasin Valley Authority Services

Decision

*City Council received the report (a response to a Council inquiry) as information.

Additional Information

*Meewasin is apparently under review by the Province. Due to uncertainty around the terms of this review, and how it may unfold, it is assumed that the legislation and the basic governance structure of Meewasin remain unchanged for the purposes of the report.
*Operating expenditures and capital investments are organized based on the core business areas of Meewasin, including administration, facilities, development review, planning and conservation, public programs, special projects, capital projects, and fundraising costs.
*There are some potential cost savings if the City and Province were to take over the duties or mandate of Meewasin, but much of these savings would be negated by losing the fundraising capability that an independent conservation agency currently enjoys. See the full report here. 

9.5.1 City of Saskatoon Municipal Manual 2016

Decision

*City Council received the manual.

Additional Information

*The 2016 Municipal Manual is available electronically here.
*The Municipal Manual is compiled by the City Clerk’s Office from numerous sources.
*The first Municipal Manual was published in 1913.
*The manual provides factual information, both historical and current, including a snapshot of the City’s political and administrative structure, as well as information regarding Civic boards, educational institutions, the health region and other organizations. The statistical information in the 2016 manual is current to the end of 2015.

11.1 Councillor D. Hill – Truth and Reconcilliation Commission Calls to Action Report

Decision

*Approved Motion: With respect to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action report, would the administration report back on how to engage the community as a whole to name the pending new North Commuter Parkway in recognition of the TRC. This report will be in response to the TRC calls to action and specifically #79 which is…”Participate in a strategy to commemorate Aboriginal peoples’ history and contributions to Canada.”  The administration should keep the guidelines and intent of the naming advisory policy in mind while preparing the report.”

7.2.1 2017 Business Plan and Budget Process

Decision

*There were two reports under this item – 2016 Civic Services Survey and Public Engagement Results. The Committee referred both to the 2017 Business Plan and Budget deliberations.

Additional Information

*The 2016 Civic Services Survey and public engagement activities help shape the City’s 2017 Business Plan and Budget.
*This year’s Civic Services Survey shows overall satisfaction with the level of services provided by the City remains high and is significantly higher than in 2013. Since 2013, overall satisfaction increased by 5% for telephone respondents and 10% for online respondents.
*When the results of all engagement initiatives are combined, citizens generally support increases in service levels or an increase in spending on road maintenance. Besides road maintenance, there is also support for increases for affordable housing, transit, snow and ice management, and traffic management. 

7.1.1 Request for Encroachment Agreement – 650 Broadway Avenue

Decision

*The Committee resolved the proposed encroachment at 650 Broadway Avenue be recognized and an encroachment agreement be prepared.

Background

*The report asks for approval for a future encroachment for the portions of the building foundation located at 650 Broadway Avenue.
*The proposed new building foundation and underground parking garage will encroach onto the 11th Street East sidewalk by up to 3.05 metres and onto Broadway Avenue by up to 3.06 metres.

7.2.2 Intersection Improvement Project Selection Process Policy

Decision

*The Committee recommended to City Council that the policy pertaining to the prioritization of intersections requiring traffic reviews be approved at the August 18 meeting.

Background

*The report is seeking approval of the policy to define the criteria and process used to select and prioritize intersections that require a traffic review for improvements to road safety conditions and/or operating conditions.
*A formal process has been developed to select and prioritize intersections requiring reviews based on crash rates, capacity of the intersection, and coordination with other initiatives.

7.2.4 Corridor Study Selection Process Policy

Decision

*The Committee recommends to City Council that the policy pertaining to the selection of corridors requiring transportation functional planning studies be approved at its meeting on August 18, 2016.

Background

*The report seeks approval of the policy to define the criteria and process used to select and prioritize arterial road corridors requiring transportation functional planning studies.
*A formal process has been developed to select and prioritize arterial road corridors for transportation functional planning studies based on crash rates, capacity of the corridor, and coordination with other initiatives.

7.2.7 Building Better Transit: an Asset management Plan for Transit and Access Transit Fleet

Decision

*The committee recommended to City Council:
-That Administration prepare and submit an application for funding under the Government of Canada’s Public Transit Infrastructure Fund for the purchase of new buses.
-That Administration be directed to proceed with an initial purchase of up to 15 low-floor buses and up to 5 Access Transit buses for a total cost of $8.6M using a cash-on-hand as an interim funding source as outlined in this report.

Background

*The replacement value of the City’s Transit bus fleet is $81.91M, and the replacement value of the Access Transit fleet is $3.38M.
*The funding plan to be used for the purchase of Transit and Access Transit buses includes funding from the federal programs and utility dividends. Cash on hand will be used in the interim, until program funding and approval is certain.