News Releases

A report summarizing the City’s proposed plan to address more Aboriginal inclusion in the community will go to Executive Committee on October 19.  The report outlines the City’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Calls to Action relevant to municipal government.

“Several of the TRC Calls to Action are immediately actionable by the City to improve upon our current relationships with our Aboriginal residents,” says Gilles Dorval, Director of Aboriginal Relations.  “We’ve also identified ongoing efforts that will help us to move towards achieving full reconciliation through embedded best practices for Aboriginal inclusion in how we provide services.”

The City already has in place a number of practices to boost Aboriginal inclusion:

• Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training is offered to all City employees and is mandatory for Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) employees. 
• “Profile Saskatoon Grant” of $150,000 and in-kind organizing support for the 2016 World Indigenous Business Forum (WIBF) and International Indigenous Music and Cultural Festival to be held in Saskatoon.
• Partnership with Saskatoon Tribal Council, Gabriel Dumont Institute and other organizations on the delivery of the Urban Aboriginal Leadership Program to build capacity leading to employment.

The report to Executive Committee also responds to the Statement of Reconciliation from Canada’s Big City Mayors.  It identifies additional programs for the City to undertake moving forward, which include collaborating with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC) and other Aboriginal organizations as well as community partners to develop a unified action plan for reconciliation.

“The City is working closely with the OTC and other partners to develop a holistic action plan for reconciliation and increased Aboriginal inclusion,” Dorval says.  “The action plan will include a set of measures to evaluate progress and to report to stakeholders, Aboriginal citizens and the community-at-large.”

Proposed next steps include:

• identifying opportunities for social enterprises;
• reviewing City policies and programs with an Aboriginal lens;
• connecting Aboriginal people with employment and economic opportunities through Phase Two of the Saskatoon Aboriginal Employment and Economic Partnership; and
• holding events to educate Aboriginal development corporations and businesses on City processes for land and procurements opportunities.

The City is also collaborating with the Conference Board of Canada for an event in Saskatoon on December 3, 2015 with the OTC and other Saskatchewan leaders to discuss best practices and opportunities for further advances in reconciliation.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and The City of Saskatoon’s Response report supports the City’s goal “Quality of Life” by identifying actions for enhancing Aboriginal well-being and participation in our community. 

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

NEW

NIGHT WORK: 33RD ST E EB/WB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANES CLOSED FROM QUEBEC AVE TO 1ST AVE N
(Sanitary sewer lining)
Start: October 16, 7:00 p.m. End: October 17, 6:00 a.m.

ONGOING

NIGHT WORK: 33RD ST E EB/WB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANES CLOSED FROM IDYLWYLD DR N TO QUEBEC AVE
(Sanitary sewer lining)
Start: October 15, 7:00 p.m. End: October 16, 6:00 a.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N NB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 39TH ST W TO CIRCLE DR E
(Sewer cleaning)
Start: September 29, 9:00 a.m. End: October 29, 3:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR NB/SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANES CLOSED AT CLAYPOOL DR
(Road construction)
Claypool Dr WB closed from Airport Dr to McClocklin Rd
Start: September 15, 7:00 a.m. End: October 27, 6:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N/HIGHWAY 16 NB & SB LANE RESTRICTIONS FROM 51ST ST E TO MARQUIS DR W
(Hwy 16 flyover repair)
Hwy 11/12 SB median lane closed at overpass
Start: July 13, 9:00 a.m. End: October 31, 5:00 p.m.

HWY 16 WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT ZIMMERMAN RD
(Road reconstruction)
Start: September 16, 7:00 a.m. End: November 15, 5:00 p.m.

NIGHT WORK: IDYLWYLD DR NB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED APPROACHING 1ST AVE
(Bridge maintenance)
Start: October 13, 7:00 p.m. End: November 23, 7:00 a.m.

IDYLWYLD DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN 19TH ST & SID BUCKWOLD BRIDGE
(Bridge maintenance)
1st Ave SB curb lane closed between 19th St & Sid Buckwold Bridge
Start: September 14, 7:00 a.m. End: November 23, 6:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information and subscribe to Traffic Detour Service Alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Another aggressive summer road construction season is coming to a close with $53 million spent maintaining and repairing more roads than ever before. In 2015, the City invested $3 million more than last year, and $20 million more than 2013.

“We have paved approximately 220 lane kilometres of road this construction season, bringing the total over the past two years to 420 lane kilometres, which is roughly the same distance from here to Medicine Hat,” says Jeff Jorgenson, General Manager of Transportation and Utilities. “The work completed over the past two seasons has made a noticeable improvement in our roadways, and we hope residents are starting to notice a difference.”

Approximately $26.9 million was invested in road and sidewalk rehabilitation this year. A road preservation treatment or rehabilitation was completed at 160 locations across Saskatoon thanks to the efforts of City crews and contract workers. A number of projects were completed at night, which minimizes traffic impacts.

“With the closure of the University Bridge and more construction zones than ever, we spent a great deal of time planning effective ways of completing work,” says Jorgenson. “Minimizing the impact to the public is a huge priority for us, whether that be the scheduling of projects, completing night work where suitable, developing detour plans to maintain traffic flow, or effectively communicating impacts to residents.”

New in 2015 was the introduction of digital data collection methods designed to improve the efficiency and quality of rehabilitation programs. These included an electronic data collection system used to objectively rate sidewalks, in addition to water and sewer inspections completed with new, state-of-the-art digital imaging technology.

Improvements were also made to the Report-a-Pothole application making it easier for residents to identify and report potholes as well as creating efficiencies for crews to locate and repair them.  An estimated 2,845 tonnes of asphalt was used to repair the equivalent of 163,000 potholes, based on an average 12x4 inch hole. 1,565 utility cuts have been permanently repaired.

Approximately 5.4 kilometres of sidewalks were fully replaced, close to 12 kilometres of durable markings applied, and 911 kilometres of lane lines were painted - almost 30 kilometres more than last year.

A curb to curb street sweep was completed in 61 residential neighbourhoods, with approximately 1,520 tandem dump truck loads of debris removed in just six weeks. More than 400 kilometres of gravel back lanes were graded or rehabilitated and 24 kilometres of gravel back lanes reconstructed.

A huge success this year was the early completion of the University Bridge rehabilitation project, allowing this iconic piece of infrastructure to continue to serve commuters for many years to come. Significant rehabilitation was also completed on the Highway 11 & 16 Cloverleaf overpasses.

“Despite the significant progress over the past two years, we know there is still a lot of work to do out there,” says Jorgenson. “We intend to continue on this path to dramatically improve the condition of our city’s road network. We sincerely thank residents for their cooperation and patience which helped to make this 2015 construction season such a success.”

For more information on Fall and Winter road programs go to saskatoon.ca/betterroads.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

20^TH STREET WEST STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS NOW COMPLETE

His Worship Mayor Donald Atchison joined Riversdale BID Executive Director, Randy Pshebylo, and the City’s Director of Planning and Development, Alan Wallace today to celebrate the completion of the 20^th Street West Streetscape Improvement Project from Avenues E to H.

“We are all very pleased to see the completion of the 20^th Street Streetscaping Project. The vision for this street was set many years ago, and 20^th Street remains vitally important to the growth and development of the City Centre,” said Wallace. “We hope that 20^th Street continues to thrive and remains a city-wide destination for Saskatoon and region for many decades to come.”

This project is part of the 20^th Street Streetscape Improvement Master Plan (Master Plan) approved by City Council in 1993.  Developed in conjunction with the Riversdale BID and community, the Master Plan called for streetscape improvements along 20^th Street West, from Avenues A to H, with the intent of creating a vibrant and cohesive retail corridor that celebrates the unique character and diverse cultures of the area.  Enhancements from Avenues A to D were completed in the early 2000s.

The improvements to 20^th Street consist of the installation of extended bus bulbs, street corner bulbs, new street trees with Root Growth Systems, tree guards, decorated tree grates, waste receptacles, recycling baskets, street directories, bike racks, paved amenities strip, and a new pedestrian sidewalk.  There is also a new decorated fence from Avenue G to H.

“20^th Street has a rich cultural and commercial past in our community,” said Mayor Atchison.  “The efforts invested here to beautify this important corridor not only benefit the neighbourhood residents and businesses, but all citizens of Saskatoon.”

For more information on Streetscape Improvement Projects, visit:  www.saskatoon.ca/urbandesign, or http://www.riversdale.ca, to learn about the Riversdale neighbourhood.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

As financial close on the Parkway and Traffic Bridge project nears, the City and Graham Commuter Partners (GCP) are releasing details on the proposed design of the Traffic Bridge and a tentative construction schedule for the project.

“The new Traffic Bridge will be a four span arrangement, with new reinforced concrete piers constructed around the existing piers within the river,” says Dan Willems, Special Projects Manager with Major Projects. “The new bridge geometry will be similar to the existing bridge, however the bridge will be slightly wider and taller to accommodate wider traffic lanes, wider pathways on both sides, and overhead clearance for emergency vehicles.”

Once the City reaches financial close with GCP later this month, a report outlining the financial details of the proposal will be provided to City Council.

Subject to GCP obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, they hope to start construction on both the Parkway and the Traffic Bridge in late 2015/early 2016. This includes approvals from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Transport Canada, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, and the Meewasin Valley Authority.

Substantial completion of the project, whereby the bridges would be operational but not 100 per cent complete, remains October 2018. More details regarding the construction schedule will be provided in the coming weeks.

For more information, visit saskatoon.ca and search Bridging to Tomorrow.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.