News Releases

International bond rating agency Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) has again reaffirmed the City of Saskatoon’s ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating.

“The stable outlook reflects S&P’s expectations that Saskatoon is well positioned to benefit from a very strong economy,” says His Worship Mayor Charlie Clark. “Along with our ability to pay for programs and services, S&P says City Council has maintained a strong budgetary performance, and kept debt low.”

Every year, S&P reviews the City’s finances and delivers a rating in a report based on that study.

The bond rater says even though “a significant decline in commodity prices has dampened Saskatoon’s economic performance,” the City’s solid economic accomplishment has lessened the impact.

 “This is very encouraging news,” says Chief Financial Officer Kerry Tarasoff. “As it has for many, many years, the S&P rating underlines our managerial performance with prudent financial policies, robust budget documents and borrowing plans.”

The S&P report also notes the City’s historically stable budgetary performance and it outlines a healthy financial picture for the immediate future.

“We expect the City will continue to generate robust operating surpluses relative to those of its peers,” the report says.

The agency again points to the City’s culture of transparency and disclosure backed with “good” audited annual financial statements as other key reasons to maintain the rating.

The City has received the ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating every year for more than a decade allowing the City to borrow money at lower interest rates.

View the full January 2017 Report from S&P Global on saskatoon.ca.

From the January 10, 2017 Meeting

From the January 10, 2017 Meeting

Fentanyl and opioid overdose continue to be described as a national health and addictions crisis which Saskatoon is not immune to; in light of this, the Saskatoon Fire Department is taking a proactive step to protect life.

“According to provincial health statistics, overdose deaths have risen dramatically for the past six years,” says Assistant Chief Rob Hogan. “This is the stark reality of our job; we want first responders to have every ability to treat patients in dire need, and so our Primary Care Paramedics are now equipped with Naloxone.”

Naloxone (nuh-LOCKS’-own) is a drug used to counteract the effects of a fentanyl (FEN’-tuh-nil) or other opioid drug overdose.

As noted, the number of deaths from the illicit use of fentanyl and carfentanil (CAR’-fen-tuh-nil) has risen dramatically in the province and across Canada.

“These drugs are extremely powerful and deadly,” Hogan says.  “Fentanyl is up to a hundred times more toxic than morphine, and carfentanil is 100 times stronger than fentanyl.”

Hogan, who started his firefighting career as a Primary Care Paramedic, points out that due to the powerful nature of these opioids, everyone responding to an overdose call is also at risk.  He stresses the smallest, micro-exposure to residue or powder on a patient could kill a paramedic or another emergency worker. 

“The availability of Naloxone on fire trucks will enable firefighters to help the patient as well as other first responders like themselves, ambulance workers or police officers,” he says.

As one of the Saskatoon Fire Department’s community partners, Saskatoon Health Region’s Mental Health and Addictions Services is supportive of this initiative which will certainly help to save the lives of those who struggle with opioid addictions.

The Saskatoon Fire Department is one of the largest employers of pre-hospital care providers in the province.  Primary Care Paramedics are in place to fulfill the Department’s commitment to mitigate life-threatening emergencies.

Fire Department Primary Care Paramedics are licenced to administer Naloxone in addition to other lifesaving medications by the Saskatchewan College of Paramedics.

Saskatoon City Council is opening up its Strategic Planning process to the public with a discussion on global trends facing the City. Let's Talk is a series of engagement opportunities between City Council and the public as part of this planning process. Kicking off the series is a conversation on trends exploring how Saskatoon will be shaped into the future. 

“We live in a changing world, and cities are at the forefront of navigating these changes,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “From the global economy and resources, to climate change, income inequality, and technology, trends in these areas all impact how the City is able to provide a quality of life to its citizens.”

This new City Council is identifying the priorities it wants to achieve over the next four years. These priorities also need to be consistent with longer term plans that address complex trends affecting Saskatoon over the next 20 years.
To assist with this assessment, Karen Thoreson, President of the Alliance for Innovation, a network of innovative cities and counties across the United States, is being brought in. The Alliance’s new research, “The Next Big Things: The Next 20 Years in Local Government” highlights 44 trends that could impact communities in the next generation. They are categorized in the areas of Resource, Technology, Demographic, and Governance Trends.

“Many communities are deeply affected by change and disruption, often in a negative way. These 44 trends and the tools in The Next Big Things will help cities be prepared and proactive, whatever the future brings,” says Thoreson.

Thoreson will be working with staff and City Council to identify what trends are most likely to have a major impact on the City of Saskatoon, as part of the City’s strategic planning process for both the next four years as well as updating the longer-term 2013 – 2023 Strategic Plan. She says this is the first time a City Council and members of the public have been involved in this type of planning process with her, as it is usually only done by city administration.

The public is invited to the evening session of City Council’s Governance and Priorities Committee meeting where Thoreson will be presenting alongside 11 local experts offering local perspectives on key trends. The presentations are from 6:00 pm until 8:30 pm and will be followed by informal conversations in the City Hall lobby.  Parking is available at the back of City Hall on 4^th Avenue North.

Local presenters include:

• Innovation and Partnerships - Felix Thomas, Tribal Chief of Saskatoon Tribal Council and Peter Stoicheff, President of University of Saskatchewan
• Crime and Safety – Craig Nyirfa, President of Birchwood Consulting Inc., former Executive Director of the Centre of Responsibility (HUB/COR) and member of the Saskatoon Police Service.
• Community Well-being – CeCe Baptiste, Vice-Chair, United Way of Saskatoon and Area
• Inclusion and Diversity – April Sora, Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant
• Economic Development – Stephanie Yong, Director at the Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence
• Sustainable Growth and Planning – Ryan Walker, U of S professor of urban planning
• Downtown Development - Tom McClocklin, President and Managing Director, Saskatchewan, Colliers International
• Transportation – Carl Kuhnke, Managing Director, Saskatchewan Centre of Excellence For Transportation and Infrastructure
• Environmental Sustainability – Kathleen Aitkens and David McGrane, members of Saskatoon Environmental Advisory Committee

“Saskatoon citizens care about their community and want to help shape its future,” says Mayor Clark. “It is important to engage them in these conversations about what will Saskatoon look like in four years from now, to seven generations from now.”

More information on Let’s Talk Trends can be found at www.saskatoon.ca/LT2020