News Releases

Roadways crews are encouraged with a new winter road treatment. A pilot test of a coarser salt for ice prevention is underway. The salt pellets may be sprayed with a magnesium chloride solution to make them heavier and increase adhesion to the road, resulting in better management of ice and salt usage. When temperatures drop below -12 degrees Celsius, salt is not as effective by itself and the addition of magnesium chloride will help to increase traction.

“Our initial evaluation of the coarser salt during the extreme cold and windy conditions showed exceptional results,” says new Director of Roadways, Brandon Harris of the technique also known as pre-wetting. “We applied the sprayed salt pellets to a thin sheet of ice that formed on Queen Street and the high winds were unable to blow the salt off the road.”

The City will continue to use the pre-wetting technique on high-traffic streets such as Circle Drive, where wet, heavy sand sticks much more effectively to the road in extreme cold conditions. The City’s pre-wetting fleet consists of twelve tandem sanders. Traditional sanders also use sand already pre-wet with a magnesium chloride spray.

Additionally, with current weather forecasts predicting temperatures will fluctuate around zero this week, City crews are prepared for possible freezing rain and icy road conditions. Workers are inspecting, sanding and salting high-traffic streets, bridges and overpasses to provide traction and reduce icing. Sanding and salting is also occurring at intersections, curved roads and icy sections on all residential streets.

Even with the use of sand and salt to prevent icy road conditions, the change in temperature with an increase in moisture can result in ice developing. Drivers are reminded to slow down and be cautious.

Also new this year are flashing blue and amber lights on the City’s high-speed winter maintenance equipment. The flashing lights will be consistent with highway operations and other municipalities across the country as they signal that winter maintenance equipment is ahead.

“City crews will be out there around the clock,” says Harris. “Please watch for flashing lights and slow down for your safety and the safety of everyone around you.”

Find out what happens in Saskatoon when it snows and how you can be prepared at saskatoon.ca/snow or download the Be in the Know About Snow poster (PDF).

Residents are invited to celebrate Canada’s 150^th anniversary of Confederation with an afternoon of outdoor family fun and fireworks at the “YXE-NYE-150” event being hosted at Kiwanis Memorial Park (Spadina Crescent East) on Saturday, December 31, 2016, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Saskatoon will join 18 other cities across Canada, ringing in the New Year in a spectacular way.  Event activities will include:

• Jump on the sleigh rides as they cruise up and down Spadina Crescent;
• Visit the “Inuksuk Park” and build your own inuksuk with ice;
• Create a special maple leaf candle for Canada’s giant snow birthday cake;
• Warm up by the Canada 150 bonfire or at various other warming stations with photo booths;
• Express your wish for Canada’s future on a red ribbon, and tie it to the Wishing Tree;
• Visit storyteller, Joseph Naytowhow, in the giant igloo to learn about First Nations heritage;
• Skate or just hang out at the Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink @PotashCorp Plaza where a disc jockey will lead skating games with fantastic prizes;
• Craft something special at the Remai Modern Art Caravan in the Delta Bessborough Hotel lobby;
• Grab a complimentary cup of hot chocolate or coffee from Tims Coffee Truck;
• Visit the food trucks and downtown businesses for a special treat;
• Meet Olympian, Jillian Gallays, and Paralympian, Erica Gavel, to get autographs and hear about their Olympic experiences;
• Rendezvous at the YXE-NYE-150 main stage to experience indigenous and ethno-cultural entertainment; and
• Listen to Saskatoon band, The Pistolwhips, who will headline the stage. 

To cap off the celebrations, a fireworks show, set to music, will be launched from the Broadway Bridge at 8:17 p.m. (20:17 in the 24-hour time clock).  A local radio station will broadcast the music live; attendees will be able to view the fireworks from up and down the riverbank and listen to the soundtrack on radios or smart phones.

Saskatoon Transit, in partnership with Saskatchewan Government Insurance, will be offering complimentary transit services starting at 5 p.m. 

YXE-NYE-150 was made possible through a $106,000 grant from the Government of Canada’s Canada 150 Fund.  This event will be a great kick-start to the many celebrations taking place throughout 2017 to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of Confederation.  If you’d like to help make it happen, visit www.yxenye150.ca, and click on the “Volunteer” link.  See you there!

From the December 5, 2016 Meeting

7.2.6 Boychuk Interchange Land Acquisition

Decision

*The Committee forwarded the report to City Council in support of the recommendation.

Background

*The recommendation is that Administration be authorized to purchase a portion of Surface Parcel # 120790425 from Larix Holdings Ltd. for the Boychuk Interchange Project.
*The Boychuk Interchange Project was bundled with the McOrmond Interchange Project as a Design-Build Project.
*For the Boychuk Interchange, the City has previously purchased 7.51 acres of property in 2012 from Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam (Ontario) Inc.

7.2.7 Boychuk Interchange Land Exchange Agreement

Decision

*The Committee forwarded the report to City Council in support of the recommendation.

Background

*The recommendation is that Administration be authorized to enter into a tri-party land exchange agreement with 101204822 Saskatchewan Ltd. and the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344 for the interchange.

From the December 5, 2016 meeting

7.1.3 Community Standards Division Progress Update

Decision

*The Committee receive the report as information and requested a report from the Fire Department to provide an update with respect to the Property Maintenance and Nuisance Bylaw.

Background

*Established in 2015, the Community Standards (CS) Division operates on a set of founding principles.
*The CS Division is comprised of three core business sections, each accountable for four basic functions.
*Within the operating budget, the CS Division is currently represented by two business lines, operates four service lines, and supports four of the corporate Strategic Goals.
*The development of CS incorporates three high-level priorities of implementation. Specific progress in various areas has been made, and many additional items are identified in the 2017 business plan.

7.1.6 Comparing Infill and Greefield Development – Scope of Work

Decision

*The Committee will be reporting to City Council to recommend that the report be received as information and referred back to the Administration for a further report on the feasibility of creating a round table on infill and greenfield development. The Committee is also reporting to Council to recommend that the matter of establishing a framework for the development of a lane paving policy be also referred to the round table (to be established) for discussion.

Background

*The report provides a “scope of work” for a future study and report comparing infill and greenfield development, including the costs associated with these forms of development. This report also addresses a Committee resolution related to incentives for green buildings and infill development.

7.2.2 Street Activity Steering Committee

Decision

*The Committee will be reporting to City Council to recommend that the City Solicitor’s Office be requested to amend the Panhandling Bylaw with respect to prohibiting panhandling on a street, sidewalk, or other public place within 8 metres of a doorway to a cinema, theatre, or performing arts venue.  However, the recommendation of the Administration with respect to prohibiting panhandling around public parking pay stations was not supported and the Committee is recommending instead that bylaw amendments be prepared to prohibit panhandling within 2 metres around any public parking pay station. In addition, although not intended to impact consideration of the proposed amendments at this time, the Committee is recommending that the Administration review panhandling bylaws from other cities across Canada with respect to buffers around businesses serving and selling alcohol.

Background

*As a result of an increasing trend in aggressive and/or coercive panhandling and panhandling in groups, the Street Activity Steering Committee believes the existing Panhandling Bylaw requires amendments to address current needs within Saskatoon.
*In its present form, the Streets Use Bylaw does not reflect the current needs of Saskatoon and requires a comprehensive review to bring it up to date.

Transit union members today voted to accept the City's offer and the new contract will now go to City Council for final approval.

“We are very happy to have a contract agreement with the Transit union,” says City Manager, Murray Totland. 

The offer includes a 10% wage increase and back pay to 2012 as well as the same pension agreement the other eight unions and associations in the general pension plan have signed.

Totland thanks the public,  transit riders and transit employees,  for "...their patience over the last number of years as we worked toward a new collective agreement.

"The new contract comes at a very appropriate time," he adds. 

"Transit is moving into the future with a new facility, fleet renewal and plans for a shift toward Bus Rapid Transit.  We now have an opportunity to leave differences behind us and work together on drawing the new roadmap for public transit in our community."