News Releases

Visitors to City Hall, the downtown transit terminal, and several City leisure facilities can now enjoy complimentary WiFi service with guest access powered by Shaw Go WiFi. The service, made possible through a partnership agreement with Shaw Communications Inc, is an exciting initiative through the City’s new service model - Service Saskatoon.

“Access to complimentary public WiFi is a benchmark for modern cities”, says Mayor Donald Atchison. “The internet keeps people connected, informed and part of our great city. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to access the complimentary WiFi at City owned locations. This makes sense.”

“The new WiFi services at key sites across Saskatoon will provide a cost-effective opportunity for people to stay more closely connected to their friends, family, and work colleagues while on-the-go,” said Greg Pultz, Vice President, Operations, Shaw Communications. “Providing these services in collaboration with a great partner like the City of Saskatoon furthers our ability to deliver an enhanced connectivity experience to Canadians.”

“Through our new and improved approach to service with the introduction of Service Saskatoon, we want to create multiple channels for citizens to access the information they need and answers they require,” says Pat Hyde, Director of Service Saskatoon. “With that purpose in mind, the Service Saskatoon public WiFi initiative will assist residents in connecting to the information they need on the internet including City programs and services.”

Saskatoon residents and visitors can access the Shaw Go WiFi network on their WiFi enabled devices by selecting ‘ShawGuest’ from the list of available WiFi settings and following the on-screen instructions to connect. Shaw customers will be able to automatically log onto the WiFi service through the Shaw Go WiFi network.

Effective Wednesday, May 4, residents and visitors can sign up for Guest Access on the Shaw Go WiFi network when visiting one of the following civic locations:

Saskatoon City Hall

• 222 - 3rd Avenue North

Leisure Centres

• Cosmo Civic Centre, 3130 Laurier Drive
• Lakewood Civic Centre, 1635 McKercher Drive
• Lawson Civic Centre, 225 Primrose Drive

Outdoor pools (summer months)

• Lathey Pool, 815 Taylor Street
• Mayfair Pool, 1025 Ave F North

Arenas

• ACT Arena, 107 - 105th Street
• Gordie Howe Kinsmen Arena, 1405 Avenue P South

Golf Course Club Houses

• Holiday Park, 1630 Avenue

Saskatoon Transit Terminals

• Downtown Transit Terminal, 23rd Street E

Today is an important start for this initiative, which will continue with an additional 27 City facilities. A schedule of installation will be available on saskatoon.ca/wifi as it becomes available.

For more information on Service Saskatoon, and for updates on various initiatives under each pillar, please visit saskatoon.ca/service.

Much anticipated work at Broadway Avenue is set to begin this Monday, May 2nd.

“Good weather and good planning has kept this significant project on time and on target,” says Celene Anger, Director of Construction and Design. “With so many contributing factors playing into this project, keeping to the schedule as much as possible has been, and will continue to be a top priority.” 

The Broadway Avenue Improvement Project will see extensive water main upgrades and road resurfacing to Broadway Avenue and surrounding areas, with work scheduled to last approximately five months. The project has been specifically designed to minimize impact on the community, allowing for business to remain open and events to take place as normally as possible.

“We’re modernizing the infrastructure under our City’s very first commercial district,” Anger says. “When this work is complete, Broadway Avenue residents and businesses will see a marked reduction in water main breaks, which will mean fewer disruptions for everyone.

“The road resurfacing will make Broadway Avenue look better and last longer. When people attend events like the Fringe Festival, they are going to see a huge difference in the quality of the street surface.”    

As the project is starting on time, the scheduled closure of Broadway Bridge is also on target for May 9, and will be closed to vehicle traffic for approximately one week. However, pedestrians and cyclists will be able to use the walkways on the bridge. 

“If Broadway Avenue is a typical way downtown, we’re reminding those folks to reroute their commute during the construction and to use another bridge such as the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge,” she says.

Saskatoon Transit will also be rerouting its commute, using alternate streets including Dufferin Avenue as necessary.   

For more information please visit saskatoon.ca/broadway.

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.

There continues to be some misinformation circulating in the community around the sale of the former Saskatoon Police Service Headquarters property on Fourth Avenue.

As far as an alleged new central library project is concerned, the reliable public information is: over a number of years, but more recently since 2013, the Saskatoon Public Library (SPL) has identified the need for a new central branch.

The 2016 Approved Operating & Capital Budget also outlines the SPL’s priorities on pg. 166 – notably a five-year facilities plan, and a Master Building Program.  Funding for a central library is not even proposed until 2019.

Finally, let me be clear about the former police property sale terms: there is no sale condition that requires a particular development of the former police headquarters building, whether it’s new construction or re-purposed.

The City is not seeking any conditions above what zoning and existing development controls would already dictate.  The City’s interest is to sell the building and vacant parcel of land.

There have been two offers on the former police headquarters building.   In those instances, the purchaser chose not to move forward with their offer to complete the purchase of the building.

It is typical of the development industry to produce conceptual drawings for a project they want to promote, but without a parcel of land to build it on, there is no project; it is just a concept or a dream.

Murray Totland
City Manager

An independent auditor concludes the City’s aggressive road construction and maintenance programs are efficient and economical.

“We always want to make sure we are spending taxpayers’ dollars in the best way possible,” says Jeff Jorgenson, General Manager of Transportation & Utilities. “We are pleased to report that independent auditors confirm that our roadways programs are well-managed”

Price Waterhouse Cooper analyzed the road condition, rehabilitation and maintenance programs and outlined its findings in a report endorsed Monday by the Standing Policy Committee on Finance. 

The audit examined whether the programs are economical, efficient and effective.  To further enhance the positive results the study identified four general areas for improvement:

• A finer level of detail in budgeting
• Clearly defined internal processes
• Enhanced monitoring and reporting of information
• Annual and life-cycle roadways maintenance planning and budgeting

“Many of the recommendations are already being acted on with innovative and creative solutions to provide optimal service improvements,” Jorgenson says.

The City’s action plan is included as 8.2.6 Attachment 1 in the City Council Agenda for April 25, 2016, on page 248. A follow-up report on the status of the audit’s recommendations will be brought forward in September, 2018.

For the April 25, 2016 Regular Meeting of City Council

9.2.1 Vacant Lot and Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program - Development Incentives – Parcel YY – Public Plaza – Supplementary Report

*City Council will be asked to approve the general conditions for a tax incentive for the Public Plaza located within the Parcel YY development at River Landing; and that the conditions for the tax incentive for the Plaza be contained within the Direct Control District Development Agreement for Parcel YY.

Additional Information

*The developer (Triovest) of Parcel YY has requested an annual tax incentive equivalent to the property taxes for the area of Parcel YY developed as a Public Plaza. This request was considered by the Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services on March 7, 2016. A recommendation to approve the incentive was passed by the Committee.
*During its March 7, 2011 meeting, City Council approved the Vacant Lot and Adaptive and Adaptive Re-use Incentive Program (VLAR). The VLAR Incentive Program includes incentives to encourage more housing within the Downtown. The VLAR program was recently amended to also include new incentives for offices and structured parking, in accordance with the City Centre Plan. At the present time, only the downtown housing incentives are available to development within River Landing.
*Triovest requested the same incentives which are offered within the Downtown. They have further requested an annual grant equivalent to the property taxes for the area of Parcel YY developed as a public plaza. Approved by the Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services.

9.3.1 2016 Corporate Business Plan and Budget – Shaping Our Financial Future

*City Council will be asked to receive the 2016 Corporate Business Plan and Budget – Shaping Our Financial Future.

Additional Information

*The document outlines the initiatives planned for the 2016 Business Planning and Budget cycle.
*In 2011, the City implemented major changes to its planning and budgeting process to create a framework which would allow the City to be more adaptive and responsive to the changing dynamics in our city, province, and country. The 2016 Corporate Business Plan and Budget continues to build on that foundation.

9.5.1 Resignation – Councillor Eric Olauson – Ward 8

*City Council will be asked to receive information on the resignation of Councillor Eric Olauson and that the vacancy in Ward 8 not be filled until the upcoming general election on October 26.

Additional Information

*In accordance with Section 15 of The Local Government Election Act, 2015 if a vacancy occurs on a council or board on or after January 1 in the year in which a general election is to be held, the council or board may proceed to fill the vacancy by a by-election or decide not to fill the vacancy until the next general election.

9.11.2 Enumeration/Voters List/Voter Registry

*City Council will be asked to receive the information and approve a recommendation that voters be registered at the polls on the dates set for voting during the 2016 Municipal and School Board Elections.

Additional Information

*There is no legislative or administrative requirement for a voters list. A voters list has not been prepared in Saskatoon since 1988.
*Conducting an enumeration is labour intensive and costly.
*A council may choose to enter into agreements with respect to sharing or using a voters list, or any other voter data used to create a voters list, with any officer established pursuant to a provincial Act or an Act of the parliament of Canada responsible to conduct an election.
*The use of a national or provincial register of electors in a municipal election may serve as a basis for a voters list.
*There is no provision in the legislation to allow for a process to preserve the voter registration forms from the 2016 Municipal and School Board Elections to formulate a list to be used for the purposes of developing a permanent voters list.

9.11.3 Growth Plan to Half a Million

*City Council will be asked to approve the following recommendations:
1. Recognize and approve, in principle, the long-term benefits of the vision and key directions of the Growth Plan to Half a Million;
2. That the Growth Plan be implemented in a phased, incremental approach, requiring specific recommendations for action in ten-year increments;
3. That the Administration report back with an implementation plan for the period of 2017 to 2026; and
4. That the Administration be instructed to bring forward specific reports on any actions related to overall plan implementation.

Additional Information

*The Growth Plan will guide the City’s growth for transportation, transit (Growth, and land-use planning to accommodate a population of half a million people).
*Without the Growth Plan, economic and community impacts of continuing the current growth patterns are expected to include increased traffic congestion, declining levels of transit service, longer commutes, and higher infrastructure costs, among others.
*The Growth Plan outlines eight key directions to guide transportation, transit, and land-use planning to accommodate a population of half a million.
*A ten-year action plan will be created to guide the implementation of the Growth Plan and will be brought to City Council for approval in early 2017.