News Releases

The City of Saskatoon’s 2013 Report to Citizens – Investing in a 21^st Century City will be delivered city-wide this Sunday, October 12 with the Sunday Phoenix. The Report to Citizens provides a briefer, condensed version of the full 2013 Annual Report, released in August 2014.

The Report to Citizens details many of the City’s successes achieved last year through major projects and initiatives. It reveals highlights of a progressive 2013 - a year of financial stability with a continued triple-A credit rating, and rapid growth on all fronts. Saskatoon’s population was 248,700 at year-end, the unemployment rate was on the decline, and we had one of the most business friendly climates in Canada.

The City’s 2013 highlights are released at this time of year as we tie the report in with the Summary of Consolidated Financial Statements, which outline the City of Saskatoon’s financial position as of December 31^st, 2013. The Audited Summary of Consolidated Financial Statements is released several months after year end.

The 2013 Report to Citizens showcases  the City’s positive gains in several areas including recreation, transportation, finance, police, fire, utilities, the environment, and urban planning. It reinforces why Saskatoon continues to be a great place to live, where sustainable growth enables the community to invest for the benefit of all.

To view the full 2013 Annual Report for the City of Saskatoon including all detailed financials please visit www.saskatoon and look under “R” for Report to Citizens.

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.

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To try and bring the lockout to an end, the City has taken the bold step of offering a plan to the Transit union.  We remain far apart in our contract talks with the Transit union; ATU’s last proposal is for a 19% wage increase over four years.

“Even with an experienced mediator like Vince Ready taking part, the parties are still nowhere near a proposal that the City would consider fair to our other unions, citizens and taxpayers,” says Jeff Jorgenson, General Manager of Transportation & Utilities.

So, in an effort to reduce the impact of the current labour dispute, the City offered the transit union three requirements to lift the lockout:

1. The City and the Amalgamated Transit Union, 615 both agree to no further lock out or strike action until there is a contract.
2. The Transit union must agree with the pension changes that they already agreed to in December 2013 and recently enacted by City Council.
3. It must withdraw the Labour Relations Board application which challenges the legality of the lockout.

“Instead, the ATU leadership did not respond to the City’s olive branch; we expected a response,” Jorgenson says. “It was a serious offer to resolve the current situation and there was silence.”

“People want their bus service back: this is a way to do that,” he says.  “It’s time to move forward,  time to get past arguing technicalities, time to get Transit workers back on the job and get Saskatoon moving again.”

Jorgenson says after all its options to reach a contract had run out, the City chose to lock out to put pressure on Transit while the weather was still reasonable.

 “Union leadership had a green light to strike; we were concerned the union would walk off the job in the dead of winter,” Jorgenson says.  “Now with the union leadership rejecting this solution, it means more of the same for transit riders who want bus service and transit staff who want to go back to work.”

Jorgenson says despite another offer and setback, his team will continue to work with union leadership to get our Transit workers back in the shop and on the road with a wage and pension package that is fair for all.  “We saw this as a great opportunity to clean the slate and start a new beginning for Saskatoon Transit,” he says.  “We remain committed to finding a deal that gets everyone on board.”

Eight of the nine unions/associations in the General Pension Plan have accepted a 10% deal over four years as well as increased contributions and changes to the General Pension Plan.  This is the same offer presented to the ATU, 615.

On September 20, 2014 the Transit union proposed a 22.25 % increase over five years.

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.

NEW
IDYLWYLD DR NB RIGHT TURN LANE TO 25TH ST EB CLOSED
(Streetscaping)
Start: October 10, 7:00 a.m. End: October 10, 6:00 p.m.

PRESTON AVE S NB CURB LANE CLOSED APPROACHING ALLIANCE CHURCH ENTRANCE
(Curb Replacement)
Start: October 10, 8:30 a.m. End: October 10, 12:00 p.m.
PRESTON AVE S NB LANES CLOSED APPROACHING ARLINGTON AVE
(Sanitary Connection Repair)
Start: October 10, 9:00 a.m. End: October 10, 6:00 p.m.

8TH STREET & LORNE AVE INTERSECTION LANE RESTRICTIONS
(Manhole inspections)
Start: October 10, 10:30 a.m. End: October 10, 12:30 p.m.
ONGOING
MILLAR AVE NB & SB FROM 50TH ST E TO 51ST ST E
(a water connection repair)
Start: October 9, 9:00 a.m. End: October 10, 6:00 p.m.

108TH ST WB & EB FROM MORAN AVE TO CENTRAL AVE
(Water & sewer installation)
Start: October 9, 9:00 a.m. End: October 10, 6:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N SB CURB LANE FROM 25TH ST E TO 24TH ST E
(Streetscaping)
Start: October 6, 9:00 a.m. End: October 10, 3:00 p.m.
11TH ST W CLOSED FROM HIGHWAY 7 TO CHAPPELL DR
(Patch paving)
Sections of the road will be closed for patch paving. Access to businesses & compost depot will be maintained via 22nd St W
Start: September 23, 9:00 a.m. End: October 10, 6:00 p.m.

33RD ST EB LANES CLOSED FROM AVE Y TO AVE W
(Water main lining)
Two-way traffic accommodated in the WB lanes
Start: August 22, 9:00 a.m. End: October 17, 6:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR NB LANES CLOSED FROM GATEWAY BLVD TO THE AIRPORT
(Roadway improvements)
Two-way traffic accommodated in SB lanes. 45th St W closed from Airport Dr to Koyl Ave
Start: August 20, 1:00 p.m. End: October 29, 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 on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Saskatoon’s unprecedented 2014 summer road construction season is coming to a close with over $50 million spent maintaining and repairing more roads than ever before. That’s 47% more than what was spent last year.

“We have paved approximately 200 lane kilometres of road this construction season, 120 kilometres more than last year, and more than the 178 kilometres we predicted we would get to this year,” says Jeff Jorgenson, General Manager of Transportation and Utilities. “We’ve made a promise to citizens that they would begin to see an improvement in the roads and we’ve been delivering on that promise.”  

Approximately $23.8 million was invested in road and sidewalk rehabilitation this year, more than double the previous year. A road preservation treatment or rehabilitation was completed at 100 locations across Saskatoon thanks to hundreds of City crews and contract workers, some of which worked around the clock or on a night only schedule. 

“With more construction zones this year, the City planned more efficient ways of completing the work to minimize the amount of time high-traffic roads were closed for construction,” says Jorgenson. “Evening only and 24-hour work reduced the impact to drivers, residents and businesses. It also allowed the City to combine large projects into contracts, which was beneficial for industry partners.”  

The City employed other new tools to improve communication with citizens. The Report-a-Pothole map allowed the public to report potholes online and monitor repairs. The addition of the new Road Restrictions and Construction Projects online map also allowed drivers to plan their route around road work and avoid delays.

Despite the significant increase in work zones this year the City is pleased there were no reports of injuries to workers. 

In addition to the road resurfacing, an estimated 3,300 tonnes of asphalt was used to repair the equivalent of 188,000 potholes, based on an average 12x4 inch hole. About 1600 utility cuts have been permanently repaired.

Six kilometres of sidewalks were rehabilitated, up from a total of 1.7 kilometres in 2013. 870 kilometres of lane lines were painted and more than 27 kilometres of durable markings applied, 16 kilometres more than ever before.  

This year, a curb to curb street sweep was completed in 61 residential neighbourhoods, 96 school zones and 10 industrial or suburban centres in eight weeks. More than 400 kilometres of gravel back lanes were graded or rehabilitated and 2.45 kilometres of paved back lanes were repaired.

“This is only the start of better roads in Saskatoon; we plan to continue to dramatically improve the condition, safety and longevity of our City’s road network,” says Jorgenson. “Our construction season was busier than ever this year, so we want to thank drivers, residents and businesses for their cooperation and patience.” Crews will continue to rehabilitate the roads, sidewalks and back lanes as long as the weather permits. 

“As we move into the winter phase of the Building Better Roads plan, we will continue to focus on the condition and safety of our roads as we plow, grade and sand City streets,” says Jorgenson.

For more information on Fall and Winter road programs go to Saskatoon.ca and click on Building Better Roads. 

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.

The October 14, 2014 meeting of the Standing Policy Committee (SPC) for Environment, Utilities & Corporate Services will receive two separate reports from the Administration regarding waste collection service in Saskatoon.

“Environmental Leadership is one of our Strategic Goals,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental & Corporate Initiatives.  “These reports launch the next step forward in the conversation about sustainable and efficient waste collection for our citizens.”

“Services reviewed in these reports are intended to meet citizen expectations for convenience, without trading off affordability.  By improving current service and introducing new services, we seek to save taxpayers money today and over the long term.”

In one report, the Administration presents options for an organics collection program for homes.  The City plans to engage with citizens later this year to share information, answer questions and collect feedback on three options:

*Option 1 – A Co-mingled Subscription Program that allows residents to volunteer for year-round collection of food and yard waste by paying monthly fees.  Fees may range from $13 to $25 per month.

*Option 2 – A Comprehensive Food Waste and Subscription Yard Waste Program which would provide every resident with a small cart for year-round food waste collection.  Residents may also volunteer for seasonal yard waste collections on a fee for service basis.  Fees for each service may be under $10 per month.

*Option 3 – A Comprehensive Co-mingled Program that provides every resident with a large cart for year-round food and yard waste collection.  Fees for this inclusive program may be in the $12 per month range.

A report on the results of public engagement for a residential organics program will be presented to City Council in March 2015.

The other report the SPC will consider outlines the Service Review of waste handling already underway and identifies opportunities to address issues and reduce costs. Potential cost savings identified for further study, include:

*Frequency of garbage collections – consider reducing the number of months with weekly collections.

*Landfill operating hours – the City’s landfill is currently open 363 days/year.

*Back lane collection of garbage and recycling – issues identified include lost productivity due to slower collections, safety and damage to back lanes.

The Waste Handling Service Review will include public information and engagement. Recommendations on potential cost savings will be presented to City Council in March 2015.

The initiatives described in these reports support the long-term strategy to eliminate the need for a new landfill under the Strategic Goal of Environmental Leadership, and the long-term strategy to increase productivity by being more efficient in the way we do business under the Strategic Goal of Continuous Improvement.

To view the reports, visit the City’s website at Saskatoon.ca, search “Agendas and Reports” and click on the 2014 SPC on Environment, Utilities & Corporate Services for October 14.

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.