News Releases

NEW
HWY 16 WB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED APPROACHING CIRCLE DR OVERPASS
(Lamp bulb replacement)
Speed reduced to 60 km/h
Start: January 15, 9:00 a.m. End: January 15, 3:00 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.

NEW

CIRCLE DR EB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM PRESTON AVE TO HWY 11
(Lamp bulb replacement)
Start: January 14, 9:00 a.m. End: January 14, 3:00 p.m.

CONFEDERATION DR NB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT 22ND ST INTERSECTION
(Guardrail repair)
Confederation Dr SB left turn lane approaching 22nd St closed
Start: January 14, 10:00 a.m. End: January 14, 12:00 p.m.

8TH ST E WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM EASTLAKE AVE TO VICTORIA AVE
(Concrete pour)
Start: January 14, 1:00 p.m. End: January 14, 4:30 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.

The City of Saskatoon is taking precautions after trace amounts of loose asbestos containing material were discovered on the mechanical room floor at the Cosmo Civic Centre. The heating and cooling systems in the restricted access mechanical room had been under renovation starting in May 2014.

On December 18, the City's Asbestos Management Program Consultant notified the City about remnants of chrysotile, an asbestos containing material (ACM) on the mechanical room floor at Cosmo Civic Centre. The facility's pipes and fittings in the mechanical room had been insulated with ACM.

“It is the expectation that if asbestos is present at a worksite, that it should be reported and removed or shielded appropriately as the work proceeds.  It appears this didn’t happen at Cosmo Civic Centre.  We take this seriously and are continuing our investigation” says Kerry Tarasoff, General Manager for Asset & Financial Management.  “In the meantime, our priority is the health and well-being of any employee, contract worker or visitor who has questions or concerns.”

In keeping with standard protocol, the City has filed a Dangerous Occurrence Report with the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety detailing the events surrounding the detection of Asbestos and air quality testing results.

“As soon as this safety issue came to light, we acted decisively and immediately,” Tarasoff says.  “We take the health and wellness of our employees, contractors and the public seriously.  Once it was detected at the worksite, we took immediate steps to protect workers and patrons from any further potential exposure risk.”

The facility’s mechanical room was immediately sealed and labeled to prevent access.

Employees and contractors who may have come into some level of contact with the material were immediately informed and invited to contact the City with any questions and concerns.

Independent air quality testing was conducted in the mechanical room and entire facility, with testing results returned to the City the same day.

Air quality testing results came back “all clear and all clean” for the immediate area and Cosmo Civic Centre.  The safety standard for exposure to Asbestos is 0.01 fibres/cubic centimetre.  The air quality testing for Cosmo Civic Centre and its mechanical room came back at .0002 fibres/cubic centimeter or 200 times safer than the permissible level.

A certified Asbestos contractor was hired to clean the immediate area and safely dispose of any material.

The City has met with employees who may have accessed the mechanical room during the renovation, offering personal support and health information.  City Human Resources is completing and filing Workers Compensation Claims for each employee.

To avoid such incidents in the future, the City is accelerating the Asbestos Management Program.  The program reviews civic facilities and identifies those that may contain ACM.  To date, 49 of 55 buildings have been reviewed.  In August 2013, the City voluntary added the list of all the buildings to the Provincial Asbestos Registry.

Hazard signage will be immediately installed in the service areas of the six remaining buildings and formal inspections are scheduled to follow.

City of Saskatoon facilities, including Cosmo Civic Centre, are safe and open to the public.

If visitors of Cosmo Civic Centre have questions or concerns please contact Occupational Health & Safety at the City of Saskatoon by calling 306-975-3261.  More information on the health risks of asbestos can be found at http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/environment-environnement/outdoor-air-exterieur/asbestos-amiante-eng.php.

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
CIRCLE DR S EB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM CLARENCE AVE TO PRESTON AVE
(Bulb replacement)
Start: January 13, 9:00 a.m. End: January 13, 3:00 p.m.
TAYLOR ST E WB CURB LANE CLOSED ON CIRCLE DR E OVERPASS
(Crash cushion repair)
Access to Circle Dr. northbound maintained.
Start: January 13, 9:00 a.m. End: January 13, 2:00 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.

NEW
CIRCLE DR S EB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED FROM CLARENCE AVE S TO PRESTON AVE S
(Lamp bulb replacements)
Start: January 12, 9:00 a.m. End: January 12, 3:00 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.