News Releases

Warm weather is finally here and snow is beginning to melt. As we committed with the new dedicated road levy, winter operations were designed to reduce the risk of severe rutting on the roads that we saw in 2013. Many streets are melting quickly and while the snow is going to be really soft, it’s not deep enough to cause dangerous ruts. 

Our proactive snow grading and removal on Saskatoon streets this winter benefits us in more ways than one. With less snow on our streets to melt as the weather warms up there is a reduced chance for flooding. The snow piled into windrows will allow that snow to melt slowly, reducing the flooding around catch basins. In addition, the snow removal takes away a lot of sand that would otherwise collect on the priority streets and be difficult to sweep in the spring. We may also see fewer potholes on priority streets with less moisture. 

Even with our proactive snow grading and removal measures, we have dedicated graders addressing areas where water may begin to pool. Grading also continues on narrow streets where rutting is still a risk. Saskatoon can expect to see a number of plans and activities taking place during the Spring:

 Snow Melt Planning 

- Snow Melt Management plans for each neighbourhood are prepared. The 12,000 catch basins across the city are prioritized based on how deep the water can be, and how close it can get to homes and property.

- Important intersections (especially along highways) that may experience flooding during a fast melt are surveyed and monitored regularly. Extra snow is removed in advance and local catch basins are cleared ahead of time if necessary.

- Equipment, staffing and emergency flood resources, such as emergency pumps and sandbags are coordinated.

Snow Melt Activities

- Boilers (steam trucks) will clear ice and snow from catch basins so the melt water can drain directly into the storm sewers. Our storm sewer system can easily carry all of the flow resulting from any snowmelt. Most ponding and flooding around catch basins is a result of snow and ice blocking the drain.

- Snow windrows have been removed along priority roadways.

- Parks crews will remove snow from residential fence lines where necessary and will pump water from play areas or low areas. Extra staff will be made available if they are needed.

- Culverts at rural roads and within the city will be cleared as necessary to allow drainage.

- We will monitor critical intersections, ditches, ponds, culverts, and other locations that may flood during a fast melt. Emergency equipment will remain on standby.

- Staff will be available 24/7 by telephone to manage calls and dispatch equipment for any homeowner concerns that are received.

- Please call the Public Works Customer Service Call Centre at 306-975-2476 to report any issues or emergencies.

Although the snow melt can be unpredictable, past experience has shown that having a plan with extra resources available allows good flexibility to respond to the situation as it develops.

 Reduce your risk of a snowmelt flood:

Some of the following tips involve snow shovelling which is heavy work. Consider doing a bit at a time and please use care and caution. If you have health concerns, ask for assistance in shovelling. 

- Remove snow from around your foundation. Pay particular attention to the areas around window wells.

- Most lots drain along the outside edges. Remove snow from these areas.

- Keep the snow in your yard. Shovelling onto streets or lanes could block drains.

- Help keep catch basins clear. Where possible, safely clear snow, ice and debris from the catch basins in your area.

- Clear snow and ice from around the bottom of your downspouts and extend the downspouts at least two metres so that water drains away from your foundation.

- Check your roof and eavestroughs for excess snow. Consider hiring a professional to clear snow from your roof. A roof rake may help to clear the snow and debris from the edge of your roof.

- Consider using sandbags to block water from entering low-lying areas beside your foundation.

- If water is getting close to your foundation, use an appropriate pump to drain it to the gutter or back lane. Please use all equipment properly and follow safety guidelines.

For more information and tips, including a video about snowmelt, visit saskatoon.ca.  As the snow melts, you may encounter potholes. Watch for our new “Report a Pothole” online tool coming on March 17, 2014. Visit saskatoon.ca and look under “Check This Out”.  

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.

Your 2014 Property Tax Notice will look different this spring.  The City of Saskatoon has revealed a new look and simpler format that is easier to read.

To arrive at the new format, the City considered previous feedback from citizens and from our front-line customer services staff, incorporated the goals of City Council, and also included elements of best practises from other municipalities. In preparing the new format, the City also considered the use of clear language, important to all property owners, both new and existing.

The 2014 Property Tax Notice Project is now on our shapingsaskatoon.ca website. Look under “Discussions.” You can view a sample of the new format, detailed information on what you will find on the 2014 Property Tax Notice, along with Frequently Asked Questions.

The Shaping Saskatoon discussion on the new Property Tax Notice format also gives a great opportunity for you to tell us about other tax-related information you wish to see on our website. Are you able to find answers to tax questions under “P” for Property Tax?  As we undertake the ongoing development of our new website, your comments will help us give better service.

Shaping Saskatoon is the City’s new online community engagement tool. It is easy to use and a great place to share your comments, and learn more about new projects that interest you. Citizen feedback on the new Property Tax Notice format is important to us, and will be considered for the finalized version this spring.

The City of Saskatoon strives to be the best managed city in Canada through an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement. With a goal of consistently providing high quality service to citizens, the City continues to respond to the needs of the changing community by looking at things differently – and then making them better.

For other detailed information on property taxes, assessment, and how the City distributes taxes, you can also visit our website, saskatoon.ca and click on the Property Assessment & Tax Tool, located under Online Services. Please note: our website will be updated with 2014 values in May after the Mill Rates have been approved and the tax calculations have been finalized.

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.

As the City’s Placemaker Public Art Program prepares for the spring installation of new art throughout Saskatoon’s key commercial districts, residents may notice some changes in these areas over the next few weeks.  

The City’s Visual Arts Placement Jury has approved the removal of the following temporary art installations: 

From Riversdale:

Winged Ascent

Stoic Dignity

Mediator

Maize  

From Downtown:

Pinnacle IX – Song of Ancients

Head

Walk in Beauty

Arabesque

Aphrodite (L’Espalier)

Sacrarium

Play  

From Broadway:

Buskers

Queen

Sentinel 

The Placemaker Program is a robust initiative that gives local, provincial and national artists the opportunity to have their work prominently featured in Saskatoon.  Currently, the City is accepting proposals for the Placemaker Program from independent artists or teams of artists to provide temporary public art to key commercial districts in Saskatoon.  The proposed art may be two or three dimensional work, installations, interventions or digital media such as video projection.  

For an information package and application form, please visit www.saskatoon.ca and search under “P” for Placemaker Program. The deadline for applications is April 8, 2014 at which time the City’s Visual Arts Placement Jury will adjudicate the applications received and select the works to be exhibited, in consultation with the Saskatoon’s Business Improvement Districts and with City Staff.  It is anticipated that the new pieces will be installed this spring. 

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.

APPLICATIONS TO CIVIC BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

There is currently a vacancy on the Board of Revision.  This quasi-judicial Board hears and determines appeals arising from assessment procedures in accordance with Section 197 of The Cities Act.  Appointees to the Board of Revision shall also serve on the Licence Appeal Board which hears appeals regarding the City’s various licensing bylaws.

Interested candidates should submit their applications by the deadline at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 28, 2014. All applications will be kept on file and reviewed throughout the year as openings occur.

Application forms can be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall (second floor, 222 – 3^rd Avenue North), or online at www.saskatoon.ca, search under “A” for Appointments to Boards and Committees.

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.

Not unlike the rest of the province, Saskatoon continues to respond to reports of water service issues in areas all across the city.  While repair crews are repairing locations quickly, the backlog is slowly growing.  The target for having repairs complete and the water back on from when it is turned off is 48 hours, in some cases this will be longer, even up to four days.  This is a challenging time of year for contract support; however, we continue to engage outside support when possible.

Temporary Water
We empathize with affected residents and businesses who are going days without running water and we are doing as much as possible to try and provide temporary drinking water.  Water trailers will continue to be provided to affected areas, but it can take longer than the normal eight hours to be available.  Bottled water was delivered to almost every home that didn’t have a water trailer on Wednesday.  We will continue to try and offer bottled water if a water trailer is not available, but over the weekend, it may take longer. 

We are pleased to be able to offer free admission for affected residents to use the shower facilities at the City Leisure Centre closest to them.  They will require identification or a recent utility bill showing their address, which will be compared to list of homes affected by a water main break.  

Weather contributes to water main breaks
This weekend, temperatures are expected to rise, which is great for most of us, but could mean water main breaks will continue to occur at this rate or higher.  What is different this year is that the ground frost level has reached as deep as the underground pipes.  Each time the temperature changes, the frost level can move, putting pressure on the pipes causing them to shift.  If there is already a weak spot in the pipe, caused by age, corrosion or previous work, it can break. 

Be prepared
Every home should have an emergency preparedness plan for any time of the year, not just for water outage.  Residents in areas where water main breaks have occurred in the past few years, including neighbourhoods adjacent to current water main breaks, are encouraged to be prepared by having extra drinking water stored as a precaution.  The recommended supply of water to have on hand for a 72-hour period is 3.8 litres (one gallon) per person or pet per day.  Emergency preparedness information is available on the Government of Canada’s public safety website getprepared.gc.ca, including further recommendations for an emergency water supply. 

Frozen water connections
Home owners are also reporting frozen water connections, where there is a blockage on the water connection from the City’s water main to the private home.  If your water does not turn on, it may be an issue with the private portion of your water connection.  If there is an issue on the City portion, we will come out and use specialized equipment to defrost the line from your home.  To help prevent this, we recommend making sure the pipes are well-insulated, including the portion at the outside walls of your home. 

Current water main breaks
All available staff and contractors are focused on isolating the location of the breaks, preparing the sites for excavation (identifying any underground utilities or hazards), and repairing the pipes.  Different expertise is required at each stage of repairing a water main break, so even if no workers are present, each location is scheduled and will be repaired as quickly as possible.   

Water service is currently off at the following locations:
- North of 1540 Avenue G N/1537 Ave F N on 37th St West
- 2130 Pembina Drive
- 929 Macklem Drive
- 1044 East Centre
- 1705 Quebec Avenue
- 11125 Coy Avenue
- 52 Athabasca Crescent
- 2309 McKinnon Street
- 13 Laurentian Drive
- 51/53 Yale Crescent
- 2416 Underwood Avenue 
- 138 Dalhousie Crescent  

Current water main breaks are available on the City’s website.  This list will be updated daily, including over the weekend. 

We want to thank everyone for their cooperation and understanding.  If you are affected by a water outage and have any questions, or to report a water main break, please call the Public Works customer service call centre 24/7 at 306-975-2476.  Find out more about the Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory that is in effect when the water is turned back on. 

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 from the links at saskatoon.ca.