News Releases

Crews continue to make significant progress on clearing priority roads around Saskatoon. More private contractor help has been activated than a typical snow event of 5 cm or more of snow, with close to 40 graders responding. City officials have been out monitoring traffic flow and note that there is sufficient mobility on local streets.  

As a result City officials have decided to maintain the established winter maintenance level of service – which still provides options to deal with mobility issues as they arise in certain areas. 

While the city received 25 cm of snow using our standard measurements, snow accumulation alone is not sufficient for the Roadways Emergency Response Plan (ERP) activation. The snowfall amount is right at the threshold. Mobility and ability to navigate streets is another key consideration. The snow that fell was light powder snow that when compacted by traffic will see improved mobility over time. This is what we are seeing on many local streets and current assessments show acceptable mobility across Saskatoon. However, as conditions evolve, the City will continue monitoring local streets for mobility issues.  

Activating the full five phases of the ERP comes at a cost of approximately $18 to 20 million, which is a substantial expenditure. Instead, the City is addressing specific problem areas and evaluating local streets for mobility and safety.  

So, crews remain focused on the following:  

• Priority 1 streets (major roadways, access to emergency facilities) are cleared within 12 hours after snow ends. 

• Priority 2 streets (major transit routes and select collector roads) are cleared within 36 hours after snowfall 

• Priority 3 streets (school zones, neighbourhood connectors) are cleared within 72 hours after snowfall. 

• Local streets are addressed as necessary, with specific areas inspected and prioritized based on mobility and safety concerns. 

City crews have been working around the clock to grade streets, prioritizing expressways like Circle Drive, major intersections, bridge decks and transit routes. All Priority 1 streets have been cleared and some Priority 2 streets have been started, with all priority routes expected to be fully graded by Thursday morning. Crews will inspect challenging areas and address safety concerns. Snow removal from priority streets, downtown and school zones will be the next major objective. 

We commend the community for stepping up during this snow event—helping neighbours, staying off the roads where possible and allowing crews to perform their work efficiently. A reminder: do not blow or push snow onto the streets. This reduces mobility for everyone and is unkind to neighbours and others using the street. 

The status of snow clearing throughout the city can be monitored through the Priority Street Snow Grading Map. Learn about winter road maintenance at saskatoon.ca/snow. Stay in the know by checking the latest Snow & Ice Report posted to saskatoon.ca/SnowReport and checking for service alerts. 

Saskatoon Transit may be impacted by road conditions, please go to saskatoontransit.ca for messages to riders for fixed-route transit and Access Transit, and check the real-time mobile apps, transit and Google Maps, or visit saskatoontransit.ca/service-alerts.   

Stay safe Saskatoon and thank you for your cooperation. 

Saskatoon received 25 centimetres of snow throughout the weekend and everyone is digging out now that the snow is tapering off. City and extra contractor snow crews focused on keeping high-speed and high-traffic streets, intersections and bridge decks clear while it snowed and will begin moving through the priority street grading system over the next 72 hours.

Tonight, 36 graders, 15 sanders, 11 plows and five sidewalk plows will make some good progress on the freeways and major arterials and begin to address some bus routes where snow accumulation is affecting traffic movement. Following grading, the next priority will be snow removal from downtown and school zones. 

Crews will also start on City facility sidewalks, Meewasin Trail, park pathways with street lighting, pathways along freeways and arterials, and bridge/overpass walkways.

 How you can help us

1. Stay home if you can, as snow crews can make more progress clearing roads when fewer vehicles are out. Consider taking Saskatoon Transit if you must travel.
2. Clear your sidewalk within 48 hours on residential streets and within 24 hours in business areas.
3. Help your neighbour clear their sidewalk or dig out their vehicle, when possible.
4. Drivers, leave extra room for quick stopping and watch for blue and yellow flashing lights on road equipment. 

Learn more about winter road maintenance at saskatoon.ca/snow and stay in the snow with daily updates at saskatoon.ca/snowreport. 

Millar Avenue reopened to traffic Sunday morning after an emergency repair to a watermain at 43rd Street closed the area on Saturday. Water was restored and a Drinking Water Advisory is in place for local businesses. The excavation was filled in with gravel; however, additional work will be required in the coming days.

The City thanks everyone for their patience.

Saskatoon Transit is operating today; however, customers are advised to expect delays of up to 20 minutes or longer for fixed-route service. Due to deep snow accumulation on the roads, bus operators may stop in the driving lane to pick up passengers and not pull into bus stops to avoid getting stuck.

Several detours are in place already this morning around streets where there’s a risk of a bus getting stuck. These are identified as Snow Event Detours in service alert messages.

Stay informed with the real-time mobile apps, transit and Google or visit saskatoontransit.ca/service-alerts for updates on routes that are delayed longer than 20 minutes and for Snow Event Detours. If you can’t use these tools, please call our customer service centre at 306-975-3100 an hour before your trip for an update. 

Access Transit

Access Transit customers are strongly encouraged to reschedule non-urgent trips today and Monday. A trip may be cancelled if the street or sidewalk/path to the pick-up location is full of snow, for the safety of the customer and operator.

Customers should also prepare for delays as operators navigate traffic and road conditions. In the event a paratransit bus gets stuck in deep snow, onboard customers will be required to wait.

Customer service phone lines are busy for both Access Transit and fixed-route and extra staff is on hand to handle calls as quickly as possible.  

Keeping all transit services operational during snow events is a key priority, and we are committed to helping residents get where they need to go safely. Thank you for your patience and understanding as our frontline employees navigate this busy, snow day.  

Saskatoon’s snowfall accumulation is approximately 20 centimetres since Saturday afternoon, with Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasting up to 30 centimetres of total accumulation by the end of this weekend. City and contractor crews completed the priority street snow grading from the first snow event of the season just in time to begin responding to the second big snowfall. 

 What you can expect from us

• Snow Clearing in Progress: Snow crews are focused on priority streets, including Circle Drive, major roadways, bridge decks and intersections. Sanding is being done to improve traction.
• Additional Measures: We are monitoring conditions closely and may activate the Roadways Emergency Response Plan (ERP) if snow accumulation reaches 25 cm this weekend and light vehicles can no longer navigate City streets.
• What’s Next: More snow is expected throughout Sunday. Crews will continue working around the clock to address accumulation and drifting.

 How you can help us

• Avoid Non-Essential Travel: Try to stay at home if you can and avoid travel so crews can keep clearing the snow. If you must drive, ensure your vehicle is equipped with winter tires and allow extra time to reach your destination safely.
• Help Crews Work Efficiently: Avoid parking on priority streets where snow clearing equipment is active.

Once the snow stops falling, the status of snow clearing throughout the city can be monitored through the Priority Street Snow Grading Map. Learn about winter road maintenance at saskatoon.ca/snow. Stay in the know by checking the latest Snow & Ice Report posted to saskatoon.ca/SnowReport.