News Releases

The City of Saskatoon is launching a residential solar potential map that will help homeowners determine if their home is a good candidate for a solar panel installation.

The new map, MyHEAT SOLAR, helps homeowners make decisions about using this renewable energy at home. The platform estimates potential savings over a 25-year life span of the solar panels and shares the estimated number of years until the upfront costs are recovered.

“We are excited to join cities across Canada, like Edmonton, Fredericton, and London in the use of this tool,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “The MyHEAT SOLAR map takes some of the guess work out of solar panel installation, and Saskatoon homeowners can easily learn if solar is a good fit for their home and know what to do next if they want to invest in this technology for themselves. This is the first tool we are launching in 2023 to help people in Saskatoon make energy-smart renovations.”

The solar potential map provides estimates of the amount of power that may be generated by installing solar panels on a particular home. It was developed by MyHEAT and Google, and it uses Google Maps and Google’s Project Sunroof technology to quickly calculate a roof’s estimated solar potential and recommended panel size. 

"Saskatoon is one of the best places in Canada for solar power. With over 60,000 rooftops suitable for solar in the City, there is an excellent opportunity for Saskatoon residents to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and access potential savings with new solar panels,” says James Henry, Director of Growth & Sustainability at MyHEAT. “MyHEAT SOLAR quickly creates personalized evaluations that can help homeowners plan for the future and learn about available incentives.”

Citizens are encouraged to use the links provided to learn more about solar providers, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and the financial incentives currently being offered to install residential solar panels.

Additional tools to assist with energy-smart renovations will be launched throughout 2023.

Associated links:

MyHEAT Solar Map

Saskatoon.ca/RenoResources

Negative interactions where an operator was directly impacted by a member of the public have decreased, shows a report being presented to City Council’s Standing Policy on Transportation on March 7. The report summarizes incidents on buses and around Transit facilities.  

Negative interactions overall impacting operators are down by approximately 50% in 2022 when compared to the years prior; however, negative interactions between transit passengers and members of the public at transit stops and terminals trend up year over year.  

The most common negative attributes associated with interactions impacting operators are verbal altercations, intoxication, and acts of aggression. The most common negative attributes associated with passenger and public interactions are intoxication and verbal altercations. That said, Mike Moellenbeck, Operations Manager for Saskatoon Transit stresses, all such incidents remain rare. 

“While we take all negative interactions and assaults impacting operators very seriously, thankfully they remain very rare. There are about two operator assault incidents for every one million rides,” says Moellenbeck. 

Aside from physical force – including a push – assault also includes spitting or throwing items. Negative interactions include assault, intoxication, aggression, fare dispute, harassing behaviour or road rage against an operator. 

“We are all aware of greater mental health concerns and social distress in communities nation-wide; Saskatoon is no different,” he says.  “Saskatoon Transit will always support its Operators and riders and look at ways to enhance training and safety protocols to create a more positive workplace and ride experience.”  

Moellenbeck adds that the Plexiglas operator safety barriers Council approved in November 2020 are being installed with about one-third of the fleet complete. The remainder is expected to be installed this spring. 

A report to the Tuesday, March 7, 2023, Standing Policy Committee meeting on Environment Utilities and Corporate Services provides specific timelines on the delivery of green carts in Saskatoon.

On Monday, March 13, the cart manufacturer, Toter, will begin delivering the roll-out carts along with a kitchen pail, 10 Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certified compostable bags and an information package to households that currently have roll-out black garbage carts and blue recycling carts. More than 60,000 carts will be delivered before the end of April, with the first cart collection dates starting in May.

“Each household will receive a green cart that will accept more materials than the previous subscription program,” says Director of Water and Waste Operations, Brendan Lemke. “Residents who already have green carts from the previous subscription program will continue to use them but will still receive the kitchen pail, BPI bags and information package.”

On Tuesday, March 7, an online map will be available for residents to pinpoint exactly when cart deliveries are taking place in their neighbourhood. Green carts will be delivered to the front of each property and can be placed for pick-up in the location where their black and blue cart collection happens.

Green Prairie Environmental (GPE) is currently building an organics processing facility, which is expected to handle about 20,000 tonnes or 3,300 truckloads of material from the green cart program every year. GPE plans to have the facility ready by May 1, however the City is developing a contingency plan for an alternate processing facility to ensure there are no interruptions in launching the program.

Lawn clippings, leaves, meat, dairy and paper towels are among the many things that residents will be able to divert from their garbage to the green cart. Because more than half of what we throw away can be composted, garbage cart collection will continue on a biweekly schedule once the green cart service begins.

A monthly average fee of $6.73 will appear on City utility bills beginning in May. The fee covers collection, composting, cart maintenance, education programs and program management. Plans for a multi-unit residential organics program are in the works, but for now, residents who utilize the large communal garbage and recycling bins are not affected by these changes and will not be charged monthly. This summer, businesses and organizations that generate food or yard waste as part of their operations will be required to separate it from the garbage.

For more information about green carts, and to download the ‘Saskatoon Waste Wizard’ app where you can check collection dates and sign up for collection reminders, please visit saskatoon.ca/greencart.

As it faces a preliminary deficit of just under two per cent, the City Administration has recommended a strong financial plan to offset the shortfall. The plan is outlined in a report to be presented on March 8 to the Standing Policy Committee on Finance. Under provincial law, municipalities are not allowed to operate with a deficit.

The 2022 preliminary year-end financials show a 1.94% deficit ($10.99 million) in the civic operating programs and a 0.84% surplus ($3.16 million) in the City’s utility programs, before the year-end audit confirmation. The report also highlights $3.25 million in Administration savings.

The preliminary year-end deficit includes $1.97 million of expenditures related to the December 2022 Snow Event. 

“We knew early in 2022 that a significant deficit was possible.  The Administration brought forward a comprehensive plan to City Council in early 2022 which included spending decreases and anticipated funding sources for a projected deficit.  The strategy we are putting in place now is based largely on the plan prior approved by Council in March 2022” says Kari Smith, Director of Finance.

The key variances by business line and service line are highlighted in Appendix 2: Detailed Overview of Preliminary 2022 Year-End Financial (Mill Rate) Results.

Administration is recommending the City’s remaining deficit of $9.02 million, after deducting the $1.97 million borrowing for the December 2022 Snow Event, be funded by:

• Waiving the transfer to reserve for the following items:
  • $14,220 to the Internal Audit Program Reserve;
  • $17,659 to the Animal Service Reserve; and
  • $173,247 to the Reserve for Unexpended Youth Sports Subsidy Funds.
• $710,740 reduction in the transfer from the Roadways Operating program to the Paved Roadways Infrastructure Reserve;
• $500,000 to be transferred from the Special Events Reserve - Profile Saskatoon;
• $924,395 to be transferred from the Land Operations Reserve; and
• $6.68 million to be transferred from the Fiscal Stabilization Reserve.

“The City continued to face significant inflationary pressures in 2022 and although some non-tax revenues like Transit Operations were higher than budgeted, other areas like Parking and Leisure Centres were lower with all three of these areas lower than pre-pandemic levels.  Favourably, several of our business and service lines achieved surpluses in 2022 including our Waste Services Utility and Saskatoon Light & Power,” Smith adds.

2022 Preliminary Year-end Utility-Related Program results

• Waste Services Utility reported a surplus of $ 1.79 million
• Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P) reported a surplus of $1.22 million 
• Wastewater Utility reported a surplus of $1.08 million
• Storm Water Management Utility reported a surplus of $657,233
• Saskatoon Water Utility reported a deficit of $1.59 million 

Throughout  2022, the City Administration looked for several ways to keep costs down on training and its discretionary spending. Through these measures, City staff found one-time savings of $3.25 million through reduced staff training, materials, office supplies and discretionary hiring decisions.  The Administration reduced these expenses with an across-the-board directive for all departments due to lower revenues and other budgetary pressures the City experienced such as higher fuel costs and overall inflation.

Strong financial management will continue to support planning for a bright future

The City’s financial standing continues to be strong and sound overall, with its ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating reaffirmed for the 21^st consecutive year by S&P Global in January 2023. In planning for a bright and sustainable future, the City is committed to making City operations more efficient every year, creating greater ongoing savings across the organization and managing inflationary pressures.

The external audit of the 2022 financial statements is expected to be completed in June 2023. Following the external audit, the audited financial statements will be presented to City Council for approval.  At that time, the year-end financial results will be confirmed or adjusted based on the recommendations of the external audit and presented in the 2022 Annual Report which will be made available online later this year.

For more on the City’s Budget and Finances, visit saskatoon.ca/finance.

The City’s Technical Advisor on the Downtown Event and Entertainment District has outlined a growing trend of centrally located event and activity zones in many North American city-core areas. A community information session was held at the Roxy Theatre Tuesday, February 28.

“From ancient times to roughly the mid-twentieth century, the colosseum, theatre, arena and similar gathering places were in the centre of the city or town,” says Simon O’Byrne, Stantec Senior Vice President, Community Development. “We saw a suburban arena development trend in the last half of the twentieth century that did not support the area in a larger way. That has reversed with downtowns again benefiting from more animation, amenities and both population and business growth.”

Stantec has partnered with the international expertise of HOK and LMN, who have a wealth of experience in entertainment district design projects, including Rogers Place and Edmonton’s ICE District, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Calgary BMO Centre Expansion in Calgary.

“We’re confident the expertise we have retained will keep us moving toward a successful project,” says Dan Willems, Director of Technical Services. “Developments like the one we’re planning will help rejuvenate downtown and other traditional business areas, creating jobs and opportunities.”

The meeting heard the concept of a district goes far beyond anchors like an event or convention centre.

“The District will broaden the perspective of Downtown development,” says Councillor Cynthia Block, who represents the area and is Council’s Strategic Lead on Downtown Development and co-chair of the Advisory Group. “It will be a destination for our city, our province and beyond. It is also a strategic plan to drive density to the core and help Saskatoon become a more efficient city.”

Planning continues toward a more detailed design, construction procurement model and project scope scheduled for discussion in the late summer and fall. The City is seeking a private partner and other funding tools for a financially sound project that does not impact property tax.

For more information visit the Downtown Event & Entertainment District website.

The City of Saskatoon is launching a pilot program for gardening on centre medians to provide additional access for residents to garden in public spaces. Centre medians are paved, planted, or landscaped strips in the centre of a road that separate lanes of traffic.

Engagement surveys have indicated that there is a demand for this kind of public space gardening from many who live in multi-unit buildings like apartments, where a yard is not available.

“Adding these kinds of small, community-supported green spaces helps to create more habitat for pollinators like bees, assist in managing storm water, and can create community as neighbours or friends collaborate on creating and maintaining these gardens” says Director of Sustainability Jeanna South. “We have worked across several departments including parks, transportation, and bylaw compliance to ensure safety for gardeners and drivers, with guidelines specifying plant height and other important details.”

With this pilot, Saskatoon joins Vancouver in providing gardening opportunities in unique places for residents with green thumbs.

"It will be exciting to see what types of median garden plans our community members are inspired to create. We hope to see a number of applications, and people can get started as soon as spring weather permits,” says South. “We have created a native plant guide to help identify plants that fit within the height restrictions and have low maintenance water requirements.”

Details about the Boulevard Gardening Program and Centre Median Pilot, including guidelines and application forms, are available on the City’s website at Saskatoon.ca/BoulevardGardens.

Additional resources for gardening can be found at Saskatoon.ca/HealthyYards.

As part of a one-year pilot project, the City of Saskatoon is making public (free) WiFi available in an area that includes parts of the Pleasant Hill and Meadowgreen neighbourhoods. The network, named “YXEPublicWiFi”, was activated on February 16, 2023. Anyone inside the pilot area, which includes approximately 1,500 residents, may now connect using a WiFi-enabled device such as a laptop, tablet, or phone.

On Feb. 2, 2022 the City announced its intention to explore free public WiFi through a pilot project. The intent is to assess how the provision of public (free) WiFi can improve the quality of life for residents previously unable or significantly constrained in their ability to access the Internet due to barriers such as cost.

“There is a growing recognition in countries around the world that the ability to access basic services and programs and participate in today’s digital world requires access to the internet,” says Drew Bell, the City’s Interim IT Director. “This pilot project will help us discover how the provision of free internet impacts people’s lives and help us decide if this initiative is worthy of further consideration, including expansion.”

The isolation imposed by COVID highlighted how the internet can sometimes be the only means of communicating or accessing things such as: legal and medical services, housing information, important safety information and public health orders, day-to-day transactions, and work and study opportunities.

The free WiFi is intended to cover the area between 19th St W and 21st St W and between Witney Ave S and Ave U S. This area was selected based on population data (including high percentage of youth, seniors, newcomers, Indigenous persons), the needs of area students, consultation with external organizations, and the proximity to City-owned infrastructure where the necessary equipment could be installed.

While the network has been tested extensively, the City notes that the WiFi’s performance – much like any WiFi network – won’t perform the same on all devices and in all locations. For example, the network signal will be stronger closer to the access points installed on the light poles in the pilot area. The age and performance of the personal device might also impact the WiFi’s performance. As well, there are some unknowns about how the network will perform during the changing seasons – like how heavy foliage might impact the signal strength.

“While there are many jurisdictions across Canada, the U.S., and Europe that have implemented or are undertaking similar projects, this is actually a relatively new area of exploration for Saskatoon,” notes the City’s Interim IT Director. “We’re expecting to learn a lot through this pilot. We’re optimistic that we’ll see some great uptake and that we’ll be impacting residents’ lives in a very tangible and positive way.”

At the end of the one-year pilot, its success will be measured by assessing usage, quality of service, adoption, and feedback from residents. More information is available at saskatoon.ca/PublicWiFi.

Construction is starting a little earlier than usual this year. On Tuesday, February 28, a nine-month-long rehabilitation will begin on the 40-year-old Circle Drive North Bridge. The project will start with a full closure of the westbound lanes with two-way traffic being accommodated in the eastbound lanes.

“When construction wraps up on the westbound side of the bridge in approximately four months from now, it will then reopen to accommodate two-way traffic while work happens on the eastbound side,” says Todd Grabowski, Engineering Manager, Asset Preservation. “It is unusual to start construction so early in the year, but because this is a major, months-long project on one of Saskatoon’s busiest roadways, we need to start early so we can finish during one construction season rather than extending the work over two.”

Grabowski says the City’s preservation plan, with the results of the Deck Testing Program, identified the need for the rehabilitation of the Circle Drive North Bridge to optimize the service life and diminish the overall capital lifecycle costs.

“Certain elements of the bridge are nearing the end of their typical lifecycle, so this is a proactive construction project to ensure it lasts for years to come. Work will include replacing asphalt and barriers, improvements to drainage and concrete, and repairs to the piers and abutments.”

The pedestrian bridge underneath the Circle Drive North Bridge will not be impacted during the rehabilitation project. A section of Spadina Crescent underneath the bridge will close at some points during construction to accommodate scaffolding.

“We know this construction project is going to be a pain in the asphalt because moving through this area of Circle Drive will be much slower than usual. We will continually monitor traffic and adjust signals throughout the city as necessary to minimize delays and disruptions as much as possible,” says Grabowski.

The 275-metre-long bridge opened in 1983 at a cost of $11.8 million. In 2005, additional lanes were added on each side of the bridge and in 2007, the pedestrian bridge opened.

For more information about the Circle Drive North Rehabilitation project, please visit saskatoon.ca/construction.

Construction has started on a dry storm pond in Weaver District Park. It’s the third of nine Flood Control Strategy (FCS) projects the City of Saskatoon has undertaken, and it will be completed in 2024. The FCS, aimed at reducing neighbourhood flooding during intense rainfalls, was approved by City Council in 2018.

The Government of Canada is contributing 40% of the eligible construction costs up to a maximum of $21.6 million toward the nine FCS projects. The City is funding the remaining construction costs through the Storm Water Utility Capital Program and revenue generated from Storm Water Utility charges.

“Prairie communities have long excelled at finding new and innovative ways to protect their citizens from flooding hazards,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “We will continue to be guided by their expertise in delivering infrastructure projects that create more resilient communities, in Saskatchewan and across the country.”

Dry storm ponds hold water that would otherwise cause flooding in intersections and nearby properties during intense rainfalls. The water flows into the pond instead, then slowly drains into the storm sewer system. Whenever dry, it is used as recreational or park space.

“Once operational, the Weaver Park dry storm pond will reduce flooding to properties near the intersections of Cascade Street and Dufferin Avenue, and Bute Street and Dufferin Avenue,” said Russ Munro, Director of Saskatoon Water. “The project is being built in the north end of the park where a recreation field is also being incorporated into the design between the playground and dry storm pond.”

The City of Saskatoon opened the W.W. Ashley District dry storm pond in 2022 and the Churchill Park dry storm pond project will be completed later this year. Six more FCS projects will be built in Saskatoon over the next four years.

For more information about the FCS program and future project locations, visit saskatoon.ca/floodplan.

A city-wide initiative is rolling out this spring that will help divert up to 20,000 tonnes, or about 3,300 garbage truck loads, of organics from the Saskatoon landfill every year. Throughout March and April, all households with black garbage carts and blue recycling carts will receive a third cart - a green cart - specifically for materials like food and yard waste.

“Our studies show that up to fifty-seven percent of what the average Saskatoon household throws into the garbage can actually be put to good, sustainable use,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water and Waste Operations. “Lawn clippings, leaves, meat, dairy, and even soiled paper are among the many things that residents will be able to divert from their garbage to the green cart.”

When biweekly collection starts in May, green cart materials will be taken to a third-party processing facility that turns everything into nutrient-rich compost faster and at higher temperatures than at-home composting or a compost depot. Compost produced will meet the highest certification as a safe and healthy fertilizer for yards, gardens and farms.  

The green carts, with an information package and kitchen pail attached, will be delivered to the front of each home between mid-March and the end of April. Subscribers to the previous Green Cart Program will continue to use their existing carts but will also receive the kitchen pail. The pail is to collect food waste inside before transferring it into the green cart.

Because so much of what we throw away can go into the green cart, Lemke says garbage cart collection will continue on a biweekly schedule once the green cart service begins in May. Green carts will be collected at the same location as the black and blue carts.

“If they’re not already thinking about it, then now is a great time for residents to consider how they will get rid of waste going forward. Is it really garbage or can it go into the green cart? Is it recyclable or could it be reused? By asking ourselves these questions and putting our waste in the right place, we are helping protect the health of our land, air and water while reducing the need for a new landfill.”

A monthly average utility fee of $6.73 will appear on City utility bills beginning in May. The fee covers collection, composting, cart maintenance, education programs and program management. The City is planning a multi-unit residential organics program, but for now, residents who utilize the large communal garbage and recycling bins are not affected by these changes and will not be charged monthly. This summer, businesses and organizations that generate food and yard waste will be required to separate it from the garbage.

For more information about green carts, and to download the ‘Saskatoon Waste Wizard’ app where you can check collection dates and sign up for collection reminders, please visit saskatoon.ca/greencart.

Since it was built in 1958, the City’s Greenhouse facility (Greenhouse) located within the Vic Rempel yards off Avenue P North, has provided plants for all the City’s flowerpots, flower beds and indoor greenery and has now reached the end of its service life.  

In recent years, the Greenhouse has experienced escalating structural concerns due to its age and unique design and will soon need to be vacated for the safety of staff. In September 2022, an engineering assessment indicated increasing issues with the Greenhouse structure from the previous year and recommended that it be vacated.   

The City wants everyone to know that bright and beautiful flowers will continue to be planted citywide by Parks staff every year. While options will be explored for the future of the Greenhouse, the City has secured a suitable private sector contractor to provide seasonal plants for the 2023 season. 

Later this year, City Administration will bring a report back to City Council outlining longer-term recommendations for the future of the Greenhouse program.  

Through a competitive process, Stantec has been chosen as the City’s Technical Advisor for the Downtown Event and Entertainment District. Stantec has partnered with HOK and LMN who have a wealth of experience in similar projects, including Rogers Place and Edmonton’s ICE District, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Calgary BMO Centre Expansion in Calgary.

“Stantec has put together a highly experienced team of experts for this project,” says Dan Willems, Director of Technical Services. “When it comes to developing event centres and convention centres, our technical advisors bring international expertise to the project. This, combined with the ability to leverage Saskatoon-specific knowledge through City Council, the District Advisory Group, and local stakeholders and rightsholders, gives us confidence we will have a successful project.”

Additionally, at the February 14^th Governance and Priorities Committee Meeting, a draft of the Vision and Guiding Principles for the District Plan will be presented in an Information Report.

The Vision and Guiding Principles are designed to outline the aspirations of the District Plan, with the goal of repurposing Downtown Saskatoon into an entertainment and cultural hub, with vibrant public spaces that are welcoming and accessible for everyone.

“The vision for the Downtown Event and Entertainment District will combine the new event centre, a new or updated convention centre and a plan for the larger area, including enhanced public spaces that will be accessible to everyone through the Bus Rapid Transit system,” says Willems.

“The District Plan creates the foundation to support commerce, tourism, services, residential properties, entertainment and more, and is the key component to the future success of the District.”

The full draft Vision and Guiding Principles can be found through the meeting agenda. The main principles being proposed for the District, including:

• A distinctive identity through placemaking/placekeeping
• Architectural and public realm design excellence
• Reconciliation by honouring Indigenous histories, languages and culture
• Reliable and efficient transportation options
• Downtown density with a focus on housing
• Leadership in sustainability and resiliency
• A robust and diverse economy
• A healthy and safe community

Other aspects of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District continue to progress. The City is continuing to develop funding strategies with the goal of funding the project with little or no additional increases to property taxes. Conceptual design of the new facilities will begin in February.

City Council will be asked to make a decision on the guiding principles at its meeting in March.

For more information visit the project website at saskatoon.ca/eventdistrict.

The City’s Administration and Arbutus have reached an agreement that allows for the potential development of 2775 Meadows Parkway in Rosewood to move forward. The agreement resolves the financial matters between the two parties while at the same time protects City infrastructure and the property of current and future residents.

The City Administration and Arbutus have continued working together throughout the past months and are pleased to have arrived at a mutually agreeable resolution of this matter.

The matter will be considered by City Council at its January 25, 2023 Public Hearing meeting.

Jeff Jorgenson
City Manager

S&P Global Ratings (S&P) has reaffirmed the City of Saskatoon’s credit rating with the highest rating possible, a ‘AAA’ credit rating with a “Stable” outlook. The City has maintained the ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating for twenty-one years since S&P first began affirming the City’s credit ratings in 2002.

“City Staff and City Council have worked hard over the years to ensure that prudent financial management and forward-thinking financial decisions are always top priority.  This endorsement by S&P once again confirms the City of Saskatoon’s financial management practices, economy and outlook as one of the strongest in the country,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. “I’m confident the City’s prudent financial practices and our strong economy will continue to serve the City, residents and our business community well into the future.”

S&P notes “Saskatoon’s broad and diverse economy with a growing population will continue to support the City’s creditworthiness,” and also observes the City’s ability to  “maintain robust financial results that will support its capital plans, low debt, and exceptional liquidity.” As experienced by other Canadian municipalities, “Saskatoon benefits from an extremely predictable and supportive local and regional government framework that has demonstrated high institutional stability and evidence of extraordinary support in times of financial distress.”

“Maintaining the ‘AAA’ credit rating which includes a stable outlook, is important as it supports our confidence in our budgetary decisions, financial management and overall economic outlook for the City of Saskatoon,” adds Hack. “We continue to be a municipal leader and remain assured in our ability to minimize debt as we commit to priorities within the City’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan and undertake long-term planning for infrastructure to support our great quality of life in Saskatoon.”

S&P states rationale contributing to the City’s strong credit rating within January 19, 2023, S&P Global Ratings Direct® Report:

• The City's “strong and prudent financial management is a key credit strength” and “the City’s management team is experienced and qualified to effectively enact fiscal policies and respond to external risks.”
• The City “demonstrates good political and managerial strength with its lengthy track record of passing budgets with minimal variations from budgeted revenues and expenses.”
• S & P views “management accountability as strong and financial policies as prudent. Management’s disclosure and transparency are good, and the city prepares robust annual budget documents.”
• “The City prepares multiyear operating and capital budgets for subsequent years, as well as long-term capital and borrowing plans. We believe that this supports fiscal transparency and discipline.”
• The City maintains “exceptional liquidity” and “debt is supported by high operating margins, which over five years exceed total direct debt outstanding, highlighting the small and manageable debt burden.”

Credit ratings are one of several tools that investors and lenders use when making decisions regarding an organization’s future financial strengths and weaknesses. For the City of Saskatoon, the ‘AAA’/Stable rating serves as an indication of the credit risk and ability to meet its financial obligations in full and on time. This also identifies the credit quality of the City’s debt issue and can translate into lower interest rates for favourable credit ratings since there is minimal or low risk associated with the City’s debt.

View the City of Saskatoon’s past documents on financial performance and credit rating history at saskatoon.ca.

The Governance and Priorities Committee of City Council (GPC) unanimously approved a process to find a private industry partner to oversee the management and operation of future downtown arena and convention centres. 

“Many municipalities that own event centres are moving towards private contracted management,” says Dan Willems, Director of Technical Services. “It’s nearly unheard of for a facility to move from private management back to public management.” 

Right now, SaskTel Centre is managed by a private company. The proposed option would mean, subject to successful procurement and contract negotiations with the preferred proponent, both future facilities could be managed by a single company but remain City-owned.  

This approach will enable the City to: 

• Negotiate a management agreement at a level playing field after receiving competitive bids from all qualified and interested parties; 

• Optimize and streamline governance structures of both facilities; and  

• Obtain the most favourable agreements for the City that will also elevate the new venues. 

Willems says that no third-party management firms will be given preferential treatment through the procurement process, adding that an independent Fairness Advisor will be brought on to monitor the process.  

“This will be a clean slate with the goal of obtaining the highest overall value for Saskatoon. We want to ensure any future management arrangement will maximize seat sales, profits and animation of the facilities, which will in turn create spinoff benefits to the surrounding Downtown area and entire community.” 

Securing a private partner to contribute capital funding towards the facilities will reduce the overall funding required to be secured from other sources.  

The next steps involve securing an Owner’s Representative to assist City Administration with preparing the Request for Qualifications and Request for Proposal documents for the private partner procurement. The Administration will be reporting back to GPC to outline the anticipated schedule for the procurement, in addition to seeking City Council’s endorsement of key elements and principles within the Request for Proposal prior to it being issued – likely in April or May. 

At today’s meeting of the City Council’s Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC), members debated various options to fund the activation of the Roadways Emergency Response Plan (Plan), which prompted city-wide snow grading and planned snow removal for every street following the December 2022 major snowfall. Snow grading and snow removal on local residential streets are not currently funded in the annual $14.8 million snow and ice management budget.

“To be clear, residents will not see an additional tax increase in 2023 related to the City’s ongoing city-wide snow response. The City will proceed with a borrowing strategy to fund the anticipated $20 million cost of the 2022/2023 response.  Further options will be brought back to City Council for a combination of dedicated property tax and deferral of capital funding for the 2024 budget deliberations to repay the borrowing and build a base for future emergency snow responses,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer.

 “Through this direction, it’s clear Committee members are committed to ensuring sufficient funding to enact the Roadways Emergency Response Plan when required while also trying to minimize the impact on taxpayers.”

The total cost of the December 2022 city-wide snow clean-up is estimated to be up to $20 million, about $6 million more than in 2020 because of more accumulated snow and higher costs of diesel fuel and equipment. 

The storm in November 2020 is the most recent event with similar snowfall at 30-40 cm and was the largest single snowfall event since January 2007. The Administration applied the lessons learned from the clean-up response to develop a comprehensive Roadways Emergency Response Plan (Plan). While it’s difficult to determine the frequency of large snow events requiring emergency response, with assuredness, more frequent and erratic weather events appear to be increasing globally. 

Find the full agenda from the January 17, 2023, Governance and Priorities Committee and the link to watch the archived video of today’s decision-making later this week at Agendas, Minutes and Meeting Video on our website.  

Members of City Council’s Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) will discuss funding options following the activation of the Roadways Emergency Response Plan (Plan), which prompted city-wide snow grading and removal. The Plan was meant to be used in exceptional circumstances, but this undertaking has occurred twice since November 2020 because of extreme snowfalls. The Administration recommends City Council consider introducing a four-year property tax phase-in of 0.75 per cent for the 2024 to 2027 budgets. 

“A levy would not only repay the borrowing for the 2022 snow event but would also put money in a reserve to fund future responses,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer.  “Should the committee approve this recommendation, such a move would have the least impact on the City’s asset management programs and overall service levels that residents expect.” 

Snow grading and snow removal on local residential streets are not funded in the annual $14.9 million snow and ice management budget and are not in the level of service when it snows. However, the latest snowfall this December and the storm in November 2020, required immediate grading, followed by snow removal on every street.  

“Snow removal is a costly undertaking because it requires a variety of equipment, extra operators and lots of hauling costs,” says Hack. “However, it’s necessary to restore sightlines at intersections and the full width of driving lanes for safety reasons, and parking availability along streets.” 

The total cost of the clean-up this time is estimated up to be $20 million, about $6 million more than in 2020 because of more accumulated snow and higher costs of diesel fuel and equipment.  

The storm in November 2020 is the most recent event with similar snowfall at 30-40 cm and was the largest single snowfall event since 2007. The Administration applied the lessons learned from the clean-up response to develop a comprehensive Roadways Emergency Response Plan (Plan).  

On Tuesday, January 17, GPC will review four funding options: 

1. Use cash from reserves and deferral of capital projects like road maintenance;  
2. Repay borrowing by reducing reserve transfers to the Paved Roadway and Sidewalk Capital Reserves or others; 
3. Repay borrowing by making reductions to the 2024-2035 Major Capital Plan, which could impact proposed new and replacement Fire Halls, White Buffalo Youth Lodge Refurbishment/Replacement, Fleet Electrification (including Transit) or other priorities; and 
4. Create a dedicated property tax phase-in to build base for future events and repay borrowing.  

Find the full agenda for the January 17, 2023, Governance and Priorities Committee and the link to watch live at Agendas, Minutes and Meeting Video on our website.  

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is saddened to announce the loss of Georgia the North American Porcupine that passed away on December 31, 2022. Georgia was being treated by veterinarians and our animal care team in the days leading up to her death.

For 16 wonderful years, Georgia was a resident at the Zoo and played a key part in educating visitors and students of all ages on the importance of her species and habitat. She was regularly visited by many who loved to see her and her majestic quills up close and in person.

“Georgia was special,” said Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “She played such an important role in the Zoo’s educational programming and the Affinity Learning Centre for these many years and she will be missed by all of us here who interacted with her on a daily basis.”

The average life expectancy of a porcupine like Georgia is eight to 10 years in the wild and up to 18 years in zoological facilities. The porcupine is classified as Least Concern on the endangered species list.

Saskatoon remains under a Snowfall Warning and the City of Saskatoon has activated a city-wide snow response plan after receiving approximately 34 centimetres since December 25. Once crews are finished clearing all the major routes in the coming days, efforts will switch to a city-wide snow grading and removal program.

“Public safety is our top priority, and we are doing everything we can to get everyone moving around normally again, including those who live along streets that aren’t typically graded,” says Director of Roadways, Fleet and Support Services, Goran Saric. “This is a challenging situation with many residential streets impassable for light vehicles.”

City and contractor crews have been steadily working since the December 25 storm. They were just finishing up the priority streets when last night’s snowfall hit. Some City services that have been affected, like waste collections, will resume as soon as possible or be rescheduled.

Saric says a residential street grading schedule is being developed and will be posted to saskatoon.ca/snow later this week.

The criteria for activating the city-wide Roadways Emergency Response Plan for responding to extreme or unusual snow events is when the snow accumulation is greater than 25 centimetres and/or there’s a combination of snow, freezing rain and wind; and mobility is reduced to the point that light vehicles cannot travel on city streets; mobility across the city is severely impacted, and the regular winter maintenance level of service applicable to typical snow events cannot be met.

“With the recent back-to-back snowfalls of 34 centimetres, Saskatoon has now received a total of 90 centimetres of snowfall this winter. With several months of winter still ahead of us, grading and removing snow across the entire city now will help us avoid compounded mobility issues and potential spring drainage concerns in the coming months,” says Saric.

Learn about winter road maintenance at saskatoon.ca/snow. Stay in the Snow by checking the latest Snow & Ice Report posted to saskatoon.ca/snowreport.

Once again, SGI and Saskatoon Transit have partnered to offer free late-night transit service on New Year’s Eve.

“Having free Transit service on New Year’s Eve removes any financial barrier to planning a safe ride home after a night out,” says Cory Shrigley, Manager Customer Support & Engagement, Saskatoon Transit. “We encourage everyone to plan their route before heading out using the real-time mobile app Transit.”   

Residents are encouraged to think about using a variety of transportation modes on busy nights like New Year’s Eve. Multi-modal options are available on the Transit app. You can plan your trip taking the bus out of the downtown or busy areas and book your ride share for the short distance home all from inside the app. Transit+ seamlessly integrates a Riide or Uber vehicle with a transit connection.

By combining transportation modes residents can minimize wait times and costs.

Free bus service will be available on Saturday, December 31, from 7:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. on January 1 (times may vary slightly by route).

For a transit schedule go to SaskatoonTranist.ca/route-and-schedules, use the transit app or call 306.975.3100 for help with trip planning.

“There is no reason for impaired driving, especially on New Year’s Eve,” Shrigley says. “We are thankful to have SGI as a partner in providing free transit service on New Year’s Eve.”

Access Transit is free for registered customers as well but must be reserved.

A unique, new light installation in Downtown will see Saskatoon shine day… and night! Made possible through a partnership with and funding from Downtown Saskatoon (the Business Improvement District) and local business and property owners, programmable fiberglass mesh light ‘orbs’ have been placed through a back alley, illuminating these spaces like never before.

“The City and Downtown Saskatoon continue to work closely to make Saskatoon’s Downtown an attractive, year-round destination,” says Lesley Anderson, Director, Planning & Development. “This one-of-a-kind lighting project invites residents and tourists to visit spaces less travelled and discover a side of the city they might have never seen before.”

Using the Chubb Block as a power source, the lighting is now installed on the back of the Hotel Senator (243 21^st St E) and the side of O'Shea’s Irish Pub (222 2nd Ave S). Together, these light up the back alley south of 21^st Street East between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues South. Each orb will be lit with LED lighting and has an infinite number of programming options which will keep the light display fresh throughout the year.

Anderson says, “through the City’s Downtown Where You Belong consultations in 2018, one item we heard from residents and businesses that could be improved in the city’s centre were the back alleys, making them safer, brighter and more inviting. This initiative is one way we have supported this request.”

Additionally, the orbs support the City’s WintercityYXE Strategy. WintercityYXE celebrates what makes Saskatoon an inviting, vibrant, safe and prosperous place in the winter.

The City and Pelican Lake First Nation have cleared a path to designate the First Nation’s land at 1944 St. George Avenue, the site of Adam’s Lumber, as an urban reserve. 

Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark and Pelican Lake First Nation Chief Peter Bill, along with the Council of Pelican Lake First Nation, and Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners Chair, Jyotsna (Jo) Custead, today signed urban reserve agreements during a special signing ceremony.

“This exciting purchase of the historic Adams Lumber by Pelican Lake First Nation will create a new chapter for this business, the city and the province,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “I have been impressed with the vision that Chief Bill and his Council have for creating opportunity in the lumber and building industry. I’m grateful that they have chosen to invest here in Saskatoon. The continued establishment of Urban Reserves in our city helps build opportunity for everyone into the future.” 

At its regularly scheduled meeting on November 21, 2022, City Council approved the Municipal Services and Compatibility Agreement negotiated with Pelican Lake First Nation. The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners also approved the Police Services Agreement at their regularly scheduled meeting on November 17, 2022. These agreements fulfill the municipal requirements for urban reserve designation. 

The agreements address:

• municipal and police services the City will provide;
• service fees Pelican Lake First Nation will pay the City in lieu of property taxes; and,
• compatible land-use and development standards.  

“This is a significant achievement for Pelican Lake First Nation. It is an honour to work with the City of Saskatoon. They have opened their arms to us and worked with us,” says Chief Peter Bill. “This is just the beginning of our engagement with the City to create opportunities for our urban Band Members. During these times in which we are all attentive to Truth and Reconciliation and healing, we look forward to our participation in the economy and life in Saskatoon as a path to building strong and positive relationships. We are here to do business and commit to active participation in Saskatoon as we move forward together.”

As part of the signing ceremony, through a special livestream feed, the Pelican Lake First Nation proudly revealed and lit the Adams Lumber sign which originally graced the site and is highly visible from the Idylwyld Drive Freeway. The iconic sign has been beautifully restored to its original state.

Decisions on reserve designation are made by the federal government. Once the property is designated as a reserve, it will become the ninth urban reserve in Saskatoon. When a property transfers to reserve status, it is no longer under City jurisdiction.

For more information on urban reserves, please visit saskatoon.ca/urbanreserves.

About Pelican Lake First Nation

Pelican Lake First Nation is a member of the Agency Chiefs Tribal Council whose home reserve is located on Chitek Lake, Saskatchewan approximately 270 km northwest of Saskatoon. A signatory of Treaty No. 6, approximately 1277 members reside on the home reserve and 416 members live in other communities throughout the province.  

The City of Saskatoon has just launched its holiday recycling campaign, Naughty or Nice Recycling Advice, that encourages residents to keep waste reduction and diversion top of mind during the holiday season.

“Gifts, wrapping material, decorations, celebrations, and festive feasts can all result in a significant amount of waste over the holiday season, so we have to find opportunities to cut down on that waste and to effectively divert it from our landfill,” says Katie Burns, Education and Environmental Performance Manager. “Small changes can make a big difference in cutting down the amount of holiday waste, so whenever you’re unsure just ask the Saskatoon Waste Wizard for advice.”

Here are some helpful tips to ensure you are minimizing holiday waste in your household:

• Empty, rinse and flatten all containers
• Place recyclables loose in your blue bin, not in boxes or bags
• Reduce, re-use, re-gift whatever you can
• Skip the fancy wrapping and reuse paper, ribbons, bows, and bags
• Take large or excess recycling to a public recycling depot
• Take your natural Christmas tree to a City drop-off site
• Get naughty or nice recycling advice from the Saskatoon Waste Wizard

Residents are also reminded of the following important waste information over the holiday season:

• Don’t miss pick-up day! Set up reminders at saskatoon.ca/collectioncalendar or download the Saskatoon Waste Wizard from the App Store or Google Play.
• Spread some joy by helping your neighbours roll out their carts
• The City Landfill will be closed on December 25 and January 1
• Cut down on emissions by carpooling with friends and family, or get your ‘shop on’ and hop on the Jingle Bell Express for quick access to all the malls in Saskatoon

For more information and tips on holiday waste reduction and diversion visit saskatoon.ca/waste

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is excited to introduce the newest pack in town – Arctic wolves Nuna, Anori and Inneq.

“Arctic wolves are beautiful animals, and we are so fortunate to have an opportunity for our guests to come and learn more about this magnificent species,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “Arctic wolves are a sub species of grey wolf, and they have some fantastic adaptations including the ability to withstand the sub-zero temperatures and months of absolute darkness often experienced in their natural habitat.”

The three sisters arrived safely from Toronto Zoo last week, and the zookeepers have been slowly introducing the wolves to their new home at the Nutrien Ark.

“We want to give the wolves a chance to become familiar with their new home, so for the next several days they will be transitioning from their indoor space to the outdoor wolf habitat at the Nutrien Ark,” says Mitchell.

The Zoo has been preparing for the wolves’ arrival for several weeks, upgrades to the interior portion of the exhibit were completed, including a new training and enrichment area which allows zookeepers to work more closely with the wolves. Automatic heated water bowls were also added providing access to fresh, clean water. In the outdoor portion of their habitat, a new structure provides an opportunity for the wolves to den or climb up on top to get a better view of their space. In the summer, the wolves will also get the opportunity to explore an upgraded pond in the exhibit.

The Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is admission by donation until March 31, 2022. Visit saskatoon.ca/zoo to plan your next visit or learn more about the Zoo Season Pass.

Hit all the malls this holiday season by taking Route 1225 - Jingle Bell Express! 

This is Saskatoon Transit’s sixth year providing special holiday service to all the malls. The service runs every weekend in December (except on December 25 and 31) and then again with free service on Boxing Day (December 26). Participating malls include Centre, Confederation, Lawson Heights, Market, and Midtown. 

“The Jingle Bell Express removes the hassle of driving and full parking lots while providing riders with access to malls they may not otherwise visit,” says Cory Shrigley, Customer Support and Engagement Manager of Saskatoon Transit.  

The Jingle Bell Express buses are decorated and play holiday music.  

Service 

• Weekends (Saturday and Sunday)  
  • 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  
  • Regular fares apply  
• Boxing Day (fare free)  
  • 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  

Use the Transit App or Google Maps Transit to plan a trip, or consult the route schedule on Transit’s website or call Transit Customer Service (306.975.3100) for help with trip planning. 

Jingle Bell Express riders who complete a short survey on the website will be in for a chance to win one of five $100 gift cards sponsored by the participating malls. 

Get your ‘shop on’ and hop on the Jingle Bell Express!  

City Administration is proposing the development of a new bylaw to improve the City’s ability to protect trees on public property. City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services will consider a report at its meeting December 5, which recommends the development of a new tree protection bylaw, as well as revisions to the existing Trees on City Property Council Policy, to improve the protection, growth and preservation of public trees.

“While a bylaw will help address and formalize compliance issues, the City’s enforcement approach will always prioritize education and collaboration as our primary courses of action,” says Darren Crilly, Director of Parks. “Overall, a tree protection bylaw will help to sustain the health, beauty and safety of the City’s urban forest by providing an effective mechanism to protect and preserve trees on public property for future generations.”

Protecting Saskatoon’s urban forest is one of the key action areas identified in the City’s Pathway to a Sustainable Urban Forest Implementation Plan -- approved in principle -- by Council on October 31, 2022. The plan includes multiple recommendations with specific focus on the following areas:

• develop a new tree protection bylaw for trees on City property and update existing City Council Policy No. C09-011, Trees on City Property;
• develop a formalized tree protection process that ensures clear and consistent processes for stakeholders who conduct work near public trees; and
• update and consolidate tree protection specifications for work that takes place near public trees.

Upon approval by City Council, the City will work to develop the new bylaw and revise the existing policy for Council approval in late 2023.

For more information, visit saskatoon.ca/engage and search for Tree Protection Bylaw.

After two days of deliberations, Saskatoon City Council concluded its 2023 Budget review November 29, 2022, to finalize the City’s operating and capital budgets, boards, commissions and utility budgets for this second year of the 2022/2023 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget cycle. The 2023 Operating and Capital Plan was prior approved in principle in 2021 but required formal approval by City Council at the 2023 Budget deliberations as per the Council Policy.

“Every year, Council deliberates the budget to bring in the lowest property tax rate, especially when we know times are tight for everyone.  We were able to bring down the proposed tax increase in 2023 from 4.38% to 3.93%,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “We continue to recover from the challenges brought on by the pandemic and are now facing some of the highest inflationary pressures in generations. This strategic budget balances the need to be as prudent as possible and ensures we are providing the core services that residents rely on.”  

For a homeowner with a single-family detached home with an average assessed value of $344,000, the 3.93% municipal property tax increase equates to $6.53/month or $78.34/year in 2023.

To account for rising costs and global inflation the City is facing, Administration had recommended several adjustments to the 2023 Budget which resulted in a proposed property tax rate of 4.38%. This was the tax rate to maintain and deliver the existing service levels to the community and to ensure the City’s resources remained aligned for 2023. City Council has the flexibility in year two of the budget cycle to make any necessary budgetary corrections for events or circumstances requiring funding or resource adjustments.

City Council directed $1,640,000 be transferred from the Reserve for Capital Expenditures (RCE) to the Fiscal Stabilization Reserve and made the following adjustments to reduce the 2023 municipal property tax rate:

• $700,000 reduction to the corporate fuel increase assumptions
• $500,000 deferred reduction to the Return on Investment received from Saskatoon Light & Power
• Council deferred an $83,600 contribution to the Transit Vehicle Replacement Reserve which was possible because of a recent $6.5 million commitment in 2022 to fleet renewal as part of a comprehensive fleet asset management strategy approved by Council in 2022
• $68,700 reduced from the contribution to the Reserve for Major Special Events

2023 Budget adjustments and approvals:

• City Council increased ongoing operating funding of $100,000 to the Attainable Housing Program as well as provided one-time funding of $550,000 from dividends declared from the City’s Neighbourhood Land Development Fund
• Additional funding of $245,000 was also allocated to develop a Housing Strategy which will include Housing Needs Assessment, Best Practices Review and Engagement  
• $160,000 allocated from Reserves toward Heritage Program Updates
• $95,000 to fund a one-time operating contribution for a Shelter Services Support Grant to the SPCA
• Curbside Organics Program fee of $6.73 monthly per roll-out cart for green cart organics collection starting in spring 2023

“For the 2023 Budget, we’ve made important investments to address the escalating crisis of homelessness in the city and the growing need for affordable housing,” adds Mayor Clark. “City Council has allocated funds to work with housing providers to get more units built and to increase our capacity to work strategically with our community partners on coordinated housing solutions and extreme weather strategies.”

The City of Saskatoon wishes to thank all residents, organizations and business owners in Saskatoon who wrote in or spoke to City Council at budget deliberations, or in the weeks leading up to budget review. Public feedback through engagement is valued throughout the year.

The finalized 2023 Budget document will be made available on the City’s website at saskatoon.ca/budget once completed.

The eighth and final Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference will take place November 28-29 at Saskatoon’s TCU Place. After two years of gathering virtually, this year’s conference marks the return of meeting in-person, although there’s also an option to attend virtually.

Between 2007 and 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada travelled to all parts of Canada to bear witness to residential school experiences, to create a permanent historical record, and to engage and educate the public about Survivor experiences and intergenerational impacts. The theme of the 2022 Wîcihitowin Conference will be Bearing Witness in acknowledgement of this critical aspect of reconciliation.

Joining as speakers this year are the former Commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission — The Honourable Murray Sinclair (video presentation), Dr. Wilton Littlechild, and Dr. Marie Wilson. Other noteworthy presenters include Chief Cadmus Delorme of Cowessess First Nation; Gilles Dorval, past Indigenous Initiatives Director for the City of Saskatoon; Merelda Fiddler-Potter, former CBC reporter; and nearly a dozen Residential School Survivors.

The conference will be co-hosted by April Sora, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant at the City of Saskatoon, and Neal Kewistep, Executive-in-Residence at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. The complete agenda is available here.

Wîcihitowin Conference youth panelist, Allison Forsberg says: “The Wîcihitowin Conference provides Survivors and their families with an opportunity to honour each other, acknowledge the experiences that our ancestors went through, and is a place where we can all listen and learn from one another. Even though this is the eighth and final year of this conference, we think this is the beginning of a new reconciliation journey for the community.”

Residential School Survivor, Gilbert Kewistep says: “I have appreciated being involved in the Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference and the Saskatoon Survivors’ Circle over the past few years. It has provided me with a community to support me through my healing journey. Acknowledging and sharing the truth helps us Survivors in healing from our trauma. Sharing our teachings with the broader community helps others understand what we lost and what we are trying to regain. Although this conference’s journey is coming to an end, I see this as a bright step towards something new for our communities.”

City of Saskatoon Social Development Consultant and Co-Chair of the Wîcihitowin Conference Planning Committee, Roy Lavallee says: “The City and planning partners make a point to support this conference every year because we see the outcomes, year in and year out. The feedback we get from this event is always incredible – how it influenced individuals and organizations to change their thinking as well as their practices. Past participants feel that this conference has contributed to progress on Indigenous engagement and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.”

United Way Saskatoon & Area Director of Labour Partnerships & Community Impact and Wîcihitowin Conference Planning Committee member, Andrea Howe says: “Over the past eight years, the Wîcihitowin Conference has welcomed audiences from across Saskatchewan, Canada, and around the world. It has invested in education by bringing together First Nations and Métis people with professional, academic, and lived-experience expertise, and has showcased Indigenous culture through dance, song, and art. Thanks to its investors, partner organizations, Survivors, and all conference attendees, the conference has re-invested over $1.3-million dollars into the community and reconciliation efforts.”

In-person registration is full but tickets to attend virtually are available at wicihitowin.ca until midnight on November 24 or until sold out. For real time conference updates, follow Wîcihitowin YXE on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

With the combined presence of COVID-19 and flu cases in our community, the health of vulnerable Elders and Residential School Survivors is our top priority. Conference attendees are being urged to adhere to the following health precautions if attending in-person:

• Stay home if feeling unwell
• Go home if feeling unwell during the event
• Get vaccinated against both the flu and COVID-19 (you require a booster if it's been more than 6 months since your last vaccination)
• Mask-wearing is strongly recommended
• Avoid physical contact such as hugs and shaking hands
• Wash hands regularly and make use of hand sanitizer – particularly before eating

The Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference is made possible through financial and human resource contributions by the City of Saskatoon, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, Saskatchewan Health Authority, United Way of Saskatoon & Area, and the Saskatoon Public Library, with additional financial investments from Nutrien (premier investor), Saskatoon Community Foundation, and other community/partner/friend investors. Complete list of sponsors here.

Today, City Administration released a detailed administrative report providing City Council with its proposed adjustments to the 2023 Budget. The 2023 Budget was preliminarily approved by City Council on November 29, 2021, as part of the City’s Multi-Year Budget.

The assumptions used to create the 2023 Business Plan and Budget in 2021 were based on the Administration’s estimate of revenues and expenditures at the time, including the recovery of lost revenues due to the impact of COVID-19. The financial landscape for the City in 2023 has changed significantly since the forecasted revenues and expenditures were developed in 2021. The City has continued to incur higher costs for fuel, natural gas, materials, supplies and labour – leading to significant changes to the assumptions and estimates used to produce the original 2023 Plan.

“This year has brought forward significant challenges for individuals, businesses and the City in terms of unforeseen inflationary pressures, which we expect to persist into 2023. These pressures, coupled with an already ambitious City budget target, require consideration for adjustments to ensure our service levels and resources are aligned,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. “As such, the Administration is proposing several adjustments to the preliminary approved 2023 Budget to ensure the City’s service levels are maintained and resourced appropriately.”

“We recognize the financial pressures that individuals and businesses are already under within Saskatoon, however, in order to deliver the existing service levels these adjustments are required,” adds Hack. “As always, Administration remains committed to prudent financial management and continuing to find savings where we can. This is evidenced by the $5.7 million in targeted savings within the 2023 Budget and the approximately $600,000 in identified options Council can consider for reducing the property tax increase in 2023.”

If approved by Council, the proposed budget adjustments to the 2023 Operating Budget would provide more than $10.04 million in additional resources, which will be mostly used to combat rising prices in fuel, natural gas and other inflationary pressures. This increase in costs is offset by a nearly $7.76 million increase in revenues, leaving a $2.29 million gap to be filled by the property tax.  Based on these changes the preliminarily approved property tax increase of 3.53% is recommended to increase to 4.38%. For a homeowner with an average assessed value of $344,000, the proposed 2023 tax rate would result in an additional $7.28/month or $87.30/year.

Proposed budget adjustments to the 2023 Capital Budget would increase it by $37.4 million. Most of these expenses are related to land development projects which are primarily funded through development levies and reserves. City Council may choose to increase or decrease the amounts of the operating or capital budgets for any item presented earlier or for other items it would like to bring forward. 

City Council will also review and make its final decisions on the Board of Police Commissioners 2023 Operating Budget and Capital Budget, and the upcoming Curbside Organics 2023 Rate. Deliberation on all proposed budget adjustments and formal approval of the 2023 Operating and Capital Budgets and Business Plan will take place November 28, 29 & 30, 2022, in Council Chambers starting at 1 p.m.

For citizens interested in registering to provide comments or to speak to City Council at budget deliberations, please use the Submit a Letter/Request to Speak to Council form. Registration will be open as of 5 p.m., Wednesday, November 23. The deadline to submit your online form is Monday, November 28, 2022, at 10 a.m. For questions, please email city.clerks@saskatoon.ca or contact the City Clerk’s Office at 306-975-3240.

Visit saskatoon.ca/finance for more information on the multi-year budget process, timeline of prior decisions/events or to review budget-related documents.

Shared electric scooters (e-scooters) will be available for rent in Saskatoon by spring 2023. A two-year pilot will test the program framework developed through extensive public consultation. City Council approved the project this week where two vendors will operate up to 500 shared e-scooters from spring to fall each year.

“While many people are excited for new transportation options, others are concerned about safety for riders and pedestrians, enforcement and cost,” says Director of Transportation Jay Magus. “A pilot lets us evaluate if the rules in our framework can address these before committing to a permanent program.”

The benefit for Saskatoon residents and visitors is a fun, environmentally friendly solution to the first/last mile drawback of public transportation, creating better connectivity and increasing convenience. Fewer people driving personal vehicles can ultimately reduce congestion and GHG emissions associated with transportation.

Vendors will provide e-scooters with a center column and a floorboard; there is no seat, no operable pedals and they are not self-balancing.​ People will rent them through a mobile app to unlock them, then follow instructions for parking to return them.

“Many of the safety concerns can be addressed with technology,” says Magus. “Geofencing and sidewalk detection can limit the speed and location e-scooters can travel; and there are in-app incentives for wearing a helmet and proper parking.”

The framework for the pilot requires e-scooter renters to follow the Provincial regulations: riders must be 16 years or older, wear a helmet and are restricted to streets with a 50 km/h and lower speed limit and a maximum riding speed of 24 km/h.

The City plans to consider allowing private electric scooters in 2024 once we have conducted a year of this pilot program.

The full framework and summary of public engagement is available at saskatoon.ca/escooter.

City Council has confirmed the site of a future event centre/arena will be at the Midtown Shopping Centre North Parking Lot. The location was selected at a Special Meeting of City Council this afternoon.

The Downtown Event and Entertainment District is a large, transformational project that will develop over many years. Proceeding with the development of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District project, and the vision to create a shared public space where everyone feels welcome, required a decision of City Council on the future location of the event centre/arena.

“Saskatoon is one of the few cities to have its own land bank, and without our property realized reserve we would not have been able to purchase these important pieces of land today,” says Downtown Event and Entertainment District Advisory Group Co-Chair Councillor Troy Davies. “We have met with cities across North America who have built downtown districts and the site chosen today will not only increase jobs but also opens the door for further development opportunities down the road.”

Following work with industry experts to assess several potential sites against various technical criteria, the City collected feedback on the opportunities and challenges for two feasible downtown site options. Council considered the results of the technical evaluation and the feedback from the public, ultimately endorsing the Midtown Shopping Centre North Parking Lot, north of 22nd Street between 1st Avenue and Pacific Avenue.

Some of the key opportunities highlighted with this location include:

· closeness to amenities such as restaurants and shopping

· ease of access because of its more central location

· increased Downtown activity

“As Council’s strategic lead for downtown development, this location allows for efficient use of existing land and infrastructure, and maximizes opportunities to attract new residential and commercial investments in the heart of our city,” says Advisory Group co-chair Councillor Cynthia Block.

Mayor Charlie Clark says choosing a site is the first “pivotal” step in shaping the future of Downtown for many decades to come.

“As we continue to grow and become a more global city, we want the residents in our city and our province to be able to experience world-class events in the heart of a thriving downtown. It will be a gathering place that can bring our diverse community together and drive economic investment, all part of creating a strong future for the children growing up today.”

The decision now allows City staff to begin working on conceptual designs and district master planning to help establish preliminary capital cost estimates. City Council has already directed that the project includes Indigenous placemaking. The City will be seeking community input on other district amenities in the coming months, but early feedback has already highlighted a desire for cultural gathering spaces, both indoors and outdoors.

Dan Willems, Director of Technical Services says financial strategies are already under consideration. The project is expected to be largely funded through investment other than from property taxes. While the exact funding plan is yet to be determined, a key overarching goal is that this project requires little or no increase to property taxes.

“At this point next year, our goal is to have a proposed funding strategy in front of City Council and be in a position to approach other orders of government to get their commitment to support the project.”

Willems says this decision is the first of many that must happen over the next year. “The project is truly a journey with many milestones. Within the next few months, we plan to be in a position for City Council to consider the partnership and governance model for the new facilities and whether to secure a private partner to support project development.”

Decisions about a new or expanded convention centre, and the future of the existing SaskTel Centre will be among several decisions to be considered by Council as part of the conceptual design phase later in 2023.

Along with clear opportunities with the Midtown lot, the engagement survey results also identify parking availability and traffic congestion as key challenges.

“We believe this challenge can be overcome through information sharing on the current inventory of existing on- and off-street paid parking, private stalls that could be converted, and new parking facilities planned to be constructed within walking distance,” Willems says. He adds that a parking needs assessment will be completed as part of the conceptual design, and that parking and congestion concerns may diminish as the site and the supporting transportation network is developed.

“The future bus rapid transit routes will connect the district to the entire city and will be able to move many people in and out of the area avoiding the worry over parking Downtown.”

The City will continue to work with the public and stakeholders to determine how to maximize the benefit of the district for all residents of Saskatoon. The district itself, the significant transit improvements that will accompany the district, and all elements ultimately included in the scope of work will shape Saskatoon for generations. Given this, public engagement will be integral to several work components planned throughout 2023.

The risk of flooding during intense summer rainfalls is much lower for more than 50 properties near Churchill District Park. A dry storm pond in the park, which will hold flood water and serve as a sports field whenever dry, is substantially complete. It is the second dry storm pond to be built under the City of Saskatoon’s Flood Control Strategy (FCS).

“Substantial completion means it is mostly done, but there’s still some finishing touches to do before the space can officially open,” says Director of Saskatoon Water, Russ Munro. “The site will remain fenced off until fall 2023 to give the newly installed sod and trees time to establish.”

The FCS, approved by City Council in 2018, is aimed at reducing flooding in nine of Saskatoon’s most flood prone areas. The first dry storm pond opened in W.W. Ashley District Park in October. Right now, plans are in the works to begin construction on a third dry storm pond in Weaver Park in early 2023.  

The Churchill Park dry storm pond took approximately nine months to build. It will reduce summer flood concerns around Ruth Street and Cairns Avenue, Bute Street and Munroe Avenue, Ruth Street and York Avenue, and Bute Street and Albert Avenue.

“Residents will notice new trees, a new pathway, new multi-use sports fields, and spectator seating built into the slopes. We are very pleased with the result and look forward to the neighbourhood enjoying the new space next year,” says Munro.

Dry storm ponds are designed to hold water that would otherwise cause flooding during intense rainfalls. The water flows from nearby properties and roads into the dry storm pond before it slowly drains into the storm sewer and to the South Saskatchewan River. Prior to the establishment of the FCS, Saskatoon already had nine dry storm ponds, mostly in neighbourhoods built after 1989 when enhanced storm water infrastructure standards were established.

The Government of Canada is contributing 40% of the eligible construction costs up to a maximum of $21.6 million toward nine FCS projects.  The City is funding the remaining construction costs through the Storm Water Utility Capital Program and revenue generated from Storm Water Utility charges. 

For more information about the FCS, visit saskatoon.ca/floodplan.

City Council is set to consider the Administration’s recommendation that the future Downtown event centre/arena be located on the Midtown Shopping Centre North Parking Lot, north of 22^nd Street between 1^st Avenue and Pacific Avenue. The recommendation will be discussed at a Special Meeting of Council, Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

The Administration’s analysis identified two feasible site options for the future Downtown event centre/arena: the Midtown Shopping Centre North Parking Lot and the North Downtown/City Yards. City Council further directed Administration to proceed with public engagement on both sites.

The site recommendation is based, in part, on an evaluation of the sites against extensive technical criteria. Based on this evaluation, the Midtown Shopping Centre North Parking Lot site emerged with the highest score, ranking favourably in nearly every category.

Also supporting this recommendation are the survey results where respondents identified key opportunities with the Midtown site to be its proximity to amenities, its ease of access due to its central location and the potential for increased activities in the Downtown.

Despite these key opportunities, the survey results also identified some key challenges; most notably, parking availability and traffic congestion. The Administration believes the parking challenge can be mitigated at the proposed site by clearly identifying the current inventory of existing off-street paid parking, private stalls that could be converted, and off-street paid parking stalls within walking distance.  More specifically, as part of the project, Administration intends to replace the 526 stalls currently in the north parking lot and may be augmented with construction of additional parking following a parking needs assessment.

In terms of traffic congestion, the future Bus Rapid Transit routes will connect the District to the entire city, efficiently moving a large number of people in and out of the area, thereby providing alternative transportation options and reducing or minimizing the perceived challenge of traffic congestion.

The Administration also consulted with the Downtown Event and Entertainment District Advisory Group, which was established and appointed by City Council, on the site options. The Advisory Group supports the Administration’s recommendation of the Midtown Shopping Centre North Parking Lot.

The public engagement occurred between August 30 and October 3, 2022, several options for feedback were available to the public. This included a representative sample survey, an opt-in online public survey, an online survey for local business and organizations, and in-person intercept surveys.

The survey results have been consolidated and shared with City Council for their deliberations on the site of the Downtown event centre/arena, and the development of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District. In addition, future stages of the project will be informed by the feedback from this process.

The City appreciates and thanks the over 8,300 people and stakeholders who participated in the open survey and shared their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of each site. The survey results are available on saskatoon.ca/engage for all respondents and the general public.  The agenda and corresponding reports can be found on the City’s website.

For more information visit saskatoon.ca/eventdistrict.

The City of Saskatoon has a new Waste bylaw. On Monday, October 31, City Council approved Bylaw No. 9844, The Waste Bylaw, 2022, which now has replaced the previous Bylaw No. 8310, The Waste Bylaw, 2004.

“In anticipation of new waste diversion programs beginning in 2023, the City decided to update the structure and content of our Waste Bylaw, which had been first approved 18 years ago and had undergone many amendments,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water and Waste Operations. “The new bylaw prepares us for the curbside organics program and Recovery Park a diversion depot co-located at the landfill, which are both set to launch in 2023.”

The changes in the new bylaw include:

•    New requirements to place recyclable and organic materials into the appropriate collection containers
•    Guidelines for home composting systems, including requiring that they be located within property lines
•    Standards for new multi-unit residential buildings to ensure City waste collection can be completed
•    New standards for waste containers used for construction activities
•    Restrictions on the composting of elm wood waste in any City program to help protect Saskatoon’s urban forest from Dutch elm disease.

“The Waste Bylaw keeps our community safe and our environment clean by instructing our community on how to properly store, sort, divert, and dispose of solid waste,” says Lemke. “The City will continue to take an education-first approach with our Waste bylaw to help make sure residents and businesses are aware of what is required and make a change before following through on enforcement.” 

For more information on the City’s Waste Bylaw, visit www.saskatoon.ca/content/bylaw-9844-waste-bylaw-2022.

A survey conducted on behalf of the City of Saskatoon by Forum Research between February and April 2022 indicates that significantly more residents claim climate change is an important environmental challenge that must be addressed—an increase of 41% from five years ago.

When asked to identify the main environmental issues facing the City, residents are most likely to focus on climate change related concerns such as extreme weather and global warming, as well as waste reduction issues like waste management and city cleanliness. The survey showed that three in five respondents raised these issues, with 50% of respondents saying they believe climate change is negatively affecting Saskatoon today.

The survey also showed residents are most concerned with how climate-related issues will affect them financially, with more than 80% of respondents saying they are very or somewhat concerned about how climate change will affect the cost of food, energy, public services, and insurance.

“The good news is, the City has been working on greenhouse gas emission reductions and waste diversion initiatives for some time now,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “The City has also been working on several implementation plans related to waste reduction, aggressive emission reduction targets, climate action and resilience. We are focused on finding ways to make our operations more sustainable and environmentally friendly, with a focus on high-impact activities.”

The City’s Climate Action Plan: Progress Report 2021 will be presented to the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services on November 7. The report tallies the progress that has been made on the Climate Action Plan, which includes The Low Emissions Community Plan and the Corporate Climate Adaptation Strategy. 

The City has committed to reducing emissions by 80% below the 2014 baseline by 2050 for both the community and the City’s own operations and has set an interim target of 15% reduction for the community and 40% reduction for the City by 2023.

2022 Environmental Awareness: Resident Survey can be found at Saskatoon.ca/climate

Climate Action Plan: Progress Report 2021 can be found at Saskatoon.ca/climate

A report headed to the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services outlines progress that the City of Saskatoon (City) has made toward greater sustainability and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Climate Action Plan: Progress Report 2021 (2021 Progress Report) will be presented to the committee on November 7. The report tallies the progress that has been made on the Climate Action Plan, which includes The Low Emissions Community Plan (LEC Plan) and the Corporate Climate Adaptation Strategy. 

The City has committed to reducing emissions by 80% below the 2014 baseline by 2050 for both the community and the City’s own operations and has set an interim target of 15% reduction for the community and 40% reduction for the City by 2023.

In 2021, Saskatoon emitted 3,509,600 tonnes of CO₂e, which is a 9% reduction from the 2014 baseline of 3,852,200. Saskatoon’s per capita emissions decreased by 20% since 2014 at 12.4 tonnes of CO₂e per person (down from 15.6 per person in 2014). Reductions were seen in all sectors except Agriculture. Emissions from the City’s own operations decreased by 3% (from 225,000 in 2014 to 217,800 in 2021) with most reductions seen in the Buildings and Streetlighting sectors.

“The good news is, our emissions are trending downwards,” says Director of Sustainability Jeanna South. “Our goals are aggressive because they have to be. Climate change is happening, and we need to adapt our actions and mitigate potential damage quickly. We no longer have the option of taking our time. Our actions at the City of Saskatoon set the tone for the rest of the community, and we have put careful thought into our goals and have detailed plans for how to achieve each one of them.”

The City has progressed 26 of the 40 Actions outlined in the LEC Plan and 18 of the 30 Actions in the Corporate Climate Adaptation Strategy.  One area of progress that is also a focus of the November 7 Committee meeting is energy generation, with 10/12 actions on track.  Alternative Currents is an implementation plan for Saskatoon’s energy transition and will also be discussed at the Committee meeting.

Alternative Currents provides an implementation plan that is founded in the LEC Plan which establishes the City’s framework for becoming completely powered by renewable and/or low-emissions energy, including investments in local energy generation facilities (solar photovoltaics, hydropower, and district energy) through 12 actions. Alternative Currents provides a phased implementation plan for progressing these actions over the next 10 years. 

“Fossil fuels are increasingly costly, and we cannot control for that. What we can do is look at ways to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels so that we insulate the City budget and the mill rate from this variable to some degree,” comments Jeanna South.

Specific initiatives from Alternative Currents that help progress corporate climate action targets include the installation of solar PV on municipal rooftops and land, the expansion of landfill gas capture from the Saskatoon Landfill, renewable energy procurement, residential rebates and reviewing solar PV access and orientation to encourage resident self-generation. Each action in the implementation plan will be brought forward separately for funding approval by Mayor and Council before further work progresses.

Reports available:

The City’s Climate Action Plan: Progress Report 2021 can be found at Saskatoon.ca/climatechange

Alternative Currents: An Implementation Plan for Saskatoon’s Renewable and Low-Emission Energy Transition can be found at Saskatoon.ca/renewablenergy

From November 1, 2022, through October 31, 2023, the City will be piloting a new parking program for Veterans that will allow Saskatchewan Veterans with registered Veteran plates issued by SGI to park free of charge in Saskatoon's pay parking zones within the posted time limits.

”Through community engagement and research, it was found that amendments to the existing program could be made to provide a simplified and improved process for veteran parking similar to other Saskatchewan cities that are offering Veteran parking programs” says Matt Grazier, Director of Community Standards with the City of Saskatoon, “This is a pilot program that we are pleased to offer as a small ‘thank you’ to Saskatchewan Veterans for their service to our city, province, and country.”

This initiative is part of a one-year pilot project exploring the impacts of this program on parking supply and turnover in pay parking zones. At the end of the pilot project, City Administration and City Council will review the impacts and decide whether to continue the program beyond the pilot’s end date.

For more information, visit saskatoon.ca/veteranparking.

Another construction season has drawn to a close and with City Council’s annual $64 million investment, City and contractor crews have again improved several kilometres of roadways and sidewalks and replaced water mains and service connections in historic neighbourhoods.

A major rehabilitation project on Circle Drive North involved rebuilding severely deteriorated curbs and medians between Alberta Avenue and Millar Avenue. The east bound lanes were also repaved. It’s just one of many high traffic areas of Saskatoon to receive major improvements this year.

“We’ll return in the spring of 2023 to resurface the westbound lanes,” says General Manager of Transportation and Construction, Terry Schmidt. “This was our plan from the beginning of the construction season because we wanted to avoid major traffic tie ups and restrictions to business access points on this section of Circle Drive over such an extended continuous timeframe.”

Other major projects included intersection resurfacing and adding a right-hand turning lane on Warman Road southbound onto 33^rd Street, rehabilitating the Spadina Crescent Bridge, repaving the Attridge Drive overpass at Circle Drive, and the continuation of water main replacement projects in several neighbourhoods. Schmidt says approximately 24 kilometres of water mains and sanitary sewer mains were replaced or rehabilitated in 2022, which is about the distance from Downtown Saskatoon to Warman.

“We truly appreciate the patience of residents in neighbourhoods where water main replacements took place,” Schmidt says. “In some areas, we ran into unexpected circumstances which caused delays. The water main replacement program will continue next year.

Also in 2023, construction will have an impact to commuters using the nearly 40-year-old Circle Drive North Bridge. One side will accommodate two-way traffic while the other side is rehabilitated. The pedestrian bridge underneath will not be affected. Several more construction projects will be planned over the upcoming winter months.

Sidewalks are also a major focus every summer with City departments working collaboratively to make significant improvements to the management and execution of the Sidewalk Repair Program. In 2022, crews repaired or rehabilitated approximately 59 kilometers of sidewalks and curbs.

For more 2022 construction highlights, please visit saskatoon.ca/construction.

New online educational tools and in-person support are now available for Saskatoon businesses and organizations working to implement new recycling requirements within the Waste Bylaw that came into effect earlier this year.

As of January 1, 2022, all businesses and organizations in Saskatoon are required to separate recyclable materials from garbage. The materials covered by the regulations are the same items that are currently included in the City’s residential recycling programs. The new regulation means all businesses and organizations are required to:

• Have separate labelled containers for garbage and recycling;
• Educate employees and tenants annually about which materials are recyclable and how to sort them; and
• Ensure recycling and garbage are removed and taken to an appropriate facility.

“As businesses and organizations generate 68% of the garbage in our community, this program is an important step towards Saskatoon’s waste diversion targets,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “In addition to conserving natural resources, saving valuable space in our landfill, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, having a business and organization recycling program demonstrates an organization’s commitment to the economic and environmental well-being of our community.” 

To help businesses and organizations to be successful in meeting these requirements, the City of Saskatoon has launched a variety of new tools and resources to access from a dedicated webpage, saskatoon.ca/businessrecycling. Whether a business or organization currently has a recycling program in place or is still working toward meeting the requirements, there are many helpful aids now available to access.

These new supports include a new Recycling Guide for Businesses and Organizations, an educational video on Business Recycling to explain the requirements, and recycling signage to print and put in place onsite. Another key tool available on the webpage is the addition of the Business Waste Wizard, which will help businesses and organizations find out where they can divert recyclable items as well as other materials. Businesses may also request in-person support, such as lunch and learn presentations or site visits to assist with setting up waste diversion and troubleshooting issues.

“These new resources help us to progress the City’s Solid Waste Reduction and Diversion Plan,” says South. “The residential recycling program has been successful in keeping items out of the landfill, and now with businesses and organizations coming on board, all of our community will be working together to progress our waste diversion goals.”

Education will be the focus for the next year, and enforcement is set to begin in October 2023. Businesses that meet specific criteria may apply for an exemption from the new regulations, which will then be reviewed for approval by the City.

In 2023, a similar regulation for food and yard waste diversion will take effect, which will require businesses and organizations that generate these materials in their operations to separate materials. New education and support for food and yard waste are planned to launch in 2023.

Businesses and organizations are encouraged to visit saskatoon.ca/businessrecycling to find links to all recycling education tools. 

The City’s Governance & Priorities Committee (GPC) will receive an administrative information report on Monday, October 24, 2022, regarding the Municipal Wards Commission's establishment of ward boundaries in Saskatoon. With the next civic election in Saskatoon taking place in 2024, a review of current ward boundaries must be undertaken according to The Cities Act, Bylaw No. 8164 which contains the rules for creating wards.

“Ward boundary reviews must be completed no less than 180 days before a general municipal election,” says Adam Tittemore, City Clerk. “As we will engage with ward residents on any proposed ward boundary changes, a good amount of lead time is required to undertake the review process.”

Ward boundary reviews have been conducted for each of the last three elections, in 2012, 2016, and 2020. Past reports of the Municipal Wards Commission have noted the projected growth in several neighbourhoods and anticipated that further ward modifications would be required before future municipal elections.

Why review current ward boundaries?

The Cities Act requires that the population of each ward be uniform and that any ward must not vary by more than 10% from the figure that is obtained by dividing the total population of the city by the number of wards into which the city is divided.  If a variance of more than 10% is determined, the Municipal Wards Commission is required to review the ward boundaries. While not applicable in this case, the legislation also requires a review at least once every three election cycles.

Determining population in Saskatoon

The 2021 Census indicates that Saskatoon’s total population is 266,141 (an increase from 247,201 in 2016). However, traditionally the City has utilized provincial health data which has been determined to be a more accurate and timely reflection of the population of Saskatoon. Utilizing eHealth data current to June 30, 2022, the City’s Planning and Development Branch has determined the total population to be 285,445 (an increase from 270,790 in December 2018).

Ward 2 and Ward 7 are affected

Each of the ten wards in Saskatoon must have a population within +/- 10% of 28,545 (25,690 – 31,399). Current ward populations using June 30, 2022, Saskatchewan eHealth population information show that Ward 2 and Ward 7 are both outside of the 10% variation limit. The population within Ward 2 is below the limit, and in Ward 7 it is above.

The Municipal Wards Commission will undertake the process of reviewing the ward boundaries. Public consultation will be an important part of the review process. The new ward boundaries will be established in 2023, to take effect for the 2024 civic election.

Visit saskatoon.ca or contact the City Clerk’s Office at 306-975-3240 for more information.

The Governance & Priorities Committee (GPC) will consider an administrative information report at its next meeting on October 24, 2022, on the 2023 Business Plan and Budget’s pressures and opportunities. The City’s Multi-Year Business Plan & Budget (MYBB) Policy allows Administration to bring forward adjustments to the budget in the second year of the two-year cycle. The City is then able to adapt and respond to pressures and opportunities that are present due to changing municipal, provincial, and federal environments.

“This report provides an update on the financial landscape for the City heading into 2023. The world has changed significantly since the initial 2023 budget was prepared and the City is not immune to the inflationary and supply chain issues organizations have faced globally,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. 

“While expenditures such as fuel, natural gas and other contracted services have seen increases, the City is also expecting to see significant increases in revenues from sources such as Municipal Revenue Sharing, Investment Income and Transit revenues to offset most of these impacts,” adds Hack.”

Background

At its November 29, 2021, 2022/23 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget meeting, City Council approved the 2023 Operating and Capital Plans. 

The details of the previously approved 2023 Operating Plan can be found in the 2022-2023 Approved Detailed Operating document. Additionally, the approved 2023 Capital Plan can be found in the Approved Capital Budget Project documents. 

Next Steps

“It’s important to note that these potential adjustments have not yet been approved,” adds Hack. “The  budget adjustments and mitigation strategies will be debated by City Council at its 2023 Budget Meeting on November 28, 2022.” 

Administration is exploring options for operating budget reductions for City Council to consider and will present them to City Council on November 28. In addition, capital project adjustments will be presented for deliberation.

Visit saskatoon.ca/budget

Over the next several weeks, visitors to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) will start to see the Zoo animals preparing for the cooler winter temperatures ahead. Many species including the snow leopard, lynx, bobcats, bison and caribou thrive in cooler temperatures thanks to some very cool natural adaptations.

“Caribou are well adapted to life in cold climates,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “The herd at the Zoo is already working on developing their dense undercoat made up of ultra-fine fur and a longer overcoat of hollow guard hairs that will keep them warm throughout the winter. Caribou also have large, sharp hooves that act like snowshoes allowing them to walk on top of the snow.”

Other animals like the grizzly bears and prairie dogs, are getting ready to sleep away the cold winter days.

“Mistaya and Koda have started making their beds so to speak,” says Mitchell. “You might see the bears combing through the extra straw and leaves the zookeepers have placed throughout their habitat. Mistaya and Koda like to carefully select each leaf and piece of straw, only taking the best of the best back to their den to make their bed.”

Dingoes Maple and Euci will soon be off-exhibit as the cool weather settles in. While the dingoes love to play in the snow for brief periods of time, they will be spending most of their time in their indoor habitat in favour of warmer temperatures.

A reminder to purchase your 2023 Zoo Season Passes before December 31, 2022 to receive 2022 rates. Zoo Season Passes are available for purchase at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo or any Leisure Centre.

The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visit saskatoon.ca/zoo for more information or to plan your next visit.

Helping Canadians upgrade their homes to be more energy-efficient fights climate change, creates good jobs and helps save on monthly bills.

The Community Efficiency Financing initiative is offered through the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) delivered by FCM and funded by the Government of Canada. CEF helps communities of all sizes implement innovative local financing programs that directly help homeowners cut their greenhouse gas emissions, make their homes more energy-efficient, comfortable and affordable, while creating local jobs and keeping the local economy moving.

This initiative is one of the ways GMF continues to build on its 20-year record of supporting transformative environmental initiatives at the community level. The Government of Canada has invested $1.65 billion in the GMF since its inception, enabling municipalities to support projects like this that will leverage local resources to drive innovative solutions.

Quotes

Dozens of residents in Saskatoon’s Haultain and Queen Elizabeth neighbourhoods can rest a little easier knowing there is less of a likelihood of their properties flooding during intense rainfalls. A new dry storm pond in W.W. Ashley District Park, enjoyed as a newly developed park and sports field during dry weather, officially opened today.

The new dry storm pond is the first of nine to be completed under the Flood Control Strategy (FCS) which was approved by City Council in 2018. The second project is underway right now in Churchill Park and will open in fall 2023. In early 2023, construction will start on a dry storm pond in Weaver Park and six more FCS projects will be built between 2024 and 2027. The Government of Canada has contributed $21.6 million towards Saskatoon’s Flood Control Strategy through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.

“Our Government is proud to be contributing to Saskatoon’s Flood Control Strategy,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “By investing in disaster mitigation and adaptation, we are safeguarding Saskatonians’ homes and livelihoods against the natural events brought on by climate change and building more resilient Prairie communities.”

“The W.W. Ashley Park Dry Storm Pond has already proven to be a tremendous success,” said Saskatoon Mayor, Charlie Clark. “During a significant rain event this summer, it prevented flooding in an area of the city that historically experiences floods. It also provides accessible walking paths and retains recreational space and green space when not containing storm water. The City has plans for more dry ponds and will continue work on projects in the Flood Control Strategy to help minimize flooding in the highest risk locations in the city. Through continued partnerships, we’re able to deliver better infrastructure to residents that help mitigate damage from natural events.”

“We have a well thought out strategy in place to ensure all of our projects are built and functioning by 2027,” said Russ Munro, Director of Saskatoon Water. “Flooding is never ideal, but I think we were fortunate to witness how this first flood mitigation project actually ended up exceeding our expectations during the rainstorm on June 20^th. It demonstrated these projects are a solution when it comes to protecting neighbourhood homes from being devastated by floods.”

Dry storm ponds hold water that would otherwise cause nearby flooding during intense rainfalls. The water flows into storm drains, then through underground pipes into the dry storm pond, where it then flows toward and empties into the South Saskatchewan River.

Once the FCS projects are completed, the City anticipates seeing a substantial decrease in the amount of neighbourhood flooding in the top 10 highest risk areas of Saskatoon.

For more information about the FCS, visit saskatoon.ca/floodplan.

Saskatoon Transit received 40 bus stop nominations from residents during the 2022 edition of the Bus Stop Blues campaign.  

As part of the campaign, which is now in its fourth year, stop nominations are grouped into one of three categories: sidewalk/accessibility; new shelter/repair; or general maintenance. This year, 90% of the nominations were for either for a new shelter or repairs to an existing shelter.

A total of 19 nominations were received through this year’s campaign for a new shelter, all of which will be reviewed in detail.

“When determining a new shelter location, we look at safety and connectivity, property lines and also examine how a location request correlates to what is proposed within the future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network,” says Cory Shrigley, Customer Support & Engagement Manager with Saskatoon Transit. “Boarding data, direction of travel, service frequency, and whether it serves multiple routes is also taken into consideration.”

Shrigley also notes that many of this year’s campaign nominations involved broken glass at existing bus shelters, these will all be addressed in the coming weeks. When the glass in a shelter is broken, it is cleaned up as soon as it can be, on the day it is reported to Saskatoon Transit, with glass typically replaced within a week. However, this summer many shelters were being smashed on the same day as glass was repaired with the total cost of replacing all glass in a shelter being $2,000.

“The Bus Stop Blues campaign is important to us, as it allows riders an opportunity to communicate where the priority areas are to improve the transit experience” says Shrigley. “Safety, reliability, and ease of access are essential to increasing ridership.”

“As we work towards a BRT system, Transit connectivity becomes even more important. We’re looking to the future in terms of the locations that make sense, along with responding to the needs of those we serve today,” says Taha Najam, Transit Planning Engineer.

The total investment for bus stop improvements from September 2022 – September 2023 is $100,000.