News Releases

Encouraging individuals, businesses, and communities to keep the fire burning to spark change in our lives and city, the theme for the fourth annual Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation is Re-igniting the Fire.

“The Rock Your Roots Walk is an incredible example of coming together with the common cause of creating a better future for the generations yet to come,” said Mayor Charlie Clark. “The theme this year of Re-igniting the Fire is a reminder that we all have a role to play in this journey. As we seek the best for our community, we have to look inwards for answers and for action. We have so much potential in all of us, in our city, to help lead the way in living in right relationship and seeing strength in one another.”

The Walk honours survivors and answers the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

"The Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation, honours residential school survivors, 60's scoop survivors, day school survivors and Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Girls,” says Shirley Isbister, President, Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. “The walk is a day to promote diversity as we all walk together to support reconciliation in our community. We all need to re-ignite the fire of answering the calls to action."

Along the walk route, participants experienced live music, dance and entertainment - from traditional Indigenous performances to the Filipino Heritage School to Dance Egypt. The Walk joins with National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations hosted by the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre. Celebrations include free lunch, special guest speakers, live entertainment and fun for the whole family.

“I am very proud to be part of Rock Your Roots Walk in the spirit of Reconciliation,” says Mark Arcand, Tribal Chief, Saskatoon Tribal Council. “As we are all Treaty people we need to continue working together to promote partnerships and relationships so we can all have a quality of life.”

The “Rock Your Roots” Walk for Reconciliation is one of a number of events organized by Reconciliation Saskatoon, an initiative of 98 organizations, non-profits, businesses and partners who have come together towards one mission: to initiate a citywide conversation about reconciliation and provide opportunities for everyone to engage in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

“The significance of the Walk goes back to the days we were children -- when on Sundays we were allowed to go for a walk,” says a residential school survivor who wishes to remain anonymous. “This was the only time we got to mingle with the girls and a short time that we were able to see our sisters, cousins, and brothers. We could go on this one mile walk as long as we were finished all our duties or if we weren’t in trouble.

When the TRC came together, we thought of ‘how can we start this journey?’ That is with a Survivors Walk -- a walk with our family -- a walk to remember all the children who are now gone, who are missing, who are still here: a Walk for Reconciliation.”

Since 2016, the Walk for Reconciliation has grown, drawing almost 5,000 people to Victoria Park to recognize the sacrifices and resilience of Residential School and Day School Survivors, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and 60s Scoop Survivors. The event is made possible through the generosity of community investors, including the Saskatoon Community Foundation and Nutrien.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ReconciliationSaskatoon or www.otc.ca. 

The City of Saskatoon’s commitment to the TRC’s Calls to Action supports the City’s Corporate Strategic Goal of Quality of Life by identifying actions for enhancing well-being and participation of Indigenous peoples in our community.

As one of the initial steps in developing the City’s first multi-year business plan and budget, the City’s Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) today set the indicative municipal property rate target less than 3.94% for 2020, and 4.17% for 2021 previously presented to maintain services.

Administration presented three property tax options for the GPC Committee to consider.  The Committee resolved that Administration report back in August for options to produce a budget less than the current estimated costs to maintain existing services and implement the city-wide organics program phase-in.

“With the indicative municipal property tax rates set today, our teams will now spend the next few weeks focusing on where we can shift resources within the budget,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer. “Committee directed Administration to bring back options for them to consider.”

The report to Committee outlined a targeted municipal property tax increase equal to 3.94% in 2020 and 4.17% in 2021, which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.

“This process provides the Administration with a guideline to prepare the budget in advance of final deliberations in late November,” Tarasoff says. “When considering the phase-in of the organics program and the deficit in waste operations, we’ll be looking at the options available to us to reduce the impact on property tax rates and related service-level impacts.”

Setting the indicative municipal property tax rate for two years provides greater certainty for residents about the future direction of property taxes. The process gives Administration direction to further refine the budget including service level changes and initiatives aimed at achieving City Council’s Strategic Priorities.

The indicative property tax rate acts as a starting point or baseline. City Council can change it as it makes final decisions on the budget priorities it wants to invest in. The City’s final budget, and related municipal property tax rates, for 2020 and 2021 will be made at budget deliberations set for the end of November 2019.

The new multi-year business plan and budget process supports better alignment of the City’s longer-term goals and objectives, and delivers improved financial stability, transparency and accountability.

For more information on the City’s multi-year budget, visit saskatoon.ca/budget.

The City’s commitments to explore new ways to improve service to residents, increase savings for the corporation and grow Saskatoon in a sustainable way are highlighted in the 2018 Saskatoon Strides Report on Service, Savings & Sustainability.

“The annual Strides report showcases the progress our City’s teams’ continue to make, and how our culture of continuous improvement is embedded into everything we do,” says Dan Willems, Interim Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. “I’m very proud of our employees and the work they accomplished in 2018. Our teams continued to look at finding new ways of doing business to avoid future costs, and to create new efficiencies in our everyday work – their efforts lower our costs, save us time, and allow us to better deliver our services to citizens.”

2018 Strides Report Highlights:

• Through continuous improvement initiatives, the City realized $1.82 million in savings, with federal grant funding approved for $1.84 million.
• Saskatoon Land delivered $21.3 million in total financial returns, with $2.5 million contributed to the City’s General Revenue.
• Sustainability programs diverted over 28,400 tonnes of waste from the landfill.
• The City received numerous local and national awards and recognition, notably another ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating from S & P Global Rating Services, and a Gold Infrastructure Award for the Bridging to Tomorrow Project.
• The City hosted and participated in a wide variety of Indigenous initiatives in response to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC’s) Calls to Action, and was awarded the Peacemaker Award for an ongoing commitment to mediation and conflict resolution within our community.
• Service Saskatoon continued to instill a culture of high-quality, citizen-focused service, improving how the City delivers front-line service and promptly connects citizens to the answers and information they need.

“We will continue to improve our processes to deliver excellent customer service. Our teams’ remain committed to finding additional efficiencies through creative solutions and new corporate-wide initiatives,” adds Willems.

The report also includes kudos from residents, Saskatoon Transit’s service improvements and Indigenous initiatives the City undertook in response to the TRC’s Calls to Action.

Find the full report and details on the financial savings and project initiatives on saskatoon.ca. The Strides report will be presented to the Governance and Priorities Committee Monday, June 17, 2019.

Saskatoon’s “Rock Your Roots” Walk for Reconciliation is back for its fourth year in Victoria Park on National Indigenous Peoples Day - Friday, June 21, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.

We invite people of all ages, cultural backgrounds and abilities to come together and learn about reconciliation, honour survivors, and to celebrate the strength and vibrancy of our diverse community.

The theme for this year is Re-igniting the Fire - a reminder that we cannot delegate reconciliation. We must commit as individuals, businesses, and communities to listen, learn, show up and share. We must keep the fire burning to spark change in our lives and city.

WALK WITH US: Organize your friend’s, your family, your community! We invite individuals, businesses, non-profits, faith communities, school groups and more to join the walk as a group. Show your support! Here are some ideas we’ve seen from our incredible walkers over the years:
- Carry your company/organization banner
- Get t-shirts made
- Wear the traditional/cultural dress of your heritage to “Rock Your Roots”
- Create handheld signs to carry with you and/or your group

The Walk joins up with National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations hosted by the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre. Celebrations include free lunch, special guest speakers, live entertainment and fun for the whole family.

Everyone is encouraged (but not required) to “Rock Your Roots” by holding or wearing traditional symbols of your culture to show and share the diversity within our community.

FULL SCHEDULE:

7:00 a.m. Pipe Ceremony – open to all. *Information on Pipe Ceremony protocol can be found on page 24 of the ayisīnowak guide on Saskatoon.ca/ayisīnowak.

9:00 a.m. Grand Entry of dignitaries and special guests

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation. Gather at the start line for a group warm up exercise! Victoria Park (Avenue F south & Spadina Crescent)

11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations. Free lunch, cultural entertainment, special guest speakers and family fun as hosted by Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre.

Celebrations are free and open to all. Golf carts will be available for those unable to walk.

For more information, follow on Reconciliation Saskatoon on Facebook or visit saskatoon.ca/reconciliation or otc.ca.

The City continues to roll-out steps in planning for the first multi-year budget for 2020 and 2021. The multi-year budget will provide greater certainty for residents about the future direction of property taxes, better alignment of the City’s longer-term goals and objectives, and improved financial stability, transparency and accountability.

Setting the municipal indicative property tax rate is a guideline and an important early step in the development of a business plan and budget. Setting an indicative rate gives City Council an opportunity to discuss budget priorities it wants to invest in.

“Prior to budget deliberations this fall, we’re now presenting a number of options to the Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) on setting an appropriate indicative rate for this 2020/2021 budget cycle,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer. “Not only will this provide increased transparency surrounding the City’s budget process to residents, but it will give Administration the direction we need to further refine the budget including service level changes and initiatives aimed at achieving City Council’s Strategic Priorities.”

While the Administration is tabling this information with GPC at its meeting on Monday, June 17, 2019, detailed work will continue to refine the budget right up until budget deliberations at the end of November. 

Administration has prepared three property tax options for consideration by Committee, each with benefits and risks for City programs and services. Administration is currently projecting a 2.94% and 3.17% property tax increase required in 2020 and 2021 in order to maintain current service levels.

Option 1:

• Target a property tax less than 3.94% and 4.17% for 2020 and 2021, which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.
• This option would require the Administration to reproduce a budget less than the current estimated cost to maintain existing services and implement the city-wide organics program phase-in.

Option 2:

• The Administration is recommending a targeted property tax increase equal to 3.94% and 4.17% in 2020 and 2021 which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.
• This option would require the Administration to proceed with the current estimated costs to maintain existing services as well as continued implementation of the city-wide organics program phase-in. 

Option 3:

• Target a property tax higher than 3.94% and 4.17% for 2020 and 2021, which includes an additional 1.0% towards the city-wide organics program and the waste operations/landfill operating deficit and funding shortfall.
• This option would provide sufficient funding to maintain existing service levels, continue the phase-in of the city-wide organics program and leave funding for the implementation of other initiatives to achieve other City Council Strategic Priorities.

“Balancing property taxes, service level changes, our Strategic Goals and City Council’s Strategic Priorities is always difficult, however, we believe we’ve provided Committee with a full picture of the City’s financial projections and their available options for 2020 and 2021,” Tarasoff says.

Report Highlights:

• Administration anticipates a total revenue increase of $22.66 million for 2020/2021, mainly comprised of user fees, internal and external revenues and property tax growth.
• The City’s 2020/2021 budget forecasts increased expenditures of approximately $28.70 million, or 7.08% over 2019.
• Saskatoon Police Service currently estimates a total of $8.86 million in growth and inflationary pressures for 2020/2021.
• For the purposes of the 2020/2021 Indicative Budget Report and associated options, a 1.00% property tax change has been estimated to be equivalent to $2.44 million.

The indicative rate decision is a guideline for the rest of the year. City Council has the opportunity to set the final budget and associated municipal property tax rate through the 2020/2021 multi-year budget deliberations at the end of November 2019.

For more information on the City’s multi-year budget, visit saskatoon.ca/budget.

The City continues to replace the water and sewer lines in two of Saskatoon’s oldest neighbourhoods. This year, the priority is the City Park and Riversdale neighbourhoods where work has been underway for a few weeks.

“The water and sewer lines in these neighbourhoods are about 100 years old,” says Matt Jurkiewicz (yurr-KEV’-ich), Interim Director, Construction and Design. “The replacement projects include upgrading the pipes and also replacing the lead connections to homes that are also outdated.”

Work began in the City Park neighbourhood during the 2018 construction season. In Riversdale, this is the first of a two-year water and sewer upgrade. Phasing the work over a few construction seasons ensures the work is not spread across the entire neighbourhood at once, containing most of the construction to one area at a time.

“We appreciate the cooperation and patience of residents affected by the work, which once complete, will have several benefits,” Jurkiewicz says “They’ll experience improved water pressure once the new lines are in and water main breaks will be less likely during the winter.”

Other benefits include the restoration of streets where work is taking place, resulting in new driving surfaces and in some locations, new or rehabilitated sidewalks.

Earlier this year, the City’s Construction and Design team held open houses in both neighbourhoods and regularly distributes project updates to affected residents to outline the latest project details and timelines. Information is also available online at Saskatoon.ca/watermain.

The 2019 portion of water and sewer infrastructure upgrades in City Park and Riversdale is expected to wrap up by the end of October or before the first significant snowfall.

At its meeting today, City Council approved Bylaw No. 9572, The Traffic Amendment Bylaw, 2019 that increases the city-wide on-street parking limit from 36 hours to 72 hours, except as otherwise indicated by a sign or provided for in the bylaw.

This Amendment does not change the requirements for recreational vehicles or parking restrictions for street maintenance.  Recreational vehicles will continue to have a 36-hour restriction and then must not park on a city street for at least 48 hours.

Parking restrictions for street maintenance will continue to be marked with signs posted 36 hours in advance of street sweeping, construction, snow clearing and other similar activities. 

For more information on Parking in Saskatoon, please visit saskatoon.ca/parking. 

Investing in local water and wastewater systems is key to improving people’s quality of life, protecting waterways and positioning communities for growth.

Today, Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Saskatoon Westview MLA David Buckingham on behalf of Saskatchewan Government Relations Minister Warren Kaeding, announced funding for three new water and wastewater projects in the province.

In Saskatoon, drinking water storage capacity will be increased and a wastewater treatment plant will be upgraded.  In west-central Saskatchewan, a water distribution system will be created in the Rural Municipality (RM) of Snipe Lake and the RM of Newcombe, which includes upgrading the water treatment plant in Eston.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan are each contributing more than $30.4 million to the three projects through the New Building Canada Fund.  Recipients are responsible for remaining costs.

“Modern efficient water and wastewater infrastructure is essential to safeguarding the well-being of our families and building the Canada we want for tomorrow,” said Goodale.  “By investing in projects such as these in Saskatchewan, we are helping close the gaps in services and ensuring everyone has access to safe reliable drinking water for years to come.”

“The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to be investing more than $30.4 million toward these three projects in our province,” Buckingham said.  “These will help position these communities for growth, enhance their key infrastructure, and improve the quality of life.”

“We’re investing in critical infrastructure we need to serve new communities and continue to provide reliable and safe water and wastewater services,” City of Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said.  “Thank you to our federal and provincial partners for investing with us for a sustainable future.”

“We are very appreciative of the support this project has received from the federal and provincial governments,” RM of Snipe Lake Reeve and Chair of the Rural 44 Water Pipeline Utility Bill Owens said.  “Their contributions allow us to provide a safe, secure and sustainable water supply for rural and urban residents.”

Quick facts:

• Budget 2019, Investing in the middle class, is the Government of Canada’s plan to create more good well-paying jobs, put homeownership within reach of more Canadians, help working people get the training they need to succeed, support seniors, and lay the foundation for national pharmacare.
• Announcements in Budget 2019 build on the government’s Investing in Canada Plan, under which the government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years to build infrastructure in communities across the country.
• $26.9 billion of this funding is supporting green infrastructure projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
• Since 2016, the Government of Canada has approved close to 180 new water and wastewater projects across Saskatchewan.
• With many municipalities across Canada facing serious infrastructure deficits, Budget 2019 proposes a one-time transfer of $2.2 billion through the federal Gas Tax Fund to address short-term priorities in municipalities and First Nations communities.

Associated links:

• Budget 2019: https://www.budget.gc.ca/2019/home-accueil-en.html 
• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map 
• Federal infrastructure investments in Saskatchewan: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/investments-2002-investissements/sk-eng.html 
• Investing in Canada: Canada’s Long-Term Infrastructure Plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

The City of Saskatoon, Métis Nation - Saskatchewan and Saskatoon Tribal Council, along with the 98 business and community organization members of Reconciliation Saskatoon gathered in Civic Square outside City Hall today to raise the Reconciliation flag. In honour of the warriors who endured the residential school era, the ceremony also remembers all those affected by the Sixties Scoop, Day Schools, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“This year’s theme is Re-Igniting the Fire. We celebrate diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation as we move towards the future,” said Glen McCallum, President, Métis Nation – Saskatchewan. “This is our opportunity, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, to come together, walk together and our commitment to making change and having a better quality of life for our children.”

The Reconciliation Saskatoon movement has grown to 98 member organizations since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada issued 94 Calls to Action in June 2015. The aim of the group is to support a community conversation about the process of Canadian reconciliation and to educate residents to engage in calls to action.

“I am willing to stand with anybody that wants to make a difference in people’s lives,” says Mark Arcand, Tribal Chief, Saskatoon Tribal Council. “As we are all Treaty people we must continue to work together to build partnerships and relationships to benefit all people of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and across the country so all people can have a quality of life.”

“With the guidance of Elders and Survivors and the commitment of a hundred different non-profits, businesses, and institutions, Saskatoon is charting a path forward toward reconciliation,” said Mayor Charlie Clark. “This is important work that we need to do in order to live up to the spirit of Treaty and the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and it is remarkable to witness and be a part of the progress we are collectively making. Ultimately, we are a stronger community because of the relationships that are being built and the groundwork that is being laid for the future of our city.”

Upcoming reconciliation events in Saskatoon include The Two Twenty: Lunch 'n Learn on INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS, Wednesday, June 12 (Carrie: 306-241-6297 for more information) and the fourth annual “Rock Your Roots” Walk for Reconciliation along with National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations on Friday, June 21. Events are made possible through the generosity of community partners, including Saskatoon Community Foundation and Nutrien.

In 2015, Saskatoon committed to responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s calls to action, with a proclamation by City Council on June 22, declaring 2015-16 the Year of Reconciliation. In addition, the City committed to working with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner and other community groups, leaders and institutions in Saskatchewan, to promote reconciliation in our province.

For more information on events, or to have your reconciliation event added to the calendar, please visit OTC.ca.

The City of Saskatoon, in partnership with the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, has received a National Planning Excellence Award of Merit from the Canadian Institute of Planners in the category of Planning for Reconciliation for ayisīnowak: A Communications Guide.

The Awards for Planning Excellence Jury, comprised of planning professionals from across the country, states “ayisīnowak: A Communications Guide intends to provide City staff with a better understanding of the City’s relationship with Indigenous partners and aid in developing positive relationships with these partners. The jury commends the City as a non-Indigenous organization for this step on its path towards reconciliation. This user-friendly document may be useful as a starting point for other communities to develop their own communications guide.” 

Originally developed for City staff in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action #57, to provide education on the history of Indigenous people, ayisīnowak: A Communications Guide has also become a useful resource for other community organizations in Saskatoon and across Canada.  

“It’s an honour to receive this award from the Canadian Institute of Planners,” says Lesley Anderson, Director of Planning and Development.  “On our path to reconciliation, we recognize the need to increase understanding of the City’s relationship with Indigenous partners.  This guide is a tool to help City staff, and hopefully many others, increase their understanding and apply it in their work and day to day lives.”

“The City of Saskatoon has long played a leading role in supporting and enhancing relationships with First Nations peoples in a wide range of areas,” says Wanda Wilson, President of the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre.  “Through this guide, the City of Saskatoon is furthering their leadership role by encouraging civic administration to develop a deeper understanding about the ancestral values that have filled this place called Saskatoon for countless generations.” 

“The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is committed to engaging in public information and awareness to educate and advance the Treaty goal of Good Relations,” says Treaty Commissioner Mary Culbertson.  “Learning about history and the treaty relationship, and sharing culture is where true reconciliation lies.  We hope this guide will be a tool which will assist in the journey of reconciliation.”

The project partners also wishes to acknowledge the support of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, who through a summer employment partnership opportunity helped make ayisīnowak: A Communications Guide possible. 

Recipients of the 2019 Awards for Planning Excellence will be formally recognized at the 2019 Canadian Institute of Planners National Conference in Ottawa, July 3-6, 2019.   The annual awards honour projects deemed as exemplary resources to the planning profession.  For more information on the awards, please visit the Canadian Institute of Planners website. 

A second edition of the guide is currently underway, with the launch expected in the coming weeks.      

For more information on ayisīnowak: A Communications Guide, please visit saskatoon.ca/ayisinowak.

The City of Saskatoon is getting provincial funding to create a more visible pedestrian crossing at Clarence Avenue and 14^th Street. The $45,000 grant, funded through photo speed enforcement proceeds, will go toward pavement markings, signage, special illumination and pedestrian-activated amber flashing beacons. 

“The illuminated crossing will significantly improve pedestrian safety at Clarence Avenue and 14^th Street,” says Jay Magus, Director of Transportation. “Right now, this pedestrian crossing has pavement markings, but no special illumination or flashing beacons to alert drivers of pedestrians crossing at this intersection. Now, pedestrians will be a lot more visible to drivers.”

Residents of Nutana and Varsity View had identified Clarence Avenue and 14^th Street as a necessary location for pedestrian safety improvements through the City’s neighbourhood traffic review process. In choosing recipients, the Photo Speed Enforcement Committee looked at criteria focused on priority areas including intersection safety, aggressive driving, speeding and vulnerable road users.

The improved pedestrian crossing is expected to be operational by this fall.

Provincial Traffic Safety Fund grants will be awarded twice annually. The City plans to continue submitting funding applications to improve safety at other intersections and school zones throughout Saskatoon.

There were fewer complaints about fire pits following last year’s bylaw change, a City report says.

“Overall, the past year has gone as expected with the rate of complaints dropping off slightly; we’re effectively using the tools available to us for enforcement action,” says Fire Chief Morgan Hackl. “Because of the increased enforcement, we have had a reduction in the number of repeated complaints to the same locations.”

The Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services will consider the report at its regular meeting Monday, May 13.

The report highlights the progress of the awareness campaign and bylaw enforcement in the first year of additional regulations. Council passed regulations in April 2018 prohibiting fires outside the hours of 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily.

Following the passing of the bylaw, an awareness campaign was launched to make residents aware of the requirements for the proper use and construction of open-air fires, including permitted hours of use.

In 2018, the Saskatoon Fire Department responded to 215 complaints compared to 236 in 2017 and 205 in 2016.  There were 127 enforcement actions taken; of those the majority of violations were for illegal containers (46%), followed by burning improper materials (33%), for burning outside of permitted hours (13%), and burning unattended (8%).

“With more discussion in the community, we’re hoping more people are aware of the rules so as not to be a nuisance for their neighbours,” Chief Hackl says. “As usual, we’ll continue to get the message out about the regulations and encourage residents to be good neighbours by enjoying fires responsibly and respectfully.”

Complaints related to open-air fires make up a small percentage (1.5%) of all incidents the Saskatoon Fire Department responds to each year.

To find out more, or to read Bylaw No. 9484 The Fire and Protective Services Amendment Bylaw, 2018, visit saskatoon.ca/bylaws.

The City of Saskatoon’s Emergency Management Organization (EMO) reports that yesterday’s city-wide notifynow test message sent to Saskatoon residents was successful.

The purpose of all emergency drills, tests, and full scale-exercises is to identify any issues that could impact an emergency response.  During last night’s exercise, an issue was identified that impacted the timing of the notifynow test message; the test was sent at 7:41 p.m.  The test successfully identified an issue in the data source that has been addressed.  Testing of the notifynow emergency messaging system ensures that in a real event, this issue will not impact this essential communication with citizens.

“Saskatoon’s population is now over 270,000 and growing. So far, we’ve had just over 24,000 residents customize their notifynow profile,” says Pamela Goulden-McLeod, Director of Emergency Planning. “We are pleased that this number continues to grow, but we would really like to see more residents customize their profile. It’s important to remember that notifynow can’t reach you and your family if you have incomplete or out-of-date contact information in the notifynow system.”   

Did you receive your notifynow test message last evening? Have you taken steps to be prepared, connected and informed in the event of a citywide emergency or one affecting only your neighbourhood? Trusted notifynow messages can help you feel less vulnerable.

“If you have a phone number that is publicly available, you may be in the notifynow system,” adds Goulden-McLeod. “However, we encourage residents to visit the City’s website to indicate how they want to receive their notifynow emergency notification messages. Many residents now prefer cell phone, text or email, or maybe all of these options, and you can also register for up to other five addresses.”

It’s easy to customize your notifynow profile and your communication preferences. Help notifynow reach you - and more Saskatoon residents with timely, trusted and targeted emergency notification messages.

“Notifynow messages should play an important part in your family’s emergency preparedness plan,” adds Goulden-McLeod. “These emergency safety messages can tell you what to do, what to expect, or even where to go in an emergency situation, and this greatly helps to reduce stress for you and those you care about.”

Visit saskatoon.ca/notifynow today to customize your communication preferences or call 306-975-3210 for more information.

The City is joining thousands of North American employers to celebrate a commitment to building a safe and healthy workplace during Safety and Health Week May 5-11. Safety is a core value at the City of Saskatoon and its part of who we are.

“Throughout the week work groups will gather to recognize our accomplishments and reinforce our commitment to employee health, safety and wellness,” says Sarah Cameron, Chief Human Resource Officer. “Occupational Health & Safety committees across the corporation are planning events and information sessions to promote a safe and health workplace and home life.”

The goal during Safety and Health Week is to focus employers, employees, partners and the public on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in the community. NAOSH Week was renamed Safety and Health Week in January 2019.

City Council proclaimed May 5-11 as NAOSH Week, as requested by the local Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, and a flag is flying in Civic Square.

City Council will put into practice a new Code of Ethics following recommendations from the Saskatoon Municipal Review Commission (MRC) and a series of Council discussions.  Council approved Bylaw 9537, The Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of City Council Bylaw, 2019 (Code) at its regular business meeting April 29, 2019.

The Code unites the 2012 Code of Conduct, the 2017 Code of Ethics Bylaw, and the recommendations of the MRC’s Municipal Code of Conduct Committee Report, dated February 11, 2016.

New! Integrity Commissioner

The addition of an independent Integrity Commissioner is established in the Code, as are complaint and investigation processes.

More clarity around gifts & benefits received

Members of City Council may only accept gifts or benefits that are permitted by the list of exceptions in the Code. The Code stipulates disclosure of gifts over $100 for individual gifts or cumulative gifts received from one source during the calendar year. Food or beverages consumed at receptions, meetings, sporting events, or other similar activities are excluded from disclosure in the Code.

Outside activities, what’s allowed

Council Members may continue to support community and charitable organizations, however, members must not directly manage or control any monies received relating to community or charitable organization fundraising unless they are an employee of the organization. The Code permits members to hold board director roles in charitable or non-profit organizations that hold community events in the city.

The Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of City Council Bylaw supports the Strategic Goals of Continuous Improvement and Quality of Life by promoting transparency of municipal government and supporting City Council in providing good governance to citizens of Saskatoon.

To find out more, or to read Bylaw 9537 in full, visit saskatoon.ca.

The City is pleased to announce Artists in Place: The Bunkhouse Project (The Bunkhouse Project), an artist-in-residence pilot program taking place in the historic Bunkhouse at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo. 

Sponsored by the City of Saskatoon, with a grant from the Saskatchewan Arts Board’s Artists in Communities program, several local artists were selected to set up studios in the Bunkhouse for a year-long residency. 

“We are pleased to support The Bunkhouse Project through our Artists in Communities grant program. Residencies like these facilitate collaborations between professional artists and members of the public. They make art more accessible to everyone,” says Michael Jones, CEO of the Saskatchewan Arts Board. The Artists in Communities program is supported by funding from SaskCulture, through the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation.

The artists in residence at the Bunkhouse include Danica Lorer (professional storyteller), Lenore Maier (sound artist, musician, filmmaker), Muveddet Al-Katib (visual artist), Wendy Sharpe (painter, fibre artist, filmmaker) and Marcel Petit (producer, filmmaker, actor, photographer, playwright). 

“The Bunkhouse Project furthers one of the key directions of the City’s Culture Plan, which is to Foster Creative Placemaking,” says Kevin Kitchen, the City’s Manager of Community Development.  “By partnering with the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo to renovate and reimagine the Bunkhouse as artist studio space, we are able to provide a platform to host artists and engage the community through public art projects.”

Over the course of their residencies, these artists will be working on a variety of different interactive projects including story creation workshops; monthly sohbets (conversations) where participants will explore the symbols of their culture and create small paintings; a stop-motion animation workshop; and, opportunities to spin wool into yarn. In addition to their community engagement projects, each artist will provide an artist talk about their art practice. 

“It is very exciting to have the artists here at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo, bringing new life to the Bunkhouse and engaging with the public,” says Tim Sinclair-Smith, Manager of the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo.  “The renovations to the building are impressive.  Many people have worked hard to restore the building from what had become a storage facility to the beautiful space it is today.”

For more information on The Bunkhouse Project, including a schedule of activities, please visit saskatoon.ca/bunkhouse.

Bus Rapid Transit — or BRT — routes will travel down 1st Avenue downtown and Broadway Avenue in Nutana.  City Council made the decision at its regular business meeting Monday, April 29. 

Council opted for BRT dedicated lanes on 1st Avenue downtown and in mixed traffic for Broadway. 

The downtown north-south BRT route would run in dedicated transit lanes constructed in the centre of 1st Avenue with two centre median stations. One station is proposed to be constructed at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 21st Street and the other at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 23rd Street.

On Broadway, the mixed traffic plan is to construct two pairs of BRT stations on either side of Broadway Avenue at 12th Street and at 9th Street.

Under this option, there are no dedicated BRT lanes along Broadway Avenue, but Transit Signal Priority measures would be installed in traffic signals. The proposed BRT would mix with motor vehicle traffic that typically travels along Broadway Avenue, as well as vehicles entering and leaving on-street parking spaces.

BRT construction is not expected to begin until 2023 with a planned completion in 2025 and an estimated cost of $7.3 million for the Downtown and Nutana portions, subject to approval of funding. 

Downtown Active Transportation Network
Council endorsed a Downtown Active Transportation Network but wants more engagement on the design of sidewalk and cycling infrastructure along approved corridors. 

Fourth Avenue bike lanes to be removed 
City Council also approved a motion to remove the temporary bike lane demonstration on Fourth Avenue by the end of June.

The detailed reports and relevant attachments can be found here. 

Regina and Saskatoon are collaborating to find technology solutions that will improve mobility around their cities. The Civic Innovation Challenge, made possible through the support of Innovation Saskatchewan, seeks new approaches or innovative technology solutions that will reduce reliance on personal vehicles and enable better movement around the two cities.

“Saskatoon is home to so many innovative tech start-ups and companies and we have one of the fasting growing tech sectors in the country,” said Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark. “This partnership with the City of Regina and Innovation Saskatchewan can help to leverage this talent and expertise that our community and province has to address the challenges we are facing in creating a connected, accessible community for all.”

Saskatchewan and Canada’s best and brightest innovators and technology start-ups are invited to propose solutions that could help address the urban transportation challenge.

“This is a unique opportunity to work with Saskatoon to explore and pursue innovative solutions to transportation challenges facing both cities,” said Regina Mayor Michael Fougere. “We are interested in hearing diverse solutions and perspectives, while pursuing and incorporating modern, innovative technology.”

Participants offering solutions are invited to submit their proposals for consideration by May 13.  A winner will be selected through a competitive process and announced in the summer of 2019.

Companies interested in participating the challenge can become involved by visiting Communitech.ca/collisiondays.

City Council will soon have the opportunity to consider detailed information about what routes a rapid bus service and active transportation network could look like for Nutana and the city centre.

Following more than three years of technical work and public engagement, Saskatoon City Council will receive reports with recommendations on possible routes for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the Downtown Active Transportation (AT) Network.

“The BRT system and Downtown AT Network are about more than transit, cycling and walking,” says Jay Magus, Director of Transportation. “They are about making a transportation system that works for everybody as the city grows and more people need to safely and efficiently move around the same amount of space.”

The BRT system and Downtown AT Network are key components of the City’s Plan for Growth, supporting corridor growth and economic development by improving the mobility of current and future residents. They enable viable options to automobile travel, helping the City with sustainability, climate and population growth challenges that are becoming increasingly important to address.

A number of network options have been evaluated in both the Downtown and Nutana areas for the BRT, and Downtown for the AT Network. The City Administration has considered the implications for each of the options and has made its recommendations. While there are recommended and preferred options based on the technical criteria for each system (BRT and AT), it must be stressed that any of the routing options evaluated will work and are supported by the Administration.

Magus says an intensive public engagement campaign was conducted that covered all areas of the city and offered many opportunities for input. “As our neighbourhoods and population continue to grow, by undertaking such a concerted engagement effort – for both the BRT and Downtown AT Network – we were able to look at how our technical recommendations can best work with what the citizens of Saskatoon see as important for the future of moving around our city.”

Report information, including technical recommendations and engagement results, are available on the City of Saskatoon website at saskatoon.ca/transit-plan (for BRT) and saskatoon.ca/moving-around/cycling/cycling-plans-projects (for Downtown AT Network). The official Agenda for the April 29^th City Council meeting will be available April 24^th at 4:00 p.m. at saskatoon.ca/city-hall.

With warming temperatures, median and street sweeping shifts into full gear this week. Simultaneously, pothole patching crews get started with hot mix asphalt for permanent repairs.

“We’re officially in spring cleaning mode with sweepers moving through high-traffic priority streets and crews filling broken pavement with hot-mix asphalt,” says Brodie Thompson, Acting Director of Roadways, Fleet & Support.

Over the next four weeks, citizens will notice sweeping on the driving lanes along priority streets, business improvement districts, and on medians and boulevards. The goal of this phase is to pick-up debris collected through winter and reduce dust. Curb-to-curb cleaning will occur as part of residential street sweeping beginning May 6.

“Thinking about potholes, the great news this spring is that roads are overall pretty smooth thanks to all the road rehabilitation the City’s been investing in,” says Thompson. “This summer, we will focus more of our energy on proactive treatments such as crack sealing to prevent potholes and deterioration of our roads.”

Sweeping
To allow for sweeping the entire road, a few neighbourhoods will see the yellow “No Parking” signs pop up in April. These roads will be swept ahead so they are available for parking when the residential street sweeping starts in those areas.

City-wide residential street sweeping will begin May 6, weather permitting. Bright yellow “No Parking” signs will be posted in neighbourhoods 36-48 hours in advance of street sweeping, followed up with ticketing and relocation towing. City crews will follow a similar schedule for permanently repairing potholes with a hot mix asphalt through neighbourhoods.  

Utility Cut Repairs
In addition to sweeping and pothole repairs, the City is maintaining more than 1,000 road cuts due to underground utility work. Permanent repairs of these road cuts will start next week.

Citizens can report dangerous locations to our Customer Care Centre, and continue to report pesky potholes on our Report-a-Pothole app to help the City prioritize repairs.

Visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads to report a pothole and for street sweeping schedules and information on spring road maintenance programs.

The future is bright in Saskatoon! As part of the Student Action for a Sustainable Future (SASF) Student Showcase, held on April 9 at the Western Development Museum, 320 grade 4-8 students from across the city displayed their environmental initiative results from work conducted over the past 6 months. The topics they explored ranged from water and energy conservation; waste reduction; active transportation; local food production; biodiversity protection; and reductions to greenhouse-gas emissions. Some of these innovative projects included:

• Initiatives to decrease the use of single-use plastics, such as garbage-free lunches and finding alternatives to single-serving yogurt containers.
• Waste audits and education to reduce garbage production. In one school, this reduced garbage by 18%.
• An assessment of the food-production potential for aquaponics (plants and fish sharing a common, pumped water supply and exchanging nutrients).
• Reduction of vehicle idling through education and presentations to school board members.
• Saving energy by switching out old light bulbs with energy-efficient LED’s.

“With the support and success of the SASF program, teachers and students are undertaking projects with real results that show what we can do to make our communities more sustainable now and for the future”, said Amber Weckworth, Manager of Education and Environmental Performance.

The SASF program was developed in 2013 as a partnership between the City, Saskatoon Public Schools, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, Saskatchewan Environmental Society, Sustainability Education Research Institute, and community organizations. Since its inception, the program has involved 72 teachers, 49 schools, and approximately 2,000 students.

To learn more about the SASF project, visit: saskatoon.ca/studentaction.

Today, Saskatoon Transit marks a milestone on their journey to provide a fully-accessible public transit system.

Thanks to recent investments, the City’s fleet of various types of buses are now 100% accessible, allowing those with reduced mobility the freedom and independence of using conventional transit.

Starting in 2018 under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) program, the Government of Canada and the City of Saskatoon each invested $12 million for a total of $24 million toward the purchase of 41 accessible low-floor conventional buses that can either kneel and/or have a ramp, along with nine specialized buses with wheelchair lifts for Access Transit. Within the same time frame, the Government of Saskatchewan’s Transit Assistance for People with Disabilities (TAPD) program also contributed $220,000 toward four additional specialized buses for Access Transit. A total of 54 new buses have been purchased for the City’s fleet, making it completely accessible.

This milestone allows Saskatoon Transit to connect more people to their destinations than ever by using a “Family of Services” approach. This means, Access Transit customers now have more transportation flexibility and spontaneity using conventional transit. The City encourages Access customers to use Transit’s conventional service for all or part of their trips. Transit Travel Training is available for those who may be new or unsure about taking conventional transit.

“Our investments in public transit are allowing people to spend less time commuting and more precious time with their families,” said the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “I’m proud to see that Saskatoon has transitioned to a fleet of 100% accessible buses, providing barrier-free transit services to ensure that everyone can get where they need to go safely and comfortably.”

“The Government of Saskatchewan commends the City of Saskatoon for reaching this destination. Our government is proud to have played a supportive role on this journey. That was done by contributing $220,000 in provincial funding between 2018 and 2019 toward four additional specialized buses for Access Transit under our Transit Assistance for People with Disabilities program,” said Government Relations Minister Warren Kaeding. “In our new provincial budget, we also increased capital funding for Transit Assistance for People with Disabilities by $250,000. This is a 45% increase from last years’ budget, bringing the program total for 2019-20 to $3.8 million to support eligible applicants across Saskatchewan.”

“We are continually working to improve our service and are extremely proud of reaching this milestone as we work towards a fully accessible transit service. We want all of our customers to have safe, convenient, and affordable transit options,” said Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit.

“The Commission commends the City of Saskatoon on the leadership it has provided in making this initiative possible. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure the people of Saskatoon have effective and accessible transit,” said David Arnot, Commissioner of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. “Accessible transportation is a building block for a fair, inclusive, and equitable society. By removing barriers to transportation, we enable access to education and employment, as well as, to the services, opportunities, and benefits of living in a thriving multicultural and pluralistic city like Saskatoon.”

Experience Transit, Saskatoon Transit’s travel training program began as a pilot in mid-2017. The program is personalized, 60-minute training to introduce people to transit and teach them how to use conventional transit services independently. Training is customized to fit an individual’s lifestyle, travel needs and abilities. The program includes:

• Trip planning
• Wayfinding and navigation
• Fares
• Boarding and exiting
• Requesting accessible features
• Problem solving tips for when unexpected challenges occur

Over the past several years, Saskatoon Transit has implemented internal and external stop announcements as part of their commitment to providing accessible service. A complete bus stop audit will be conducted this summer to review all locations and their accessibility. 

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is working with the Australian Dingo Foundation and the Oakvale Wildlife Park in Australia to bring two dingo pups to the Zoo this spring.

“We are just making the final arrangements before these pups start their journey to Canada,” says Tim Sinclair-Smith, Zoo Manager. “This is a great opportunity for us to bring some exciting new animals to Saskatoon, allowing visitors of all ages to meet dingoes, most likely for the first time.  It is also a great way to enhance our conservation, research, and education opportunities at the Zoo.”

Known as Australia’s wild dog, dingoes roam great distances and communicate with wolf-like howls.  They can live a solitary life or be part of a pack.  Truly pure dingoes are extremely rare due to interbreeding with domestic and feral dogs that were brought to Australia by European settlers.  The majority of their diet is wallaby and kangaroo, but they will also pursue small game such as rabbits and rodents and eat fruits and plants. Dingoes are naturally lean animals weighing approximately 14 kg and their coats are commonly a golden yellow with white markings on their chest, feet and tail tip.

The dingoes will be taking over the previous wolf enclosure across from the Meerkat House at the Zoo. Renovations for the new Dingo Habitat are expected to start in April with new habitat opening this spring.

The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the end of April, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting in May.  Additional information regarding the Zoo can be found at saskatoon.ca/zoo.

The Senator Sid L. Buckwold Bridge will undergo a major rehabilitation beginning on Monday April 15, 2019. To minimize the impact on traffic and eliminate the need for a full bridge closure, the work will happen in two phases.

“The first phase will begin on the lanes leaving downtown and work will continue throughout the summer of 2019,” says Todd Grabowski, Manager of Asset Preservation for Bridges. “In the spring of 2020, the second phase of work will begin on the lanes heading into downtown and continue through the 2020 construction season.” 

Over the next two years, the Senator Sid Buckwold Rehabilitation project will include:

• Deck repairs and asphalt replacement
• Resurfacing of the Idylwyld Drive ramps over 19^th Street 
• Strengthening of piers
• Barrier replacement
• Walkway widening with taller barriers for improved pedestrian protection
• New drainage system to help better traction by reducing puddles and splashing

The City’s preservation plan, with the results of the Deck Testing Program, identified the need to rehabilitate the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge to ensure it remains safe, serviceable and structurally sound for years to come.

“Allowing deficiencies to worsen over time would accelerate the need for a more extensive rehab or even full replacement, which is far more expensive, time consuming and disruptive,” Grabowski says.

Two-way traffic will be maintained during both phases of the project however there will be lane restrictions and as a result, traffic delays are expected.

This summer, the lanes leaving downtown will be closed and that traffic will be diverted to the other side. The walkway will stay open. During the 2020 construction season, the lanes heading into downtown will be closed, traffic will flip to the other side and the bridge walkway will be closed.  The Meewasin Trails on either side will stay open throughout the project with the possibility of temporary disruptions on the Rotary Park side during some phases to allow for repairs.

Necessary adjustments will be made to traffic signal timing, construction signage will be in place and restrictions will be advertised. The latest project information will be posted at Saskatoon.ca/sidbuckwold and restrictions will be listed in the Daily Road Report.

*For further clarification, two sentences have been added highlighted in italics below.

City Council, at its regular business meeting held on March 25, 2019 voted to pursue a moderate phase-in option as presented by the Administration regarding the implementation of the curbside organics program and funding for existing waste services.  

Option 2: Moderate Phase-In was presented as follows: 

• 2020 - 1.0% Property Tax Increase - No change to current waste services.
• 2021 - 1.0% Property Tax Increase - No change to current waste services.
• 2022 - 1.0% Property Tax Increase - No change to current waste services.
• 2023 - 0.93% Property Tax Increase - First year of curbside organics program. New waste service level (bi-weekly collection in summer).

This option attempts to balance financial investment with a view towards achieving the City’s waste diversion target. The first 1.53% (approximately $3M) of the 2020 and 2021 Property Tax impact is solely dedicated to addressing the funding deficit in the Waste Program while the remaining estimated 2.4% will go towards a new curbside organics program. The City will continue to seek alternative funding sources on an annual basis to reduce this impact. Precise timing for the deployment of the curbside organics program in 2023 would be determined by the terms of the successful proposal from the organics RFP process. 

“We will now focus on developing the implementation plan for the curbside organics program,” says Dan Willems, Acting Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer. “We look forward to providing this new service to residents in 2023 and making strides towards our waste diversion target.” 

The detailed report and all of its attachments can be found here. 

The City’s Neighbourhood Traffic Review (NTR) program has been selected as the 2019 recipient of the Exceptional Engineering/Geoscience Project Award by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS). The award recognizes accomplishments in engineering and/or geoscience.

The NTR program, established in 2014, addresses transportation related concerns like speeding and pedestrian safety on a neighbourhood-wide basis. The City works collaboratively with neighbourhood residents to develop recommendations for improvement.

“Prior to the program, we addressed traffic concerns on a case by case basis, which was not sustainable and issues were not always addressed in a timely fashion,” says Jay Magus, Acting Director of Transportation. “This award recognizes the engineering accomplishments of the team that deliver the NTR program are a significant achievement.”  

Neighbourhood meetings, data collection, traffic reviews and recommendations are typically completed within a year. Recommended traffic calming measures are installed on a temporary basis to determine their effectiveness.

Since 2014, the NTR program has:

• Completed 50 neighbourhood traffic reviews (11 neighbourhoods are scheduled for 2019)
• Held 90 community meetings to develop transportation plans
• Made nearly 1,100 recommendations for transportation related improvements
• Spent $4,062,000 on traffic calming measures, pedestrian safety devices and program delivery

The City would like to thank residents, the Saskatoon Police Service, Community Associations, School Boards and Great Works Consulting for their partnerships.

The Transportation Engineering team will accept the award at the APEGS Awards Banquet in May.

The City welcomes a decision of the provincial government to place further restrictions on social gatherings.

“Based on discussions with our Director of Emergency Management, City Council and Senior Administration I gave notice for a Special City Council meeting at 3:30 this afternoon,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.  “This was done in anticipation of needing to take further steps in addressing the growing concern that as we try to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19, gathering in restaurants and bars was an ongoing risk in our community.

“Based on the announcement today by the provincial government that additional restrictions for bars and restaurants will be included in the Provincial State of Emergency restrictions, the Special City Council meeting is cancelled."

“We thank the Province for providing leadership with this difficult decision,” Mayor Clark says. “We know it has significant impacts on many local businesses”

Mayor Clark adds this decision will meet the local advice he is hearing from the City’s Emergency Management team about what is needed to keep our community as safe as possible at this time. 

Director of Emergency Management Organization Pamela Goulden-McLeod echoes Mayor Clark’s sentiment.

“The Saskatoon Emergency Management Organization would like to thank the Province of Saskatchewan for their leadership and direction in enacting the extended measures to support our provinces safety during this unprecedented event,” Goulden-McLeod says.

“The provincial government’s bravery in taking these extraordinary measures will make a significant difference within our communities. We value the hard work of our provincial partners and we continue to look forward working together in this ongoing rapidly changing situation.” 

While the City of Saskatoon acknowledges the severity of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it is having on the community, the City and its construction partners will proceed as planned with the construction on the east half of the Sid Buckwold Bridge and the Idylwyld Drive ramps over 19^th Street.

This project is an essential service to residents and core City infrastructure. With a very limited window for construction projects of this magnitude, it is important that such work is completed safely and in the most ideal seasonal conditions. Construction is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 30. 

“Safety for our crews and for residents is our number one priority during this project,” says Rob Frank, Engineering Manager of Asset Preservation. “Strict worksite restrictions, social distancing, and other precautionary medical measures will be in place to protect both construction crews and residents and to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”

Major rehabilitation began on the 54-year-old structure last year to ensure it remains safe and structurally sound for years to come. Two-way traffic will be maintained throughout construction, however lane restrictions and traffic delays are expected.

From March 30 until mid-October, the northbound lanes heading into downtown will be closed and two-way traffic will be accommodated in the southbound lanes. The bridge walkway and stairs will also be closed for construction. The Meewasin trails will remain open, however there may be a closure directly under the south side of the bridge for a portion of the construction season.

The Sid Buckwold Bridge rehabilitation project includes:

• Resurfacing of the Idylwyld Drive ramps over 19^th Street 
• Walkway widening with taller barriers for improved pedestrian protection
• New drainage system to help better traction by reducing puddles and splashing
• Concrete deck repairs and asphalt replacement
• Strengthening of piers
• Barrier replacement

The City’s preservation plan, with the results of the Deck Testing Program, identified the need to rehabilitate the bridge. The project was phased over two years to allow two-way traffic over the bridge to be maintained throughout construction.

Necessary adjustments will be made to traffic signal timing and construction signage will be in place. The left turn onto 20^th Street from Idylwyld Drive northbound will not be permitted, however a U-turn will be implemented at Auditorium Avenue. Updated project information is posted at Saskatoon.ca/sidbuckwold and restrictions will be listed in the Daily Road Report.

The City of Saskatoon is utilizing $15 million of its federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF) allocations towards the Sid Buckwold Bridge rehabilitation project. The GTF in Saskatchewan is administered by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations.

The City thanks drivers and pedestrians for their patience while this necessary work is carried out. Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers. 

We are constantly reassessing pandemic developments to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and citizens.  We have also continued to reassess the way we deliver public services to keep staff and residents safe when we are out in the community.

Transit fare suspension and rear door boarding effective Friday, March 20

To reduce the risk to Transit Operators during the COVID-19 pandemic, starting Friday, Saskatoon Transit will ask riders to get on and off buses by using the rear doors. Transit also reminds riders to keep a safe distance — at least one metre — from bus operators and fellow riders.

As a result, the City will also be suspending fares indefinitely.  The City will be determining how to compensate those affected by this and those details will be provided soon.

Anyone who requires personal mobility devices will be exempt from entering the rear doors and will be permitted to enter and exit through the front doors as usual.

Please note: all riders will be required to stay behind the front wheel wells and to keep the seats behind the operator free at all times. This measure will meet the new recommendation for social distancing released by the Province of Saskatchewan on Wednesday March 18.  Transit will also monitor where and when extra buses may need to be added onto routes to help people maintain appropriate social distance.

Saskatoon Transit is also reassuring customers of Transit’s daily cleaning protocols, which include regular hard surface wipe-downs with hospital-grade disinfectant and disinfectant misting treatments.

Parking Restrictions for Residential Parking Program Zones Suspended

Effective immediately parking restrictions for the Residential Parking Program zones are suspended until further notice.  In addition, overtime parking on all residential streets will no longer be enforced, to encourage residents to stay home and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Public safety-related parking restrictions remain in effect to maintain emergency access and traffic flow including:

• "No Stopping" signs
• "No Parking" signs
• "Accessible Parking" signs
• Fire Hydrants (maintain 1 metre from the centre of a fire hydrant)
• No parking within 10 metres of an intersection
• No parking in alleys unless active loading/unloading is taking place.

Further details on these parking restrictions are provided on the City of Saskatoon website: saskatoon.ca/moving-around/parking/understanding-parking-saskatoon

Building Standards

The decision to close City Hall to the public has a direct effect on the way we do business, including providing building inspections and permits:

• All building and plumbing inspections are suspended while the City explores options to provide inspections in a safe manner.
• Residential applications are limited to online.
• Property Information Disclosure (PID) applications accepted via building.standards@saskatoon.ca
• Plumbing permit applications accepted via plumbing.permits@saskatoon.ca
• Payments will be accepted via telephone at 306.975.2645.
• New commercial permit applications will not be accepted. The City is exploring opportunities to provide online access to this program.

As the situation is evolving, we will update the Building Standards webpages regularly if there are service limitations.

Questions? Reach out to our permit file support team by calling (306) 975-2645 Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What is the City doing to provide financial relief for citizens?

To offer assistance and best service to citizens experiencing the effects of the economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is committed to providing increased flexibility and immediate short-term relief for your utility payments through the following changes:

Utility Services

We will continue to bill for utility services as normal.  However, to best serve the City’s customers in these extraordinary times, the City has made the following changes to current utility collections activities:

• Utility disconnections due to arrears will be suspended until September 30, 2020;
• Late payment charges will be suspended on all utility accounts until September 30, 2020; and
• We will continue to generate utility bill reminders and other related notices for customers who are in arrears to keep them informed of their current situation.

These measures are aimed at providing financial relief for customers who may not be able to afford to pay their bills on time.  By suspending late payment charges, utility customers will have the option to delay bill payments without putting themselves in additional financial hardship.  However, our staff will continue to work with the City’s utility customers regarding payment arrangements so as to not leave them in a difficult financial situation in the future.

Delaying disconnections will help ensure that all homes have access to water, allowing for proper handwashing and personal hygiene.

Have utility-related questions? Please call our Revenue Customer Service Representatives at 306-975-2400. We understand and will work with you.

2020 Property Taxes

Your 2020 Property Tax notice will be delivered by the end of May 2020.

To offer assistance and best service to citizens experiencing the effects of the economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is committed to providing increased flexibility and immediate short-term relief for your 2020 Property Tax payment. On your notice, your 2020 Property Tax due date will still show as June 30, 2020. However:

• The City is extending to you, a three-month grace period, allowing you additional time to pay your 2020 Property Tax amount due.
• You will not incur any penalties on your 2020 taxes if your property tax payment is made in full before September 30, 2020.

Have property tax-related questions? Please call our Revenue Customer Service Representatives at 306-975-2400. We understand and will work with you.

Updates will continue to be provided at saskatoon.ca/covid-19 and at saskatoonpolice.ca

The City of Saskatoon is closing to the public all its facilities including City Hall; this follows the provincial government declaration of a public emergency for COVID-19 (coronavirus).

“While we are closed to the public, our business operations will continue to provide essential services for our residents as much as possible,” says City Manager Jeff Jorgenson.

Jorgenson says this move is an important preventative measure. It will help slow the rate of COVID-19 infection in Saskatoon and protect City staff, as well as vulnerable populations, which include seniors and people with compromised immune systems.

The City reminds the public that we offer many online services which are listed at: www.saskatoon.ca/onlineservices

“We continue to work with internal and external partners, including the Saskatchewan Health Authority, the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada on a proactive approach to deal with COVID-19,” Jorgenson says. 

The City continues to thank its staff and citizens for their patience and support. Jorgenson says as City leaders continue to respond to a rapidly evolving situation meanwhile promising to provide information as it becomes available.
The provincial health ministry encourages everyone to be mindful of good hand hygiene, cough etiquette and social distancing. For those who have risk factors such as old age, or underlying health issues, medical experts encourage those people to stay away from crowded areas.

The City of Saskatoon continues to encourage the community to reach out to those most vulnerable to COVID-19 and to those organizations that assist with our vulnerable homeless population.  

We are constantly reassessing the situation to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and residents.  We will also continue to reassess the way we deliver services to the public in order to keep staff and residents safe when we are out in the community.

Updates will continue to be provided at saskatoon.ca/covid-19 and at saskatoonpolice.ca

The 2018 public engagement results are in and residents’ perceptions about the quality of life in Saskatoon remain strong: overall satisfaction with the quality of services and value provided by the City remain high. 

 “While there is important room to improve, the results of these surveys are very encouraging and show a strong quality of life in our community,” said Mayor Charlie Clark. “This is a testament not only to the work of City of Saskatoon employees, but also of the broader community who help to improve our community and add to the richness of Saskatoon.”

This year the City developed a more comprehensive process to gather input into the 2020-2021 Multi-Year Budget. Instead of one survey, the City developed the Civic Satisfaction & Performance Survey and the Civic Services: Performance, Priorities and Preferences Survey. Input was gathered from approximately 4,000 participants through the two surveys and community outreach activities. Findings from these engagement activities will provide Council and Administration with public input to be used to inform the 2020-2021 Multi-Year Budget.

 “More than we ever have before, the City has been emphasizing the importance of engaging and working with the community as we sort through some of the complex and important issues in a changing city and a changing world,” said Mayor Clark. “As we prepare for our first multi-year budget, this work and these surveys will be even more important as we seek to build on our strengths and meet the needs and expectations of our citizens that will serve us now and in the years to come.”

The following highlight key findings for Telephone (T) and Online Panel (OP) respondents:

2018 Civic Satisfaction & Performance Survey

The Civic Satisfaction & Performance Survey was completed June 29 to July 29, 2018, through randomly selected Telephone (n=505) and Online Panel (n=801) residents.  The margin of error for telephone is +/- 4.36% and online is +/-3.46%, 19 times out of 20.  The survey was also made available for the general public to participate (n=688).

• Overall, residents say they are satisfied living in the city (T: 88%, OP: 85%)
• Overall, residents feel the quality of life is good or very good (T: 85%, OP: 83%).
• For telephone respondents, the most important issues facing the City include road construction (11%), taxes (6%) and traffic infrastructure, and public transit (5%). Although road construction is still most frequently mentioned, it has steadily decreased in importance for these respondents each year (2016: 32%, 2017: 20%). For online respondents, the most important issue facing the City is public safety/crime/policing (17%), taxes (13%) and infrastructure (8%). These results remain similar to 2017.
• The majority are satisfied with the quality of services provided by the City (T: 86%, OP: 77%).  Telephone results are consistent with 2017, with online results decreasing by 8%.
• Overall, residents rate the value of services they receive from the City as good/very good (T: 89%, OP: 74%). This is mostly consistent with 2017, with a 5% increase among telephone respondents.
• The Strategic Goal indicators that received the highest ratings include: the City is effectively providing a good mix of recreation, sport and cultural facilities year round     (T: 92%, OP: 91%), the City is effectively providing online services (T: 91%, O: 88%) and Saskatoon is an inclusive and welcoming city to all (T: 86%, OP: 73%).
• Consistent with previous years, 35% of respondents prefer a combination of both property tax and user fee increases to balance the budget.

2018 Civic Services Survey: Performance, Priorities and Preferences  

The Civic Services Survey: Performance, Priorities and Preferences was completed November 16 to December 16, 2018, through randomly selected Telephone (n=504) and Online Panel (n=800) residents. The survey was also made available for the general public to participate (n=590). The margin of error for telephone is +/- 4.37% and online is +/-3.46%, 19 times out of 20.  The survey was also made available for the general public to participate (n=688).

• Overall satisfaction with performance remains the same or higher for almost all 29 civic services.
• The top three services where participants reported the highest satisfaction are: reliability of electrical services (T: 8.7, OP: 8.9), quality of drinking water (T: 8.4, OP: 8.6) and Fire Protection (T: 8.4, OP: 8.4)
• Overall, the key strengths have remained the same since 2017: reliability of electrical services, quality of drinking water, fire protection, police service, garbage collection, speed of water main break repairs and recycling.
• The top three services where residents indicate they would like the City to provide more service include: road maintenance (T: 59%, OP: 61%), affordable housing programs (T: 54%, OP: 55%), and snow & ice management (T: 46%, OP: 52%).
• The vast majority of residents believe that the City of Saskatoon is very/somewhat good at providing meaningful opportunities to participate in engagement activities (T: 87%, OP: 79%).  A majority also believe the City is doing very/somewhat well at using public input to help make decisions (T: 68%, OP: 55%).  

The City also conducted a variety of community outreach activities in 2018. Approximately 130 individuals participated over three events to validate the results of a selected number of questions from the survey, and to provide additional rationale for their ratings. 

Citizen input has always been an important part of the City’s business planning and budget process. Explore saskatoon.ca/engage, or view additional financial information at saskatoon.ca/budget.

There is still a lot of snow on the ground, which can lead to street and property flooding if temperatures rise quickly and the snow melts quickly.

Residents can reduce their risk of property flooding by moving snow away from their foundation and ensuring there is a drainage path to the nearest catch basin on the road. If safe, you are encouraged to clear ice and debris clogging the catch basin on your street for proper water flow away from your home and neighbourhood.

City crews are removing snow from catch basins at high-risk locations and defrosting those that aren’t draining properly. As roads dry up, we are re-grading utility cuts and filling potholes with cold-mix asphalt.

Helpful flood reduction tips for homeowners:

• Remove melting snow from your foundation and window wells.
• Make sure sump pumps are working properly and are draining away from your foundation.
• Clean and extend downspouts at least two metres from your home.

There are still some properties with frozen water pipes from the extended cold weather over the past few weeks, which are being addressed. This issue is not expected to continue with warm temperatures in the forecast.

Please remember to keep snow on your property, it is illegal to push snow on to the road. Call our Customer Care Centre at 306-975-2476 if you have flooding in your home or neighbourhood; visit saskatoon.ca/snowmelt to learn more.

Year-end financials for the 2018 fiscal year yield a budget deficit of $ 3.02 million – a 0.62% variance of the overall $490.63 million City budget.

“The deficit was largely due to greater costs overall for items such as fuel and solid waste handling, as City revenues were slightly under what we targeted,” says Clae Hack, Director of Finance.

A report to the Standing Policy Committee on Finance details a 0.01% or $475,000 negative variance for revenue, while expenditures were overspent by 0.52% or $2.54 million.  A summary of some of the significant variances include:

• Waste Handling Services had a $1.4 million deficit with $328,000 related to shortfalls in revenues and approximately $1.0 million related to over expenditures, which is consistent with base budget challenges that have been previously presented.
• Parking ticket revenue experienced a $1.37 million deficit largely related to the effectiveness of the new parking system and online application.
• Despite an improvement in transit ridership and revenue, Saskatoon Transit ended 2018 with an approximate $1.2 million deficit. Almost half of the over expenditures of nearly $500,000 were largely related to higher fuel and diesel prices than originally estimated.
• Facilities Management had a $1.4 million deficit mostly related to expenditures for the first full year of operation of the Remai Modern, implementation of a new call-out program, snow removal, corporate security and graffiti management.
• Leisure Centre admission revenues experienced a $503,000 deficit due to lower admissions then originally budgeted.

These negative variances were offset largely by an additional $2.0 million in provincial revenue as a result of the reinstatement of the SaskEnergy grant-in-lieu, and a $750,000 surplus in Traffic Violation revenue from higher than anticipated volumes.

Civic utilities had the following surpluses and deficits:

• Saskatoon Light & Power $799,000 surplus
• Storm Water Management Utility $286,400 surplus
• Waste Water Utility $ 17,300 surplus
• Water Utility $1.41 million deficit
• Waste Services Utility $0

These surpluses and deficits have been transferred to or funded by, the applicable stabilization reserve as stipulated in Council Policy No. C03-003, Reserve for Future Expenditures.

The City’s Boards and the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) all posted surpluses in 2018. SPS posted a surplus of $158,800 which is incorporated within the civic year-end results. SaskTel Centre has a preliminary surplus of $2.40 million, while TCU Place and Remai Modern reported a $1.07 million and $1,000 surplus respectively.

Visit saskatoon.ca/budget for related financial information.

Interested in how many electric vehicles are on Saskatoon streets; the amount of solar power production in the community; and the population density increase? Details on all of these performance indicators and more are now available as the City has just completed a major expansion of the Environmental Dashboard—adding nearly a dozen new indicators including:

• waste production;
• community solar power production;
• the number of on-street electric vehicles; and
• fuel use by City vehicles. 

“The Environmental Dashboard provides important information to citizens and City staff and officials as we all work together to make our community more sustainable. Two of the City’s seven strategic goals are environmental leadership and sustainable growth,” says Amber Weckworth, Manager of Education and Environmental Programs in the City’s Sustainability Division.

“City Council has set targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, waste diversion, active transport, and other measures of sustainability. The newly expanded Environmental Dashboard can help us gauge our progress toward those goals and targets.”

The Environmental Dashboard contains information, data, and graphs on key indicators of environmental health and sustainability. Each indicator page includes information about what the City is doing to increase sustainability–programs and initiatives to decrease GHG emissions, conserve water, divert waste, and increase production of renewable energy. 

Residents are encouraged to frequent the Dashboard, as current indicators are continuously updated and additional indicators will be added over the coming months. 

To learn more about Saskatoon’s air, water, land, energy, and waste performance indicators, visit the newly expanded Environmental Dashboard: saskatoon.ca/envirodashboard.

The City of Saskatoon has been selected as one of ‘Canada’s Best Diversity Employers’ for 2019 by Mediacorp Canada Inc.

“We are honoured to receive this award for the eighth consecutive year as we place a high priority on creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees are valued and respected for their individual identities and contributions,” says Sarah Cameron, Chief Human Resources Officer.

The City of Saskatoon was selected based on exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs offered.  Highlights include:

• introducing mandatory Aboriginal Awareness training for employees, including a Truth and Reconciliation Resource Kit to enable ongoing learning
• facilitating employee understanding through a variety of training workshops such as Fundamentals of Cultural Competency, Understanding Invisible Disabilities and Inclusive Practices for LGBTQ2S Identities
• collaborating with Saskatoon Skills and Trades Centre to design and deliver pre-employment training to Indigenous candidates interested in custodian and labourer positions.

Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2019 are outlined in the March 1, 2019 edition of The Globe and Mail, as well as on Canada's Best Diversity Employers website.

The City has a long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, and as Saskatoon’s population continues to grow and diversify it is imperative that we recruit and retain a workforce that represents and understands our citizens.        

Through the Smart Cities Challenge, the Government of Canada has tasked communities of all sizes to come forward with their best ideas to improve the lives of their residents through innovation, data and connected technology.  A smart city enables its citizens to use technology to make smart decisions.

In April 2018, Saskatoon submitted an initial proposal and was selected as one of the finalists for a chance to win $10 million (category: communities with populations under 500,000), to be used for implementing all aspects of a proposed plan.

Saskatoon’s final proposal, ConnectYXE, brings together innovative technology and partnerships to break the cycle of Indigenous youth incarceration by creating a new cycle focused on building purpose, belonging, security and identity.

“For the last eight months we have been working closely with the project’s Indigenous Youth Advisory Group, community-based organizations (CBOs), institutional partner organizations, and the technology community,” says Lynne Lacroix, Acting General Manager of Community Services. “We learned from those who have the most experience and the most at stake, what can make a difference in their lives.  We built our proposal around that.”

ConnectYXE is based on three pillars:

Empowerment of Indigenous youth and their families: providing real-time information and options for how to access services throughout the city, every day, all day.

Collaboration among partners: creating a repository of data of all relevant programs and services available throughout Saskatoon.

Harnessing innovative technology: connecting systems, sharing data and leveraging artificial intelligence.  The collective data in ConnectYXE will provide a city-wide picture of what is available and the demands on those supports at any time.  This enables CBOs, institutional partners, and decision-makers to regularly analyze and to identify gaps, trends, and better ways to respond.

“A whole-of-community approach, with youth at the centre, is needed to address the complex challenges that urban Indigenous youth face,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.  “These challenges are rooted in historical injustices, intergenerational trauma, and racism.”

The final proposal was submitted yesterday.  The Government of Canada will announce the winning communities in late Spring 2019.

To learn more:

• Smart Cities Challenge:  Government of Canada's Challenge website 
• Saskatoon’s proposal: saskatoon.ca/smartcities
• ConnectYXE video:  youtube.com/saskatooncitynews 
• Join the conversation on social media using hashtag #smartcitiesCanada

The City wishes to thank the Indigenous Youth Advisory Group, community allies and institutional partners for their commitment and support of this project. Institutional partners include:  Central Urban Métis Federation, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, Saskatoon Health Authority, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon Public School Division, Saskatoon Tribal Council, United Way of Saskatoon and area, and the University of Saskatchewan.

Following a formal Request For Proposals for the lease to operate the Farmers’ Market Building in River Landing issued in October, 2018, the City will not be awarding a lease and the RFP is now cancelled.

During the RFP process, it became apparent that ongoing water issues with the roof on the building will require significant repairs, and as such, the building will need to close for approximately three months to accommodate those repairs. During the RFP process, the City received two applications and it thanks the parties that submitted a proposal. However, awarding the lease to a tenant, only to close the building for a lengthy period, would be unfair.

The City has offered to extend the lease of the current tenant through the 2019 growing season, and the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Cooperative (SFMCL) has agreed to stay on, in which case the building will remain open until December 31, 2019, when the lease with the SFMCL will end. Closure of the building and subsequent repairs to the roof would take place in early 2020.

Requests For Proposals will now be required for the work to design solutions and then repair the building’s roof. Future operations of the building will be explored in the coming months.

For the eighth consecutive year, the City of Saskatoon has been selected as one of Saskatchewan’s 2019 Top Employers. The competition recognizes Saskatchewan employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.

“The success of everything we do at the City of Saskatoon depends on the expertise, skills and commitment of our employees. That’s why we will continue to focus on employee engagement and creating a welcoming workplace where all people are encouraged to realize their potential,” says Chief Human Resources Officer Sarah Cameron.

“As Saskatoon continues to grow and become more culturally diverse so does our need to interact effectively with people of different cultures. Last year we introduced mandatory Indigenous awareness training for all employees and leadership training to build intercultural competency so that we can better serve all citizens of Saskatoon,” Cameron says.

The City of Saskatoon was evaluated on eight criteria, the same used for the Canada Top 100 Employer’s competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement.

Employers are compared with other organizations in their field to determine which ones offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.

The Saskatchewan’s 2019 Top Employers are highlighted in today’s Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post. 

Approximately 90 percent of glass is broken by the time it is sorted for recycling.

In a step to improve the amount of glass that can be recycled, a pilot program in partnership with SARCAN will enable residents to take their glass items to SARCAN depots.

“We scanned blue bin programs across Canada, and noticed that single stream collection programs may not be the most effective in recycling glass products since so much of the glass gets broken.  While less people might use a depot, the overall percentage of glass that gets recycled can actually improve”, said Amber Weckworth, Manager of Education and Environmental Performance. 

While the current Blue Bin program will still accept household glass material, residents are encouraged to ‘take it, don’t break it’ and avoid broken glass during collections by taking clean glass jars and bottles to their nearest SARCAN recycling depot.

SARCAN Locations

• East Depot – 350B-103 Street East
• North Depot – 2327 Faithfull Avenue
• South Depot – Avalon Plaza 20A - 2605 Broadway Avenue
• West Depot – 7 - 2305 22nd Street W

 What you can recycle

• Food container jars – jam, pickles, peanuts, sauces, etc.
• Beverage glass bottles
• Food glass bottles – olive oil, etc. 

The following items are not accepted in the SARCAN pilot program: excessively dirty glass; broken containers; Pyrex; ceramics; dishes; drinking glasses; carboys and jugs from homemade wine kits; mirrors; light bulbs; and glass home décor.

 What you need to know

• Glass that has no deposit paid at the time of purchase, results in no refund given at SARCAN.
• Clean glass jars and bottles before taking items to SARCAN.
• Visit sarcan.ca for more information.

For more information on recyclables, collection calendar, and waste wizard, visit: saskatoon.ca/household-glass-pilot-program.

The City Archives is pleased to be the recipient of several locally-themed collections including extensive photographic material and news clippings from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

“This is a significant community asset and gift,” says City Archivist Jeff O’Brien.  “We are grateful to both the Provincial Archives and the StarPhoenix to have the opportunity to keep and make available at the City Archives, this vital historical resource.”

The StarPhoenix collection consists of approximately 400,000 images taken by StarPhoenix photographers.  The collection also includes clippings of the corresponding published images dating from 1948 to 1965 and from 1970 to 1986.  The material documents local news and personalities predominantly in Saskatoon, but also from surrounding communities.

In November, 2018, the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan (PAS) announced the consolidation of its holdings, resulting in the closure of the Saskatoon office, and merging of their offices and services into a single Regina location.

Following discussions with the Provincial Archives, 22 other collections important to Saskatoon will also be kept at the City Archives. The PAS transferred 1500 digital images scanned from the collection over the years. Importantly, PAS also transferred indexes for the entire collection, including 25,000 descriptions of individual photographs that the City will incorporate into its in-house archives database.

The newly acquired material arrived Monday, February 4, 2019; it includes papers of the Temperance Colonization Society, Saskatoon Prairieland Exhibition Association, Trounce Family, Billy Silverwood, R.W. Caswell, Saskatoon Board of Trade and the Mendel Art Gallery.

The City Archive works to preserve and provide access to the historical records of the City of Saskatoon, as well as to those of historically significant individuals and organizations in Saskatoon. The Archives is open to the public during business hours. Staff will also provide research assistance by post, by email or by calling 306-975-7811.

The City Archives is pleased to be the recipient of several locally-themed collections including extensive photographic material and news clippings from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

“This is a significant community asset and gift,” says City Archivist Jeff O’Brien.  “We are grateful to both the Provincial Archives and the StarPhoenix to have the opportunity to keep and make available at the City Archives, this vital historical resource.”

The StarPhoenix collection consists of approximately 400,000 images taken by StarPhoenix photographers.  The collection also includes clippings of the corresponding published images dating from 1948 to 1965 and from 1970 to 1986.  The material documents local news and personalities predominantly in Saskatoon, but also from surrounding communities.

In November 2018, the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan (PAS) announced the consolidation of its holdings, resulting in the closure of the Saskatoon office, and merging of their offices and services into a single Regina location.

Following discussions with the Provincial Archives, 22 other collections important to Saskatoon will also be kept at the City Archives. The PAS transferred 1500 digital images scanned from the collection over the years. Importantly, PAS also transferred indexes for the entire collection, including 25,000 descriptions of individual photographs that the City will incorporate into its in-house archives database.

The newly acquired material arrived Monday, February 4, 2019; it includes papers of the Temperance Colonization Society, Saskatoon Prairieland Exhibition Association, Trounce Family, Billy Silverwood, R.W. Caswell, Saskatoon Board of Trade and the Mendel Art Gallery.

The City Archive works to preserve and provide access to the historical records of the City of Saskatoon, as well as to those of historically significant individuals and organizations in Saskatoon. The Archives is open to the public during business hours. Staff will also provide research assistance by post, by email or by calling 306-975-7811.

Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Saskatoon. Snow started overnight and is expected to continue through to Sunday, with an estimated total accumulation of 10-15 centimetres, and winds of 20 to 40 km/h. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the low minus 20s. There will be a risk of frostbite; with the wind it will feel more like temperatures around minus 33.

Winter driving conditions will exist and blowing snow will cause slippery conditions on roadways. People are asked to use caution on high traffic roads and on sidewalks where ice may form. City crews have up to 10 high-speed plows, 31 graders, 20 sanders and 10 sidewalk plows ready to clear priority streets and to treat slippery sections with sand that is pre-wet with magnesium chloride to help it stick.      

During the storm, all city resources will be mobilized to preserve mobility on high-traffic, high-speed roadways such as Circle Drive and Idylwyld Drive. Snow plowing and heavy wind can cause whiteouts and reduced visibility on freeways during a heavy snowfall.  Drivers are reminded to hang back, out of the snow cloud and watch for blue lights that indicate winter road maintenance is underway.

 What you can expect from us

1. Snow and ice may cause bridges, ramps, overpasses and high-traffic intersections to be icy.
2. City crews will be focussing efforts on clearing high traffic, high volume roadways such as Circle Drive, followed by key arterials, and then local and collector priority streets.  All priority streets are to be graded within 72 hours of the end of the storm.
3. If more snow falls during the clean-up, crews will go back to keeping high traffic, high volume roads clear until it stops.
4. Under heavy snowfall, plows on Circle Drive may be travelling at reduced speeds.
5. Transit routes may be impacted with late buses. Transit service alerts, real-time bus locations, and arrivals are available on third party apps like Transit and Google Transit. Access Transit may also be affected by heavy snow on residential streets.

 How you can help us

1. Slow down and use extra caution.
2. Watch for blue and amber flashing lights on winter road maintenance equipment. If you encounter equipment on the road, slow down, remain at least 15 metres (2.5 car lengths) behind, and be ready to stop.  Passing is not recommended and may not be possible.
3. When safe to do so, drivers can report icy or snowed-in locations to the 24-hour Customer Service Centre at 306-975-2476 or email snow@saskatoon.ca.
4. Be in the Know About Snow! Learn more about what happens when it snows at saskatoon.ca/snow.

Find real time alerts about snow event priority street grading progress when it snows at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts or follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert.

Both lanes of southbound traffic on Highway 11 at the derailment site have been opened to public access. Speed and traffic restrictions have been lifted for this direction.

One lane of northbound traffic on Highway 11 at the derailment site has now been opened to public access. Some speed and traffic restrictions are still in effect for this direction.

Watch for posted signage and obey all restrictions and safety information.

Work crews have cleared all the damaged cars from Tuesday’s derailment at the crossing at Highway #11 and Wanuskewin Road.

Repairs to the track continue this morning; when those are complete the highway will need to be inspected before it opens to vehicular traffic. Northbound traffic remains closed.

Transportation Safety Board (TSB)  investigators arrived last night to gather information and that work continues today. 

One lane of southbound traffic on Highway #11 is open; speed and traffic restrictions are in place.

Until the roadways are inspected and safe to open,  Highway 11 northbound to Warman is closed just past 71st Street; traffic is being detoured to Highway 12 through Martensville and Highway 305 back to Highway 11 for locations north of Warman. Wanuskewin Road northbound is closed just past Penner Road to allow access to Cathedral Bluffs.

Please watch for message boards and obey speed restrictions and safety information. 

Reconciliation Saskatoon has launched ConnectR - an online tool designed to help residents choose their own path towards reconciliation.

“Reconciliation is different for everyone and often people don’t know where to begin. ConnectR is a great resource that provides people of all ages a starting point for their journey,” Elder and Indian residential school survivor Gilbert Kewistep explains. “As a survivor, I’m excited about the future of reconciliation and seeing people, particularly our youth, respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) calls to action.”

Visitors to the site are offered different paths to start their journey of reconciliation. Similar to Pinterest, the ConnectR website is highly visual and engaging with each path leading to a selection of relevant calls to action. Activities include: reading a particular book, learning about Indigenous protocols, visiting an Indigenous cultural site or going to a local workshop.

“The ConnectR initiative shows us what is possible when we work with care and humility on the journey of reconciliation,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “Our city will only be successful if all people are able to be a part of its success, and ConnectR helps us to chart a path forward, pushes us to be a welcoming and resilient community, and inspires us to find strength in the differences of our neighbours and all of the people who call this place home. This project represents the best in our community, and I hope that many people in our community engage with this great resource.”

A unique aspect of the project is the involvement of seven ConnectR Youth Ambassadors who come from Indigenous, non-Indigenous and newcomer backgrounds. They each plan to document their reconciliation learning journey and share their diverse experiences with the community through social media. To follow their stories, visit facebook.com/BeAConnectR

“As Youth Champions, we want to tackle difficult conversations about reconciliation so that more people feel willing to engage in calls to action,” says ConnectR Youth Champion Sienna Waskewitch.

The ConnectR website was designed by Creative Fire that put together a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous designers to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing into the site design. Elders and Indian residential school survivors were also consulted during the entire process.

Funding for the project came from Saskatoon Community Foundation and the Government of Saskatchewan, as well as in-kind support from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner and the City of Saskatoon. The City of Saskatoon also provides website hosting services for the ConnectR website.

Reconciliation Saskatoon is an initiative of 98 member community organizations, non-profit organizations, businesses and partners who have come together to initiate a citywide conversation about reconciliation and provide opportunities for everyone to engage in the TRC’s Calls to Action.

The City of Saskatoon’s commitment to the TRC’s Calls to Action supports the City’s strategic goal of Quality of Life by identifying actions for enhancing Indigenous peoples’ well-being and participation in our community.

As part of the development of the WinterCityYXE Strategy, the City and community stakeholders again invite residents to celebrate what makes Saskatoon unique as a four-season community that is welcoming, vibrant and prosperous, even during the winter months.

“We are excited to develop a Strategy that celebrates our winter season. Saskatoon has a distinct outdoor experience and the winter season shouldn't limit us. As we continue to evolve and improve our winter culture, we hope to make winter more inviting and popular, even though it’s the coldest time of the year,” said Chris Schulz, Project Spokesperson, Planning & Development.  

The City invites residents and visitors to two events in January to share their ideas on creating a four-season community, located at:

Winter City Café – Prairieland Park, Hall A

• Friday, January 25 (9:00 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 26 (9:00 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.)

Wintershines – Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, inside the igloo

• Saturday, January 26 (1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)

The Winter City Café is part of the Winter Cities Shake-Up Conference (Shake-Up) at Prairieland Park. Shake-Up is a conference that will bring together delegates to share their collective knowledge, experiences, opportunities and challenges of winter communities. Shake-Up runs from January 23-26. For more information about Shake-Up, visit wintercitiesconference.com.

In addition, starting January 16, ice sculptures will be placed around Saskatoon. These local pieces were designed in collaboration with students from Aden Bowman Collegiate.

To view a full list of winter events, facilities, activities or more information on the WintercityYXE Strategy, visit: saskatoon.ca/wintercityyxe.