News Releases

The City of Saskatoon has again received a favourable endorsement from S&P Global Rating Services,  which reconfirmed the City’s ‘AAA’ credit rating with a “stable” outlook.

“We’re pleased and excited with this rating,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer. “The City is expected to benefit from a diverse economy, keep debt manageable and be able to deliver a responsible budget.”

Calling Saskatoon the “economic engine of Saskatchewan,” S&P Global Rating Services today re-affirmed ‘AAA’ long-term issuer credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on the City.

Key points within the S&P report are:

• Saskatoon has a “diverse economy and prudent management”
• The City’s record of “robust fiscal performance” is expected to continue
• The strong financial performance will allow the City to “…proceed with its capital agenda while maintaining healthy liquidity and minimal debt.” 

“The 'AAA' rating is important because it allows City Council to be able to plan for the steady population growth that we’ve experienced for the past decade or so and the growth that continues at a rate around two per cent a year,” Tarasoff says. “At our population right now that’s like adding another City of Humboldt or City of Melfort to our community over the next year.”

For more information, the report entitled “City of Saskatoon Ratings Affirmed At ‘AAA’; Outlook Remains Stable” is available on the City’s website saskatoon.ca.

Annual ridership has increased and is expected to top 1 million rides per month in 2019.  

“Any increase in ridership is encouraging to see, but 8% is incredible,” says Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “It shows people are recognizing transit as a viable alternative. However, in order to keep increasing our ridership numbers, we must continue to focus on the customer first.”

In 2017, Saskatoon Transit implemented the first high frequency transit corridors (8^th Street and 22^nd Street) decreasing the amount of time riders have to wait for the next bus. In 2018, Saskatoon Transit continued to add high frequency routes and saw more riders adopting real-time transit apps to plan their trips. As we get closer to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) implementation we will continue to make improvements – 2019 will focus on a bus stop audit to ensure bus stops are located appropriately around the city.

“The key to our success is overall improved service, a better customer experience and technology that supports both.”

After a slight ridership decline in 2016, Saskatoon Transit experienced an increase around two per cent in 2017 and in the first 11 months of 2018 ridership increased 8.4 per cent over the same period a year before. McDonald says this increase is even more remarkable as ridership has fallen in many of the top 50 transit markets in the United States and Canadian markets witnessed only incremental increases.

"Changes already made will support a successful BRT system in Saskatoon,” he says. “The new system, which features a plan for crisscrossing, high-frequency routes, will connect different parts of the city.”

“We’re working hard to deliver the kind of service residents expect from an urban, forward-thinking city,” says McDonald. “We look forward to seeing you on the bus!”

As passenger demand grows, Saskatoon Transit will continue to provide safe, efficient and economical transportation to citizens and visitors to Saskatoon.

Environment Canada forecasts a good chance of light snow and wind gusts to 50 km/h this afternoon with the current above-freezing temperatures falling to around -3 degrees. There is a possibility of flurries continuing overnight, and temperatures are expected to cool off near -14 degrees by Saturday night.

 What you can expect from us

1. Monitoring and salting high-traffic roads and priority streets, including Circle Drive and freeways.
2. Salting intersections in residential areas, on bridge decks and overpasses.
3. Even with the use of salt and sand, extra moisture from snow and freezing drizzle may cause slippery conditions during peak driving times.

 How you can help us

1. Slow down and use extra caution this afternoon and during the commute this evening.
2. Watch for blue and amber flashing lights on snow maintenance equipment. If you encounter equipment on the road, slow down, remain at least 15 metres (two-and-a-half car lengths) behind, and be ready to stop.
3. When safe to do so, drivers can report icy 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.

As road maintenance crews continue to address priority streets and high-risk intersections, the Saskatoon Fire Department warns pedestrians to proceed with caution on ice-covered sidewalks. Firefighters also remind homeowners to spread salt and sand on sidewalks around their property to prevent falls and ensure everyone has a safe holiday season.

For the past 30 years, SGI and Saskatoon Transit have partnered to offer free late night transit service on New Year’s Eve, ensuring everyone has a safe ride home. This year the service is back! SGI is once again sponsoring free rides in the evening and Saskatoon Transit has extended the free service to all day.

“Having free Transit service on New Year’s Eve removes a barrier when making decisions on how to get home after a night out,” says Jim McDonald, Director, Saskatoon Transit. “We encourage everyone to plan their route before heading out using the app called Transit.”   

Saskatoon Transit and the local taxi companies will be working together to get everyone home safe, in the most efficient way possible. Citizens are encouraged to think about using a variety of transportation modes on busy nights like New Year’s Eve. Take the bus out of the downtown or busy areas and arrange for a cab to take you the short distance home. “Riide, Comfort and United are all proud to be a part of this collaboration, connecting public and private modes of transportation to help complete first/last mile multimodal trips,” Says Carlo Triolo, General Manager, Riide.

“This collaboration helps residents celebrate the New Year responsibly by taking advantage of free transit in Saskatoon,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “We all owe it to each other—to our family, friends, and drivers on the road—to plan a safe ride home. This service helps to make this planning easier so that we can start the New Year in a positive way.”

“Police officers will be out in full force taking advantage of new enhanced impaired driving laws to detect impaired drivers.  Making safe choices involves making a solid plan,” says Saskatoon Police Service Staff Sergeant Patrick Barbar. “Saskatoon transit is an excellent part of a plan to get home safely.”

Free bus service will be available on Monday, December 31 until 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 1. (Times may vary slightly by route).

 “There is no reason for impaired driving, especially on New Year’s Eve,” says McDonald, “We are thankful to have SGI as a partner in providing free transit service to citizens on New Year’s Eve and for the partnership with Riide, Comfort and United to provide the first/last mile parts of the journey.”

“SGI is a proud sponsor of Wing in the New Year,” said Minister responsible for SGI Joe Hargrave. “There is always a better option than driving impaired. With Wing in the New Year, the people of Saskatoon have yet another great – and free – way to get home safely on New Year’s Eve.”

This holiday season the City of Saskatoon is encouraging residents to ‘Create Memories, Not Garbage’. Residents are reminded to keep waste reduction and recycling options in mind throughout their holiday celebrations. By remembering a few of these tips during the holidays, residents can help extend the life of the Landfill and help the community move towards 70% waste diversion by 2023. 

Consider recycling holiday items by selling or giving away excess products, using reusable gift bags or recyclable boxes, purchasing gifts with less packaging, sharing and giving experiences, and planning meals to reduce kitchen waste. When sorting your holiday garbage, remember a lot of seasonal items are recyclable.

Here are some recycling tips to help keep the holiday season green:

What you can recycle

• Wrapping paper – Consider using recyclable paper or reusing old newspapers to wrap your gifts. Remember, if you can rip it, you can recycle it!  No need to remove staples or tape. If you can’t rip the paper, it goes in the garbage.
• Tin foil, foil containers and metal cookie containers – Be sure to clean all types of these containers before recycling.
• Flattened cardboard boxes and packaging – Before tossing into your blue cart or bin, remember to flatten these items to increase space for other recyclables.
• Cleaned milk and eggnog containers – A quick rinse, flatten them and they’ll be ready to be recycled. You can take them to SARCAN or put them in your blue cart or bin at home.
• Recyclable plastic containers – Have a look on the bottom of your plastic containers, if there’s a number between 1 and 7, rinse and recycle it.
• Unwanted electronics – These items can be dropped off without charge at any SARCAN depot. Visit sarcan.ca for information.

The following holiday items are not accepted in blue recycle bins: Styrofoam, ribbon and bows, plasticized gift bags, toys, Christmas trees (natural or artificial), Christmas lights, ornaments or decorations. Artificial trees can be sold or donated for re-use, or taken to the Landfill for disposal. Check saskatoon.ca/christmastree for drop-off locations for natural Christmas trees.

How can you manage space in your bins?

• Excess recycling can be dropped off at one of the City’s Recycling Depots (Lawson Heights, Lakewood, University Heights, or Meadowgreen), at the Loraas Recycle Recycling Depot or Cosmopolitan Industries Recycling Depot. To keep depot bins from filling up too quickly, please make sure boxes are flattened.
• Consider storing clean, dry recyclables until your next scheduled collection.
• Please make sure your cart lid is fully closed and your cart is out by 7am on collection day.

For more holiday waste, recyclables, collection calendar, waste wizard and disposal information, visit: www.saskatoon.ca/holiday-recycling.

In supporting the City of Saskatoon’s strategic goal of Environmental Leadership, a grant totaling $30,000 is now available to local, non-profit organizations implementing and supporting sustainable initiatives. The deadline to apply for this grant is February 15, 2019.

$10,000 of this total will be allocated specifically to projects that relate to water conservation, and NEW for 2019, $10,000 will be allocated for waste diversion.

To be eligible for this grant, organizational activities must relate to one of the following categories:

• Environmental stewardship;
• Climate change mitigation and/or adaptation;
• Water conservation;
• Waste reduction and/or diversion; and
• Environmental education and/or awareness.

For more information on the City’s Environmental Grant, visit: saskatoon.ca/envirogrant.

At its meeting yesterday, City Council carried a motion to rescind a decision made November 19, 2018 regarding the implementation of a black cart variable rate waste utility for curbside pick-up at single-family homes.   

City Council has directed the Administration to report back on other funding options for the curbside waste program.

Information on possible funding options previously considered for curbside waste can be found here.

For more information about the City’s waste diversion plan, visit saskatoon.ca/wastediversion. 

At its meeting today, City Council approved a new bylaw that will regulate the operation of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) in Saskatoon.  

Highlights of Bylaw No. 9548, The Transportation Network Company Bylaw, 2018 (Rideshare Bylaw), include:

• The minimum fare for TNCs is $3.75, which is the same as the minimum fare for taxis.
• Safety features include:
  • a TNC must disclose to a passenger, at the time of the request for service, the first name and photo of the driver and the make, model, colour, and provincial licence plate of the vehicle; and
  • a TNC must allow a passenger to track the location and route of the vehicle while carrying the passenger.
• TNC drivers cannot offer, solicit, or accept offers to provide transportation to passengers except through the transportation network, such as an app. Street hailing (flagging down a vehicle on the street) is not permitted.
• TNC vehicles must comply with provincial regulations, which require that a decal identifying the TNC be displayed on two sides of the vehicle.
• TNCs must ensure that all affiliated drivers obtain an annual vulnerable sector check; this is in addition to the annual criminal record check that TNCs must ensure for all affiliated drivers under the provincial regulations.
• Affiliated drivers have the same behavioural expectations as taxi drivers and are similarly required to provide service when appropriately dispatched.
• TNCs must pay an annual licence fee based on the number of affiliated vehicles, as well as make monthly payments of per trip fees.  An accessibility surcharge must also be remitted monthly to support the provision of wheelchair accessible taxi service.

City Council also approved a second bylaw, Bylaw No. 9549, The Taxi Amendment Bylaw, 2018 (No. 2) (Amendment Bylaw), in part to align taxi regulations with the Rideshare Bylaw and The Vehicles for Hire Act & Regulations introduced by the Government of Saskatchewan on December 14, 2018 (please visit sgi.sk.ca/rideshare for more information). 

The Amendment Bylaw further includes the extension of 16 temporary wheelchair accessible taxi licences and the establishment of a taxi cleaning fee and its reporting requirements and appeal process.

For more information on the City’s Rideshare and Amendment Bylaws, please visit saskatoon.ca/vehiclesforhire. 

The City of Saskatoon’s Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) report that today’s  notifynow test message sent to Saskatoon residents at 10:00 a.m. was executed successfully.

“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.”

Goulden-McLeod points out, if a major and extended power outage had impacted Saskatoon, notifynow messages would have been sent directly to residents throughout the day to update them and share information.   

Did you receive your notifynow test message? Have you taken steps to be prepared, connected and informed in the event of a citywide emergency or one affecting only your neighbourhood?

“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 can register for up to 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 of 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 preferences or call 306-975-3210 for more information.

Saskatoon Transit is encouraging shoppers to take the Jingle Bell Express during the holiday shopping season. The Jingle Bell Express, which began as a pilot last year, provides customers with easy access to Saskatoon malls without having to worry about holiday traffic or full parking lots.

“The Jingle Bell Express removes the hassle of driving and parking, but also provides users with access to malls they may not otherwise have the opportunity to visit,” says Jim MacDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “Regular fares apply and the service is available from Saturday, December 8th until Sunday, December 23rd and it will be free on Boxing Day.”

The Jingle Bell Express is a special route put into place as we lead up to the holidays. It’s called Route 1225 and runs between:

• Midtown Plaza
• Confederation Mall
• Lawson Heights
• Centre Mall
• Market Mall

Route schedule.

Weekday service will be available from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and weekend service will run from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. On Boxing Day, the Jingle Bell Express will be free and will operate between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Use the Transit App or Google Transit to plan your trip or consult the Transit website.

Jingle Bell Express riders will be asked to complete a survey for a chance to win one of five $100 gift cards provided by each participating mall.

The power outages that are currently affecting large portions of the province are not having an impact on service within Saskatoon.

A brief power outage occurred at approximately 9 a.m. for some Saskatoon Light & Power customers in the south portion of Saskatoon, but power was restored in less than 30 minutes.

No further service interruptions are anticipated in the SL&P service area, however, there is always the chance of an unexpected outage due to loss of supply, adverse weather, foreign interference with power lines, or equipment failure.

In the event of an outage, SL&P customers are advised to check the City’s website or follow @YXEServiceAlert on Twitter for updates. SaskPower customers can access updates at saskpower.com/outages.

Following two days of questions, adjustments and debate on the 2019 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget, His Worship Mayor Charlie Clark and City Council have finalized their investment decisions for 2019, arriving at a property tax increase of 4.40%.

“The finalized budget reflects investments Council has made for the future and for their strategic priority areas,” says Kerry Tarasoff, CFO and General Manager, Asset and Financial Management.  “City Council has supported initiatives that are important to our community, and maintained or increased service levels in core services citizens have told us they want.”

What the 4.40% property tax increase means to residential property owners
The 2019 property tax increase of 4.40% is a result of a 3.16% increase required to maintain civic services, and a 1.24% increase as the result of the Business Plan initiatives approved by Council during their deliberations on November 26 and 27, 2018.

The 4.40% property tax increase will generate an additional $10.2 million to maintain the service level delivery of civic services and to cover costs related to inflation and growth in Saskatoon.

For a homeowner with a property assessment value of $371,000, the municipal portion of the 4.40% increase equates to $6.63 per month or $79.52 for the year.

“City Council considered $2.6 million in business plan priority spending options with a goal to minimize the property tax increase without compromising the delivery of civic services,” adds Tarasoff. “Council focused on controlling expenditures and maintaining the assets we need, and I believe they made strategic and well-intentioned decisions for 2019.”  

2019 Operating and Capital Budget Totals

• $1.13 billion: Total 2019 Capital and Operating Budget (including Utilities, Operating & Capital)
  • $511.01 million: Total Operating Budget (excluding Utilities)
  • $362.06 million: Total Utility Operating Budget
  • ​$259.83 million: Total Capital Budget (including Utilities)

2019 Business Plan Options: Investment Highlights

• Additional $350,000 for Building Better Parks Asset Management Phase-in
• Additional $200,000 for the Recreation and Parks Facilities Game Plan
• Additional $200,000 invested in Snow and Ice Service Level enhancements
• $150,000 (including 1.0 FTE) to allow work on developing a low emissions community implementation plan aimed at lowering carbon emissions
• $100,000 allocated to fund Meewasin Valley Authority
• Building Better Bridges: $300,000 invested to maintain condition of bridges and overpasses
• Building Better Transit: $200,000 invested for Transit fleet replacements
• Urban Forestry and Pest Management Reserve: $150,000
• Sidewalk Maintenance Service Level enhancement: $100,000
• Winter City Grant Program: $25,000 to maintain dedicated programming
• Total additional investment in Active Transportation Plan Phase-In and Master Plan:  $125,000
• IT Project Management Continuous Improvement Initiatives: $125,000
• Invested $120,000 in two dedicated Performance Improvement Coordinator positions tasked with creating process improvements and finding further efficiencies through the City’s corporate transformation planned for 2019.

City Council requested Administration to provide detailed return on investment reporting in 2019 and for 2020, and operational cost savings through continuous improvement initiatives resulting from the investment in these positions.

2019 Budget Highlights by the Numbers

• 0%: Approved increase in Saskatoon Light & Power rates
• 6.45%: Property tax increase for Saskatoon Public Library (compared to 0% last year)
• 9.25%: Increase in water rates
• $5.00: Increase for a single adult monthly recreation pass
• $94.6 million: Approved for Saskatoon Police Service (up $4.1 million from 2018)
• $5.9 million: Approved budget for Remai Modern Art Gallery (up $456,000 from 2018)
  • ​$128,000: Approved for Remai Modern Art Gallery staffing positions
• $43.3 million: Approved Saskatoon Transit budget (up $2.1 million from 2018)
• $71 million: Approved amount to invest in land development
• 62: Approximate number of new full-time positions (including Saskatoon Public Library)
• 20.6%: Share of City’s 2019 Budget allocated to Saskatoon Police Service
• 6.6%: Share of 2019 Operating Budget dedicated to servicing debt

Administration will drive the development of the City’s first Multi-Year Budget for 2020 and 2021 with a rollout planned at the end of the first quarter in 2019. City Council’s Strategic Priorities and the Strategic Plan will continue to guide the budget process, and citizens will be encouraged to provide their input into the new multi-year budget process through a variety of public engagement opportunities held throughout the new year.

Visit saskatoon.ca/budget for more information.

In 1998, the Saskatoon Fire Department, in partnership with Public Health Services Saskatoon, launched a needle pick-up program. Over the past 20 years hundreds of thousands of discarded needles have been collected through the program, contributing to the safety and cleanliness of Saskatoon’s public spaces; close to 7,500 of which have been picked-up by Firefighters in 2018 alone.

Each year, Firefighters with the Saskatoon Fire Department are dispatched to various locations around the city to address reports of improperly discarded needles. “The pick-up of improperly discarded needles is most often completed on a per-call basis; that is, for the Saskatoon Fire Department to dispatch a crew to collect the needle, we must first be made aware of its location.” says Joshua Grella with the Saskatoon Fire Department. Crews ranging from two to five Firefighters may be dispatched to reports of improperly discarded needles, depending on the operating district of the call.

If you are accidentally poked by a needle’s point:

• Encourage bleeding and place your hand under running water to flush out the wound,
• Do not suck on the wound, even if a water supply is unavailable,
• Take note of the characteristics of both the needle and injury,
• Do not attempt to recap the needle,
• Visit a hospital emergency department as soon as possible, and
• If possible, safely package the needle in a hard-surfaced contained and take it with you to the emergency department.

Be sure to educate children and vulnerable adults about needle safety, instructing them to never touch a discarded needle and to notify a responsible adult immediately if one is encountered.

Never leave your discarded needles poking around; needles that are not safely disposed of can cause harm to others in the community, including workers, children, and pets.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

In addition to a new city-wide organics program, single-family households with curbside collection service will now have a choice in the size and cost of their waste carts. City Council voted in favour of implementing a variable rate waste utility. The previously approved city-wide organics program will be funded from property tax. Both programs are expected to launch in 2020.

“This is an important step forward for our City on our journey toward trying to achieve 70 per cent waste diversion, so we are pleased with Council’s decision,” says Dan Willems, Acting General Manager of Corporate Performance. “This is a very complex matter with many variables, so the decision to implement variable cart sizes for waste in addition to a city-wide organics program demonstrates City Council’s commitment to its strategic goal of Environmental Leadership.”

The variable rate waste utility will give residents the option of three cart sizes and is expected to incentivize residents to reduce the amount of garbage they generate by wasting less and diverting more through composting and recycling. The variable rate and three cart sizes will provide curbside residents more control over their waste costs.   

“These improvements to waste management will help us move closer to our waste diversion goals, and significantly delay the need for us to plan for a new landfill, estimated at $120M,” Willems says.

More details on the implementation plan and program costs will be presented in 2019.

The complete agenda from the November 19 City Council meeting can be found here.

For more information about the City’s waste diversion plan, visit saskatoon.ca/wastediversion.

Last week, members from Saskatoon’s host committee attended the 2018 Creative City Network of Canada’s Creative City Summit (Summit) in Mississauga, Ontario, to promote Saskatoon as next year’s Summit location to their colleagues across Canada.  This three-day conference for municipal cultural workers provided an opportunity for Saskatoon to share knowledge and highlight its dynamic arts and culture scene.

“The Creative City Network of Canada, and Saskatoon’s active participation in it, is a reflection of the growing role that creativity and the arts play in community building,” says Kevin Kitchen, Community Development Manager.  “Judging from the early responses, municipal workers from across Canada are eagerly looking forward to attending the 2019 Summit in Saskatoon as our community has much to offer the rest of the country in terms of cultural practices.”

As part of their promotional pitch, the team launched a short animated film by Saskatoon filmmaker, Andrei Feheregyhazi, entitled Saskatoon:  Where the Art Is, sponsored by the City of Saskatoon and Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport.

“I feel honoured to be a part of this project,” says filmmaker, Andrei Feheregyhazi.  “It was exciting to work on something that not only would be shown at a national conference, but also to work on something that allowed me to explore creatively the way this project did.”

The unique animated video takes viewers on a cardboard and watercolour tour of Saskatoon’s arts and culture scene and features Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, Remai Modern, and some pieces in the City’s public art collection.  The composition for the video was created by local musician, Dean Summach.

For more information on the Summit and to view Saskatoon:  Where the Art Is, visit saskatoon.ca/artsandculture.

The City of Saskatoon continues undertaking improvements to its Transit shelters, bus stops, sidewalks and other related infrastructure.

Funded by the City and the Government of Canada, which invested $5.3 million through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund toward these projects, this work will ultimately help better connect people to this important local transportation network. In Saskatchewan, the federal PTIF program is administered by the provincial government.  

“Getting people where they need to go safely, quickly, and comfortably is essential to creating liveable communities,” says the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. “Our government is proud to support these vital upgrades to Saskatoon’s transit infrastructure. A safer, more inclusive transit system will increase ridership, reduce congestion and improve air quality.”

“Saskatoon can contribute to improving its citizens’ quality of life with projects like these, thanks to the federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund, which the Government of Saskatchewan administers in the province. Saskatchewan’s eligible municipal partners having access to this federally-funded program helps those communities address their local priorities,” says the Honourable Warren Kaeding Saskatchewan’s Minister of Government Relations.

“Undertaking improvements such as sidewalks, landing pads, ramps and shelters to Transit stops such as the one at Attridge Drive and Rever Road can mean the difference between choosing to use Transit or not,” says Mike Moellenbeck, Saskatoon’s Acting Director of Transit. “As we work towards a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, Transit connectivity becomes even more important. We are looking to the future in terms of the locations that make sense and responding to the needs of the people we serve today.”

Through its recent Bus Stop Blues campaign, Saskatoon Transit received more than 45 submissions on areas that would benefit from improvements. Submissions were categorized into one of three categories: 1) sidewalk/accessibility, 2) new shelter/ repair, or 3) general maintenance. Three quarters of the submissions received were asking for improvements to the Attridge Drive and Rever Road location. A full listing of the planned improvements can be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/about-us/projects.

As part of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plans, Attridge and Rever has also been selected for one of the BRT stations which will act as a major transfer point for the area. BRT stations are planned to be built at a height of approximately 10 inches, about 4 inches higher than existing curbs throughout the city. As a pilot, the bus stops at Attridge Drive and Rever Road were built to a height of 10 inches. The raised curbs will improve accessibility by offering near level boarding to accommodate wheelchair access without having to deploy the bus ramp allowing for faster passenger loading times. This is in addition to Saskatoon Transit’s objectives to attain a 100 per cent accessible fleet by the end of 2018.  

“When we’re upgrading stops, we look at the connecting sidewalks people use to get to those locations as well,” says David LeBoutillier, Saskatoon’s Acting Engineering Manager for Transportation. “Depending on the pre-existing conditions, we repaired, or replaced, and in some cases added new sidewalk at identified locations.”

On top of this, the City improved 20 per cent more sidewalk panels than originally projected for 2018. Sidewalk ramps – connecting sidewalks to roadways – were also installed at locations around the city. The locations for both panel and ramp repair/installation were identified based on connectivity to Transit. Additional considerations included public input, Neighbourhood Traffic Review recommendations, and prioritization for those locations where there are no sidewalks on either side of the road.

The total investment in these various improvements, including both the Government of Canada’s and City of Saskatoon’s contributions, is more than $10.6 million. 

November is fall prevention month and the Saskatoon Fire Department wants to ensure that citizens most at risk for a fall, adults over the age of 65, are aware of the options available through the Remembering When program. Remembering When offers helpful information around fire and fall prevention aimed at reducing fires and/or falls.

Remembering When is a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) designed program promoting eight fire safety and eight fall prevention messages through group presentations and home visits. The program focuses on the primary goal of helping older adults eliminate fire and fall hazards in their environment, allowing them to stay in their homes as long as desired. It also instructs older adults on what to do in the event of a fire and how to get up off of the floor if they have fallen and are not hurt.

The eight fire prevention and safety tips include:

1. If you smoke, do so outside,
2. Give space heaters space,
3. Stay in the kitchen when cooking,
4. Stop, drop, and roll,
5. Smoke alarms save lives,
6. Plan and practice your escape from fire and smoke,
7. Know your local emergency number, and
8. Plan your escape around your abilities.

The eight fall prevention and safety tips include:

1. Exercise regularly,
2. Take your time,
3. Keep stairs and walking areas clear,
4. Improve lighting,
5. Use non-slip mats,
6. Be aware of uneven surfaces,
7. Stairways should be well lit, and
8. Wear sturdy, well-fitting, low-heeled shoes with non-slip soles.

The Saskatoon Fire Department, in partnership with the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA), conducts group presentations and home visits through the Remembering When program. This level of personalized fire and fall prevention ensures that each individual is receiving information that is relevant to their specific living situation and lifestyle. To book a group presentation or home visit, please contact Dori Krahn at the Saskatoon Fire Department 306-975-7715, or dori.krahn@saskatoon.ca.

Helpful videos with step-by-step instructions have been developed to show people how to get up from a fall, or assist somebody who has fallen and is not hurt. Click here for the video on how to get up if you have fallen and aren’t hurt and here for the video on how to assist someone up.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

Saskatoon is in full winter mode. Almost 3 centimetres of snow fell Sunday and Monday, temperatures have dropped, and people are re-learning how to navigate winter driving conditions. Almost as instantly, City road maintenance operations switched from street sweeping and pothole patching to plowing and sanding.

“City crews work seven days a week, prepared for whatever weather heads our way,” says Brandon Harris, Director of Roadways & Operations. “When it snows, we have up to 29 sanders, 16 graders and 14 plows focussed on keeping high-traffic roads in good winter driving condition.”

Additional resources and P3 contractors are also all ready to keep the new infrastructure clear this winter. With two bridges, including the extension of Central Avenue and McOrmond Drive and two interchanges, more than 21 kilometres of new roadway was opened up this summer to traffic.

Once the snow stops falling, graders clear the driving lanes on priority 1, 2 and 3 streets and in school zones, windrows of snow are removed in Business Improvement Districts, and specialized equipment is used to clear dedicated bike lanes and high-traffic walkways. Snow windrows are removed periodically through winter to prevent visibility issues for drivers and sidewalk users.

“Each year, we push ourselves to find a better way or test a product that makes managing snow and fighting ice smoother and faster,” says Harris. “This year we’re following Switzerland’s lead and testing wood chips to improve traction on ice. We’ve also improved our technique for keeping bridge decks and overpasses clear of any snow build-up.”

As City operations work to prevent icing, improve traction and clear snow, drivers have to play a leading role in their own safety by adjusting driving habits in winter. Important safety habits include clearing snow from all windows, leaving extra distance between you and the car in front, and reducing your speed. Find more winter driving and safety tips at saskatoon.ca/winterdriving.  

“The people operating the road equipment are important. They are colleagues, family and friends to someone – maybe someone you know,” says Harris. “Please slow down when you see their flashing blue lights and let them do their job.”

Snow What to Do this winter by visiting saskatoon.ca/snow. During a snow event (5 centimetres or more snow fall), find timely updates at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and follow @YXEServiceAlert on Twitter.

With the colder temperatures setting in, grizzly bears Mistaya (miss‑TIE’‑yuh) and Koda (KOH’-dah) are well on their way to beginning their third hibernation at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo).

Preparation for the bears’ hibernation has been underway for several weeks.  The Zoo has worked closely with fRI Research and wildlife nutritionists to carefully monitor the bears leading into hibernation.

“We are very excited to see that Mistaya and Koda are continuing to follow a normal weight gain and loss cycle as they prepare to enter their third hibernation,” said Tim Sinclair-Smith, Zoo Manager.  “As their bodies continue to adjust to an annual hibernation schedule, we are closely monitoring and comparing Mistaya and Koda’s weight each year to that of their wild counterparts.”

At their current weight, the Zoo is predicting the bears will lose about 150 kilograms each year during hibernation.  Mistaya and Koda are currently weighing in at approximately 355 and 340 kilograms, respectively.

Cameras will once again be live in the hibernation dens so that the Zoo can closely monitor behavior, activity levels, and breathing patterns.  A live camera feed found at saskatoon.ca/zoo will also be available for Saskatoon residents to check on Mistaya and Koda throughout their hibernation.

For more information on the Zoo, please visit saskatoon.ca/zoo.

Any upcoming work to plan for the future of Downtown Saskatoon should consider an arena in the Central Business District. A report to be considered Tuesday by the Governance and Priorities Committee outlines the suggested course.

“As we’ve been asked to do, we carefully reviewed the analysis of whether to renovate or to build new event and convention facilities,” says Director of Planning and Development, Lesley Anderson.

“Considering all factors, the Administration concludes that any future Downtown planning should be developed with the option of a future Arena construction in mind.”

The report points to potential combined benefits between an arena-convention centre and with other Downtown amenities such as restaurants, hotels, and a vibrant shopping district.

“There will need to be a further analysis of Downtown infrastructure,” Anderson says.

“Next we have to explore the effects of any new facilities on roads, parking, water, sewer and how to mitigate potential impacts.”

Additionally, the report outlines future City Councils will have to weigh the benefits of a downtown location, and its role as a catalyst for development against other community goals.

Another report outlines high-level information about what funding may or may not be possible.

“This analysis is not intended to provide funding strategy for such a project,” says Chief Financial Officer, Kerry Tarasoff. “We want the Committee to have some information and to highlight what some of those financing options could look like.”

A number of convention centres have been built in Canada since 2010, and on average, about 25 per cent of the funding came from the municipality.

Since 2005, in cities without NHL teams, on average about 60 per cent of the funding for arenas or stadiums has been funded by the municipality – as is the case with Mosaic Stadium in Regina (62.2%).

Funding of large arena, stadium or convention centre projects include various sources of funds; borrowing remains the largest component and several repayment possibilities are also explained.

City Council approved the adoption of a new purchasing policy at its October 22, 2018 meeting, the measure recommended by the Standing Policy Committee on Finance.

The new policy, which takes effect December 1, 2018, now reflects best practices for public procurement, and brings the City’s policy into compliance with trade treaty obligations. It draws on criteria from federal and provincial procurement rules and will use ‘best value’ rather than lowest price in the procurement of civic goods and services for the City.

A highlight of the new policy is that purchases made in accordance with an approved budget and within the authority of the policy provisions, will now be delegated to the Administration for the awarding of contracts and purchase orders rather than City Council.

With an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and transparency, a procurement review was conducted over the past year, presenting the City with opportunities to:

• identify any gaps in the procurement process;
• document all current purchasing processes;
• provide greater transparency for vendors;
• give clear direction for City employees on common standards to be used consistently for the majority of purchases made by the City; and
• provide consistency across the organization by developing new templates and contracts.

As part of the procurement review, engagement opportunities were provided to external and internal stakeholders through the City’s website and in-person meetings asking for their feedback and recommendations on the draft purchasing policy, new procurement manual, templates and standard contracts. An engagement workshop was also conducted to gather feedback on the expansion of the new policy for the future inclusion of social and Indigenous procurement best practices.

Administration will continue to monitor and make amendments to various protocols as required, including at the request of City Council, adding new engagement opportunities to support the future inclusion of environmental best practices for procurement at the City.

The City’s new procurement policy will ensure equal access to all qualified suppliers.

Visit saskatoon.ca/engage for future engagement opportunities.

Yellow Quill First Nation announced today the successful creation of a new urban reserve in downtown Saskatoon.  Yellow Quill First Nation received notification from the Government of Canada of the successful status change for the property located at 224 4^th Avenue South.  The building is home to the First Nations Bank of Canada and is located adjacent to Yellow Quill First Nation’s original urban reserve in Saskatoon, located at 240 4^th Avenue South.

“Attaining urban reserve status where our office tower is located in downtown Saskatoon is an important milestone for our nation,” says Yellow Quill Chief John Machiskinic.  “The designation of reserve status will support us in securing additional tenants who value an on-reserve location in a major downtown centre.  It also provides another source of revenue to assist us in funding various initiatives for our members living both on and off reserve.  We are proud to celebrate this achievement today.”

“For the past 30 years, the City of Saskatoon has been working with First Nations across the province to create urban reserves,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.  “This is a point of pride for our city, as we work with our First Nations partners to help lead the country in forging a new and positive relationship and to build a stronger Saskatoon.  I would like to thank the leadership and community of Yellow Quill First Nation for investing in Saskatoon with this urban reserve and for their commitment to working together with our community.”

The Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services, congratulates the community, stating, “I wish the Yellow Quill First Nation great success in the development of their new urban reserve.  This added urban land provides an important opportunity to advance economic growth and development in the community.”

Yellow Quill First Nation is confident that achieving urban reserve status where its existing office tower is located will attract First Nations companies and organizations that wish to do business in a downtown location.  Yellow Quill First Nation also has plans in place to construct an office building on the adjacent 240 4^th Avenue South site, pending securing an anchor tenancy.

Municipal Service Agreements were negotiated between Yellow Quill First Nation and the City a number of years ago when the property was originally purchased.  Following the subsequent purchase of the adjacent property, which currently is a vacant parking lot, the Municipal Service Agreements were updated to reflect both properties.

The Agreements address:

• services the City will provide;
• service fees Yellow Quill First Nation will pay the City in lieu of property taxes; and
• compatible land use and development standards.

Decisions on reserve creation are made by the federal government.  The site becomes the sixth urban reserve in Saskatoon.  When a property transfers to reserve status, it is no longer under City jurisdiction.

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

About Yellow Quill First Nation
Yellow Quill First Nation is a Saulteaux First Nation located twelve miles northwest of Kelvington, Saskatchewan.  The Yellow Quill First Nation is a signatory of Treaty No. 4, which was signed by Chief Yellow Quill on August 24, 1876.  Approximately 968 members reside on reserve, and 2,005 members live in other communities throughout the province.  Yellow Quill Holdings Inc. oversees the various economic development initiatives on behalf of Yellow Quill First Nation, as well as lands purchased by Yellow Quill Treaty Land Entitlement.

The 2019 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget proposes to keep service levels up while being able to put money into the needed infrastructure and priorities citizens want and need today and for the future. It invests in the actions and projects outlined by City Council’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan to ensure that Saskatoon remains a great place to live, work, learn and play.

“Over the years, citizens told us they want us to maintain the civic services they rely on every day,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer. “A significant portion of the proposed 2019 Budget goes to covering costs for growth and asset preservation. We’re taking care of today’s needs and carefully planning for community requirements in years to come.”

This year, a four-step process was used to build the City’s 2019 Budget:

• Costs to maintain current service levels were determined;
• City Council set a property tax target of 4.0% - 4.5% to maintain current service levels and to allocate dollars to support City Council’s Strategic Priorities;
• Business plans were developed to align with the proposed property tax rate and City Council’s priorities; and
• The business plans were then incorporated into the proposed 2019 Budget.

To address inflation, $10.6 million will be allocated with $3.5 million to the Saskatoon Police Service, and the remaining for other civic services.

To address such growth, $6.9 million is proposed in 2019: $1.1 million is for the Saskatoon Police Service, and $5.8 million for other civic services.

With these considerations, the 2019 Operating Budget proposes total expenditures of $511.3 million.  This is an increase of $20.6 million, or 4.20%, over the 2018 Operating Budget.

“With a projected growth rate around 3%, Saskatoon expects to add population about one and a half times the size of Humboldt,” Tarasoff says. “Because of this, our city remains one of the fastest growing in Canada and we have to plan for that.”

The 2019 Capital Budget – used for hard infrastructure projects preparing the city for continued growth – proposes $259.7 million in investments with a continued focus on roads, transit, water and wastewater distribution systems.

A total of $7.78 million in options aimed at achieving City Council’s 2018-2021 Strategic Priorities was presented to the Governance and Priorities Committee in August. The Preliminary Budget includes $2.6 million to be utilized for the implementation of a portion of these strategic initiatives, to be considered during City Council’s 2019 Business Plan and Budget Review. While other specific initiatives to be implemented for 2019 have yet to be finalized, City Council will be presented with a report and associated recommendations for consideration at their Budget Review.

The 2019 Operating Budget stays within City Council’s tax target by proposing a property tax increase of 4.5%. For a homeowner with an average assessed property value of $371,000, this equates to approximately $80 per year, or $7 a month.

Provincial law says cities must pass a balanced budget each year. A 4.5% property tax increase will generate enough money to balance the 2019 Budget, with a 1% increase in the property tax equal to $2.3 million. Here’s how the required property tax increase for 2019 was determined:

Operating expenses – Operating revenues = Revenue gap (property tax fills the gap)

As mentioned, for the 2019 Budget, the City will need a total of $20.6 million more to operate services at the levels citizens want. The operating revenues, or the money the City brings in, is subtracted, leaving the City with a revenue gap of $10.4 million.

This year, the 2019 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget Review is scheduled for November 26, 27 and 28 in City Council Chambers.

Full details on the investments the City has made in various programs, initiatives and projects through the 2019 Preliminary Budget are on the City’s website at saskatoon.ca/budget.

Saskatoon will have a city-wide curbside organics program for single-family households, which is expected to launch in 2020. City Council voted in favour of the initiative at its regular business meeting on Monday, October 22.

“This is an important step forward for our City, so we are pleased with Council’s decision,” says Dan Willems, Acting General Manager of Corporate Performance. “This is a very complex matter with many variables, so the decision to implement a city-wide organics program demonstrates City Council’s commitment to its strategic goal of Environmental Leadership.”

City Council also approved the recommendation for black and green bins to be collected bi-weekly once the organics program has rolled out, and that compost depots continue to operate at the current level of service. The decision on rates and whether garbage and organics will be funded through property taxes or by a new utility has been deferred until the next City Council meeting.

“These improvements to waste management will help us move closer to our 70% waste diversion goal, which would allow the City to avoid the need to plan for a new landfill, estimated at $120 million” says Willems.

The Administration will report back to City Council with more information on November 19, 2018.

The complete agenda from the October 22 City Council meeting can be found here.

For more information about the City’s waste diversion plan, visit saskatoon.ca/wastediversion.

The City will accept one of two gold Infrastructure awards at this year’s National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships. The award, in recognition of the Bridging to Tomorrow project, will be presented by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) at the organization’s annual conference in Toronto on November 5, 2018.

“We are incredibly honoured to be receiving this award,” says Acting General Manager or Corporate Performance, Dan Willems. “Our entire team, including City employees, our Technical Advisory Team, and Graham Commuter Partners worked together to ensure that this project took into consideration the highest levels of safety, environmental preservation, and value to Saskatoon and area citizens.”

The project, which involved the construction of Chief Mistawasis Bridge and Traffic Bridge, was selected for breaking new ground in how P3 projects are built, financed or delivered, as well as the impact they have on boosting the economy, saving costs and creating more vibrant, inclusive communities.

Willems says not only did the Bridging to Tomorrow project deliver two new bridges and connecting roadways to improve traffic flow in some of the busiest areas of Saskatoon, but it also took into account the City’s cherished history and Indigenous roots.

“The Chief Mistawasis Bridge naming process signified an important step toward Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the important role they played and continue to play in our community’s development,” Willems says.  “Additionally, the design of the Traffic Bridge was kept true to the original steel-truss structure, honouring the City’s history while providing a safe commuting route to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.”

The City is grateful for its funding partnership with the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan to allow for the delivery of the Bridging to Tomorrow project which will benefit Saskatoon and area citizens for generations to come.

The Bridging to Tomorrow project is the largest infrastructure project ever delivered in the City and the first bundled transportation P3 in Canada. The new bridges and roadways opened to the public on October 2, 2018.

Near perfect weather through this year’s Building Better Roads program led to the completion of more projects. Twice as much preventative crack sealing was applied to roadways, twenty percent more sidewalks were replaced than originally projected, and a total of 206 lane kilometres of roadways were replaced or rehabilitated. Construction will continue until it snows or gets too cold.

“The condition of our roads are getting better every year, so we’ve been able to also turn our focus to preventative maintenance this fall with our crack sealing program,” says Angela Gardiner, Acting General Manager of Transportation & Utilities Department. “With new equipment, we’ve applied the crack sealing treatment to 56 kilometres of roads, extending their life and preventing water seepage, which leads to the formation of potholes.”

Cooperative construction season weather allowed for the completion of a total of 206 lane kilometres of roadway, bringing the total to more than 1,000 kilometres of replaced or rehabilitated roadway since 2014. The City also replaced or rehabilitated 33 kilometres of sidewalk this year, for a total of 64 kilometres since 2014.

“The additional sidewalk replacements and repairs were completed in locations that are planned for micro surfacing next year to better coordinate the two programs,” says Gardiner. “This sets us up for success next year and in years to come.”

The following is an update on some key areas of City construction and maintenance:

• Back lanes: 400 km of back lanes were graded and 15.3 km of gravel back lanes were reconstructed.
• Line painting: 892 km of lines have received a coat of paint, including 9 km of durable line markings.
• Water & sewer: 26 km of water mains and sanitary sewer mains have been replaced or rehabilitated.
• Intersections: The reconfigured roadway at Taylor Street & Arlington Avenue will improve the flow of traffic through the intersection and alleviate the congestion.
• Interchanges: Traffic has moved onto the new interchanges at McOrmond Drive & College Drive and Boychuk Drive & Highway 16 with expected completion in July 2019.
• Overpass structures: The major rehabilitation and repair work of the Circle Drive over 33rd Street northbound overpass was completed five weeks ahead of schedule.
• Bridges: The new Traffic Bridge and the Chief Mistawasis Bridge (and Central Avenue & McOrmond Drive extensions) opened October 2nd and added just over 10 km of roadway to the City’s network.
• Victoria Avenue: Victoria Avenue was reimagined, redesigned and reconstructed in time for the Traffic Bridge reopening. It marks the first time a raised cycle track has been installed in an established neighbourhood.
• Resurfacing and water & sewer improvements on Idylwyld Drive: The City undertook road resurfacing and water and sewer upgrade work on Idylwyld Drive between 33rd and 39th streets. As a result, the reliability and quality of the water distribution has been protected and a key section of a major Saskatoon throughway has been preserved for years to come.

“Significant progress has been made over the past five years and the Building Better Roads Program has established an annual funding level of $61 million to cover road construction, road repair, pothole patching, sidewalk rehabilitation, back lane upgrades, street sweeping, and snow and ice management into the future,” says Gardiner. “You’ll notice a difference as you drive, walk or cycle around Saskatoon.”

For more information about projects completed in 2018 and the Building Better Roads program, please visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads and view at https://youtu.be/m0MRb3C9oc8

Leading experts, community leaders, elders and youth are coming together in Saskatoon for the Wîcihitowin (wee-chee-HEE’-toe-win) conference to discuss the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and address Aboriginal engagement and inclusion issues. 

“Over the past few years, we’ve noticed a growing sense of awareness of Aboriginal engagement and inclusion issues facing our community. Saskatoon is leading the way in Canada right now with bold initiatives like the community-driven naming process of Chief Mistawasis Bridge and the University of Saskatchewan’s new strategic plan which focuses on Indigenization,” says Neal Kewistep, Executive-in-Residence, Johnson Shoyama Institute of Public Policy.

“However we must not forget that real and lasting change is hard. We must continue to push for systemic change within our organizations, institutions and governments. What is needed now is less talk, more action,” Kewistep says.

This year’s conference theme is Voices of the people – past, present and future with key note speakers Senator Murray Sinclair, Former Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and Dr. Marie Wilson, Former Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

“During the National Truth and Reconciliation Events held here in Saskatoon and across Canada, we documented the history of Indian Residential Schools in Canada and heard the accounts of more than 6,750 residential school survivors. It’s more important now than ever to learn from those voices of the past if we’re going to take the next step forward on the path to reconciliation,” says Senator Murray Sinclair.

“Creating safe, collaborative spaces for open discussion like Wîcihitowin is crucial.  This way we can make sure those voices are part of the conversation to affect real and lasting change in our community,” says Sinclair.

This conference is presented in partnership with the United Way of Saskatoon, Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Johnson Shoyama Institute of Public Policy and the City of Saskatoon, and supported by community sponsors such as Nutrien, Saskatoon Community Foundation and Affinity Credit Union.

"Our audience has grown to be incredibly diverse and we now have people attending from all over Canada. Now in our fourth year, our numbers have peaked to over 600 showing how much this conference is needed and supported by the community,” says Brad Bird, Director of Community Impact & Strategic Partnerships, United Way.

Wîcihitowin is Cree/Saulteaux for “helping each other” or “working together”, which is an important component of delivering enhanced programs and services.

Wîcihitowin supports the City’s Strategic Goal of “Quality of Life” by identifying actions for enhancing Aboriginal well-being and participation in our community.

The McOrmond Drive and College Drive interchange will open to traffic on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, alleviating congestion on priority roads that have become busier as the city continues to grow.

“Once open, traffic at the McOrmond Drive and College Drive intersection will be free flowing with all interchange ramps operational,” says Bryan Zerebeski, the City’s manager for the Saskatoon Interchange Project. “Due to a wet September, some work surrounding the interchange will now resume in the spring.”

Southbound traffic on McOrmond Drive exiting onto College Drive will continue to use the existing ramp. All traffic exiting from College Drive onto McOrmond Drive northbound and southbound must use the right lane. (see attached gif)

The Boychuk Drive and Highway 16 interchange partially opened to traffic on September 30, nearly a year ahead of schedule. Construction on both interchanges started in April 2017 and both are expected to be totally complete by the end of July 2019. 

Drivers are reminded that the speed limit through work zones at both interchange sites is 60 km/h. For more information about the project, including renderings and video updates, visit saskatoon.ca/interchanges.

The City of Saskatoon is cautioning customers about a new telephone scam. Customers are receiving calls where the caller claims to represent Saskatoon Light & Power. The caller’s specific request is unclear.

The City of Saskatoon is reminding customers that credit card or bank account information is never collected over the telephone. The City of Saskatoon will send in the mail notices regarding outstanding utility account balances, and use an automated dialer to remind customers to contact Corporate Revenue before utility services are impacted.

All Saskatoon Light & Power staff wear identifiable uniform indicating they work for the utility and can also provide identification if requested.

Customers are asked to report suspicious calls by contacting Corporate Revenue at 306-975-2400, report online to Saskatoon Police Service, or contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Saskatoon Light & Power customers can continue to call 306-975-2414.

Fire Prevention Week is wrapping up, but that doesn’t mean that practicing fire safety and prevention has to! This week, we’ve focused on three basic principles: Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. Topics including smoke alarms, home escape plans, and heating safety have been linked to the importance of remembering to LOOK, LISTEN, and LEARN when considering fire safety and prevention.

Today, we’ll look at cooking safety to learn of how you can keep your dreams of becoming a professional chef from going up in smoke! Whether you’re cooking up a package of Kraft Dinner for yourself or a turkey feast for your friends and family, the Saskatoon Fire Department has the following tips for you:

• Fires start when your attention stops; always be alert and aware when cooking,
• Keep combustible materials a safe distance from all cooking appliances that are capable of producing heat,
• Never wear loose fitting clothing when cooking,
• Use a timer to remind you to monitor your cooking,
• Always remain in your home when you are cooking,
• Keep the handles of pots and pans turned inwards when cooking,
• Smother small fires in pots and pans by covering them with a lid and turning off the stove,
• Suffocate small oven fires by turning off the oven and keeping the door closed, and
• If you are unable to extinguish a fire on your own, leave your home immediately and call 911; stay outside while you wait for the Saskatoon Fire Department to arrive.

In an emergency, seconds count; cooking responsibly and knowing what to do if things turn sideways on you can be the difference in preventing a tragedy in your home.

Always remember: Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

Sweeping begins Monday on streets with a dense tree canopy to collect leaves that can block catch basins and prevent proper drainage during the spring snow melt. Neighbourhoods included are Buena Vista, Caswell Hill, City Park, Holiday Park, King George, Mayfair, Nutana, Riversdale and Varsity View.

Look for yellow No Parking signs in advance of street sweeping, beginning with City Park Streets and Varsity View Avenues on Monday. Vehicles remaining on a scheduled street at 8 a.m. will get a parking ticket and be relocated.

“I urge people to plan ahead and pay attention to the parking restriction signs to help manage the program budget,” says Brandon Harris, Director of Roadways & Operations. “Towing costs are not fully recovered by parking tickets, and can affect how much sweeping we do if we can’t lower those expenses for next year.”

In 2017, the sweeping locations were adjusted to concentrate on areas with the highest risk for flooding. As a result more than 230 properties were protected from potential flood damage in the spring.

“Now that we are confident in the neighbourhood selection, we are changing up our tactics for a portion of the sweep to test and compare new methods of debris pickup, reduce the risk related to temperature, and keep our production rate higher later into the season,” says Harris.

The first eight days of the program will remain the same as in other years, with sweeping scheduled in all nine neighbourhoods. On October 25, staff will be reassigned for a week to finish winter operation preparations. As long as crews aren't cleaning up snow, leaf removal will resume on skipped roads in the same neighbourhoods using different equipment, going around parked vehicles.

Don’t get swept away this fall! Find your sweep date at saskatoon.ca/sweep with our new look-up application.

This Fire Prevention Week, the Saskatoon Fire Department has been emphasizing three basic principles of fire safety and prevention: Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. We’ve covered the importance of needing to LISTEN for the sound of your smoke alarm and LEARN the details of your home escape plan; today, we will examine heating safety and why it’s important to LOOK around your home for potential fire hazards.

Winter in Saskatchewan can often have us looking to heat our homes in a hurry! Heating equipment is a key contributor to home fires and burn injuries over the winter months. Consider the following safety tips when warming up this winter:

• Do not leave space heaters running when you leave the room or go to sleep,
• Never use space heaters to dry combustible items,
• Do not use your oven to heat your home,
• Keep children and pets at least one metre away from fireplaces and space heaters,
• Do not store combustible materials within one metre of your furnace or other heating equipment,
• Keep all heat sources free from dust, lint, and chemical product,
• Place a screen in front of your wood-burning or gas fireplace, and
• Have a reputable and qualified company install and maintain all heating equipment; inspect gas or oil burning furnaces annually.

The Saskatoon Fire Department wants you to stay warm this winter, but we want you to stay safe, too! When looking around your home for potential fire hazards, be sure to check your heating equipment thoroughly while considering the above noted tips for heating safety.

In an emergency, seconds count; being cautious when it comes to heating can be the difference in preventing a tragedy in your home.

To finish off Fire Prevention Week, we’ll look at the leading cause of home fires: Cooking; tune in tomorrow to learn of how you can keep your dreams of becoming a professional chef from going up in smoke!

Always remember: Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

The 2018 theme for Fire Prevention Week is Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. Yesterday, the Saskatoon Fire Department shared information on smoke alarms in your home and why it’s important to LISTEN for its sound; smoke alarms are also a key component to an effective and reliable home escape plan. Home escape planning is critical in ensuring you are prepared to safely exit your home in the event of an emergency; be sure to LEARN the details of your home escape plan and practice it during the day, as well as at night.

Important tips to consider when developing a plan that suits your home and its occupants include:

• Visualizing the layout of your home; clearly identify all doors and windows on your plan,
• Finding two ways out of every room and clearing the path to all doors and windows,
• Not including the use of an elevator in your plan,
• Selecting a safe meeting location outside of your home,
• Remembering to call 911 once you are safely out of your home, and
• Confirming that occupants and guests are familiar with your home escape plan.

When your smoke alarm sounds, follow your home escape plan to safely exit your home. It’s important that you get out immediately and stay out while you wait for the Saskatoon Fire Department to arrive.

In an emergency, seconds count; having an effective and reliable home escape plan can be the difference in preventing a tragedy in your home.

Tomorrow we’ll learn about heating safety, and how you can safely keep warm this winter!

Always remember: Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

Fire Prevention Week puts the focus on practical and informative topics related to fire safety and prevention. This year’s theme is Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. The Saskatoon Fire Department knows that smoke alarms save lives and are therefore worth knowing a bit more about! Smoke alarms are a key component to one’s home, and it’s important you LISTEN to know their sound and leave your home when they are sounding.

Each smoke alarm may produce a slightly different tone; however, all smoke alarms are intended to alert you to the possibility of a fire in your home. To keep your smoke alarms in good working order, they need to:

• Be tested at least monthly,
• Have the batteries replace yearly, and
• Be replaced every 10 years, even if they are hard-wired.

Smoke alarms must be installed on every level of your home where people sleep. Place them on a ceiling or high up on a wall close to every sleeping area. It’s best to keep smoke alarms a reasonable distance away from cooking appliances to avoid false alarms. Listen for the sound of your smoke alarm when testing it to familiarize yourself with its tone. If you are hard-of-hearing or otherwise unable to hear the alarm, consider installing a smoke alarm that is equipped with a strobe light to alert you to the potential danger.

In an emergency, seconds count; a functioning smoke alarm can be the difference in preventing a tragedy in your home. Smoke alarms are also an integral element to home escape plans; be sure to check back tomorrow for the Saskatoon Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Week information around home escape plans!

Always remember: Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

This year, Fire Prevention Week runs from October 7^th to October 13^th. The Saskatoon Fire Department will be sharing information each day of the week related to fire safety and prevention.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has made this year’s Fire Prevention Week’s theme Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. This theme focuses on the importance of education in three simple areas of fire safety and prevention.

LOOK!

• It’s important to look for places that a fire could start in your home.

LISTEN!

• Do you know what your smoke alarm sounds like? Be sure to familiarize yourself with the sound of your smoke alarm so that you are aware in the event of an emergency.

LEARN!

• Are you able to find two ways out of each room? Check to make sure all doors and windows are clear and can be easily accessed.

When an emergency occurs, every second counts. Educating yourself on fire safety and prevention could prevent tragedy in your home. This week, the Saskatoon Fire Department will be sharing fire safety and prevention information on:

1. Smoke Alarms,
2. Home Escape Plans,
3. Heating Safety, and
4. Cooking Safety

Find additional resources and information from the NFPA on Fire Prevention Week here!

Always remember: Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

As part of WintercityYXE, $50,000 is allocated to non-profit organizations, ad hoc groups, businesses or for-profit organizations implementing initiatives that support the WintercityYXE goals and objectives. The WintercityYXE grant categories include: winter comfort and access, winter design, and winter activities.

The City is pleased to announce that the following groups have been awarded grants for their WintercityYXE 2018/19 initiatives:

• Broadway Business Improvement District – Little Stone Light Conservatory
• Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan – Honouring the Complexity of Treaty 6 Territory
• Friends of the Broadway Theatre – Winterruption
• Saskatoon Triathlon Club – Winter Family Friendly Triathlon
• Saskatoon Cycles – BicicleFest 2019
• King George Community Association - King George Winter Carnival
• Wanuskewin Heritage Park – Kona Festival
• Greystone Heights Community Association – Winter Fun Fest
• Play Sask – Yukigassen Tournament
• Saskatoon Open Door Society – S is for Snow Series
• Saskatoon Council on Aging – Warm up to Winter

“The WintercityYXE grant program supports community led initiatives that help make winter an enjoyable and vibrant season” said Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental & Corporate Performance.

Full information on the grant program, can be found on the newly redesigned WintercityYXE Webpage. Along with the grant program, the webpage also includes information on the WinterCityYXE Strategy, winter events, and winter facilities & activities.

The WinterCityYXE Strategy supports the Strategic Goal of Quality of Life, Sustainable Growth, Moving Around and Economic Diversity and Prosperity

Today, the City of Saskatoon celebrates the completion of its largest-ever bridge-building project with the community invited to participate.

The three orders of government funded the $238.8 million Bridging to Tomorrow Project which includes Chief Mistawasis Bridge, McOrmond Drive and Central Avenue extensions, and the Traffic Bridge. The Government of Canada is contributing up to 25 per cent of eligible costs, the Government of Saskatchewan is contributing $50 million toward the Chief Mistawasis Bridge, and the City is funding the remainder.

“The Bridging to Tomorrow Project is a great example of what can be achieved through strong partnerships between all levels of government,” said the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. “This new infrastructure is an essential addition to Saskatoon’s transportation network that will greatly improve commuter connections among key parts of the city. It will not only help get people and goods where they need to go safely and efficiently, but reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support economic growth for years to come.”

“The provincial government’s $50 million investment in Chief Mistawasis Bridge demonstrates our commitment to ensuring Saskatoon remains one of the fastest growing cities in Canada and continues to offer a good quality of life for all citizens. The new bridge will improve traffic flow for commuters and ease congestion for shippers. Congratulations to everyone involved in the successful completion of the project,” said the Honourable Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan.

“The opening of these two new bridges is a huge step forward in creating a more connected community,” said His Worship Charlie Clark, Mayor of Saskatoon. “Both of these bridges are very significant for our city. The Chief Mistawasis Bridge is a key element for our future growth and success, and the naming of the bridge was a journey itself toward living up to the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. The Traffic Bridge reconnects a historic link between the two sides of the river for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists alike. I would like to thank the federal and provincial governments for their funding that helped to make this happen in our community.”

“The Bridging to Tomorrow project was an investment in the future of our city for the benefit of everyone,” said Jeff Jorgenson, City Manager. “Our plans for growth are founded in sustaining a great quality of life for Saskatoon residents. These projects are foundational infrastructure improvements that help us create a city that is vibrant and attractive to citizens today and for future generations.”  

Chief Mistawasis Bridge opening celebrations included a grand entry with local Indigenous leaders, dignitaries, elders, survivors and students, and an opportunity for visitors to explore the bridge deck.

“The naming of Chief Mistawasis Bridge provides a lasting legacy of hope and reconciliation for the community and a source of great pride for our children and generations to come,” said Anthony Blair Dreaver Johnston, University of Saskatchewan School of Environment and Sustainability Indigenous Mentor and great-great-great grandson of Chief Mistawasis.

For the Traffic Bridge opening, a community bridge party will feature a variety of cultural entertainment, food trucks and a bridge and project history display.

“We’re pleased to be a partner in the development of this historic infrastructure project, and look forward to continuing our long-term relationship as a valued service provider to the City of Saskatoon,” said Grant Beck, CEO, Graham Commuter Partners.

The Chief Mistawasis Bridge will open to traffic later in the day on Tuesday, October 2.  The Traffic Bridge will open to traffic on Wednesday, October 3.

To commemorate the project, a detailed video showcasing the Bridging to Tomorrow project, and the construction of the bridges and roadways is available at saskatoon.ca/bridging. 

The City is ready to move traffic onto the new interchange at Boychuk Drive and Highway 16. Moving traffic onto the structure is necessary in order to remove detour roads and complete ramps.

“We will open the interchange at Boychuk Drive and Highway 16 on Sunday, September 30,” says Bryan Zerebeski, the City’s manager for the project. “This will alleviate congestion, and while the interchange is functional and operational a 60 km/h speed limit will stay in place as there is still some other work that continues.”

The traffic pattern change at Boychuk Drive and Highway 16 will be as follows (see gif).

• All eastbound and westbound traffic exiting Highway 16 onto Boychuk Drive and Rural Road 3050: stay in the right lane, go under the overpass and follow the loop to go north or south.
• All northbound traffic on Rural Road 3050: continue to use the intersection to turn left onto Highway 16.

The Saskatoon Interchange Project began in April of 2017 and also includes a new interchange at McOrmond Drive and College Drive. Traffic will move onto the McOrmond Drive and College Drive interchange sometime over the next couple of weeks as this interchange becomes operational and functional.

The Government of Canada and Government of Saskatchewan each contributed up to $10,960,885 to the Boychuk Drive and Highway 16 Interchange through the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects. Surrounding developers are funding 100 per cent of the McOrmond Drive and College Drive interchange.

Drivers are reminded that the speed limit through both interchange work zones is 60 km/h. Visit saskatoon.ca/interchanges for more information.

The City of Saskatoon in partnership with Reconciliation Saskatoon invites residents to wear an orange t-shirt or clothing item on September 30 and get involved in a number of community activities planned on the day.

“As a survivor of the residential school system, Orange Shirt Day is extremely significant for me as it shines light on the impact of the Indian residential school system not just to the thousands of children taken from their homes, but to their families and descendants who are still recovering from the devastating impacts today,” says Neal Kewistep, Executive-in-Residence, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Saskatchewan. 

“We need to listen to and respect the voices of the survivors who are willing to speak up about their experiences and keep working together as a community towards answering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Calls to Action,” says Kewistep.

A free indoor community pancake breakfast will be held at 10 a.m. at the Western Development Museum, which will include a speaker program, music and entertainment. A moment of silence will be held to honour the survivors, their descendants and those that lost their lives.

“It’s been great to see Orange Shirt Day growing in momentum every year, both here in Saskatoon and across Canada,” says Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. President Shirley Isbister.

“Reconciliation Saskatoon, along with our main sponsors Saskatoon Community Foundation and Nutrien, are proud to support this day and bring the community together to raise awareness of the terrible impact of Indian residential schools on generations of children, and to honour the survivors and their families,” says Isbister.

The event coincides with Métis Cultural Days celebrating 25 years of community, which includes music and entertainment for the family, an interfaith service and a gospel jamboree featuring musician, singer and country music artist Donny Parenteau. For more information, visit cumfi.org.

Prior to the breakfast, residents can also join the EY River Classic Run and wear orange to honour survivors with a 10K, 5K or 2K Run. Orange shirts are available to purchase online. Register at raceroster.com and search for “EY Classic”.

Reconciliation Saskatoon is an 88-member initiative of 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.

Orange Shirt Day was officially recognized in 2016 by the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. Schools and businesses across Saskatoon will participate by running educational activities in the weeks leading up to September 30.

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 Aboriginal residents’ well-being and participation in our community.

A driver who narrowly missed a roadways worker and damaged specialized patching equipment in a Circle Drive work zone was this week issued a ticket under The Traffic Safety Act for driving without due care and attention.

“Even in light of our highly visible ‘At What Cost?’ public awareness campaign, some people continue to disobey work zone road signs, put lives at risk and in some cases cause work to shut down,” says Brandon Harris, Director of Roadways & Operations.

This is the second such ticket issued this month for work zone violations reported by City staff. Multiple reports of other work zone violations are still under investigation by Saskatoon Police Service.

The City remains firm on its commitment to report drivers who illegally enter work zones and threaten the safety of workers. Crews who witness a driver inside their work zone are encouraged to record license plate information and provide a driver description to police.

“People squeeze their vehicles between barricades all the time, thinking they are above the law,” says Harris. “It’s dangerous for our workers, puts the equipment at risk of damage and can be harmful for the driver.”

Near-miss incidents can have a lasting effect on workers, as shared by Ryan in his video for the City’s public awareness campaign.

Even though construction season is winding down, the City reminds drivers to remain alert and obey work zone signs as year-round repairs and maintenance work continues. Learn more about the risk of entering a work zone at saskatoon.ca/respectworkzones.

Winners from the 2018 Toons on Transit contest were revealed tonight at a reception hosted by PAVED Arts. Starting today, as part of the fourth annual Toon's On Transit campaign, thirty local photographers will have their work on display in Saskatoon Transit buses as part of a 2-month roaming gallery exhibition. The winning works will also be on display for 2 weeks at PAVED Arts (424 20th Street W).

On July 12, 2018, a call was put out to Saskatoon and area photographers to submit photographs depicting “Diverse Communities.” The Open Call resulted in submissions from more than 80 photographers. Submissions were narrowed down to 30 by a community jury consisting of Cory Schewaga (Artist/Photographer/Videographer), Ben Lindsay (Youth Coordinator, Out Saskatoon), and John Shelling (Graphic Designer/Artist).

For nine weeks (September 27–November 18), 60 city buses will feature these unique photographs. “Saskatoon Transit is proud to support community initiatives such as this one,” says Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “Toons on Transit allows residents from every neighbourhood in Saskatoon to experience a piece of local art.”

PAVED Arts will also be displaying prints of the winning photos in their Digital Photography Suite. The Digital Photography Suite is open to the public Tuesday to Friday, from noon to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from noon – 4:00 p.m. This is a unique opportunity for visitors and residents to view the City through the eyes of the artists and honours the artists with a professional print of their work.

Toon's On Transit is a continuation of PAVED (photography, audio, video, electronic, and digital) Arts programming that highlights the talents of local artists through outreach and exhibitions. Located in the heart of Riversdale, PAVED Arts has been facilitating independent media artists for over a decade. Their gallery space highlights emerging artistic talent from the community. “We are excited to take Toon's on Transit into every neighbourhood of Saskatoon,” says Travis Cole, PAVED Arts Executive Director.

For more information on the Toon’s on Transit Exhibition please visit PAVEDArts.ca or look for the hashtag #TOT2018 on twitter and Instagram (@PAVEDArts, @StoonTransit).

Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in collaboration with its business partners and the City of Saskatoon, is celebrating its anniversary as Canada’s first created commercial urban reserve. 

“Thirty years ago, the City of Saskatoon and the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation took a bold step to create Canada’s first created commercial urban reserve,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.

Mayor Clark says for 30 years Saskatoon has benefitted from increased economic activity, job creation and a closer relationship with the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation.

“This is something that we can be proud of in Saskatoon. We want to lead the national conversation about how to create a more resilient, inclusive community that is working together with First Nations partners toward reconciliation. I would like to offer my largest thanks to everyone involved for making these past 30 years so successful.”

Urban reserves are a significant locally-grown initiative because it was the first agreement of its kind. The federal government, Muskeg Lake and the City paved the way as Treaty Land Entitlement emerged for a new way of doing business that was rooted in respect and recognition. In the years since, Muskeg Lake Cree Nation established a separate board of directors to oversee the business that ensures stability and security for investors in the McKnight Commercial Centre.

“Our board is building a successful future, a board that is independent and has created stability for business and investors, it is important that we recognize and honour those who laid the foundation,” says Muskeg Lake Cree Nation Chief Kelly Wolfe.

Demonstrating the solid foundation, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) will be strengthening its ties to the urban reserve.

“SIGA has been a staple tenant with us for over a decade,” says Murray Westerlund, Board Chair of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation Investment Management Corporation.  “We are ecstatic with the decision they have made to expand their new head office located within the Asimakaniseekan Askiy (Veteran’s Land) urban reserve.”

The new two storey development will be 100% occupied by SIGA as their new head office and will also include 6284 sq ft for their new Slot Management program. The new building will be 50,630 sq ft which will bring Muskeg Lake Cree Nation’s total developed space to 185,031 sq ft.

“We are confident this land will continue to develop for the benefit of all Saskatoon citizens and continue to be a relationship model and business model,” Westerlund says.

​

As part of the City’s commitment to reconciliation, a transit shelter was designed in collaboration with students from Aden Bowman Collegiate and Saskatoon Metis Elder, Senator Nora Cummings to be installed in front of the school.

“This new transit shelter is a wonderful addition to our community and our transit system,” says Mayor Clark. “The inspiring artwork can be enjoyed by everyone, including the neighbouring community and transit riders alike.”  

Saskatoon Transit’s Bus Shelter Art Project complies with Call to Action #79, calling upon the government, Aboriginal organizations and the arts community, to develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration, including integrating Indigenous history, heritage values and memory practices into Canada’s history.

“This beautiful bus shelter is just one example of what we hope will be many collaborations with the youth in our community,” says Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “This project serves not only as a bus shelter in a location where there otherwise wouldn’t have been one, but also celebrates the rich cultural history of the area.”  

The artwork was inspired by Métis history, heritage, values and the memories of Senator Elder Nora Cummings and was laser cut by Metal Shapes Manufacturing.

“It's exciting for us as Métis to have the historic value and contributions of the Road Allowance Métis people acknowledged by the youth of Aden Bowman,” Cummings says. “This area was once a community garden of the Métis and this shelter is a beautiful representation of what once stood on this place.”

“It was an honour for the art students of Aden Bowman and for me to meet with Métis Elder Nora Cummings and learn about the Métis history in this area,” says Tamara Rusnak, Art teacher at Aden Bowman.

Saskatoon Transit completed the first engagement session with Elder Cummings and 19 students at Aden Bowman on May 8, 2018. Elder Cummings spoke specifically to the landscape and the people of the area where Aden Bowman is situated and shared pictures of what the area looked like when she was a young girl.

The students were asked to create original, timeless and commemorative art that celebrates the Métis heritage, history, values and memories of Elder Cummings. They created the art for the bus shelter using inspiration from the engagement session, keeping in mind the functionality and design of the shelter. 

In the recent months, there has been a noticeable increase in structure fires resulting from the spontaneous combustion of soiled rags that had not been sufficiently cleaned or properly stored.

Rags, towels, and other applicators that have been soiled with combustible products, such as oil-based paints, stains, and finishing products, are a serious concern. These products release heat while drying; if that heat is trapped and has access to an oxygen supply, it will build up and create an ideal environment for a fire to start.

The Saskatoon Fire Department offers the following quick tips on safely using, cleaning, and storing or disposing of soiled applicators:

• Allow adequate drying time by hanging soiled rags in an open-air environment and away from combustible materials,
• Never bundle soiled rags together or leave them in a pile; this can create a chemical reaction allowing them to self-heat and spontaneously combust,
• Once dry, place the soiled rags in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid to limit the amount of oxygen,
• Keep the metal container in a cool place and out of direct sunlight,
• Never store soiled rags or the containers that they are in near a heat source, and
• Watch for hazardous waste drop-off days throughout the year, as specified in your City of Saskatoon Collection Calendar, to safely dispose of these hazardous waste items.

In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

The Bargaining Committees for the City of Saskatoon and CUPE Local 59 reached a tentative agreement on September 13, 2018.

Details of the settlement will be released upon ratification by both parties. CUPE 59 ratified the tentative agreement on September 20, 2013. The tentative agreement will be before City Council on September 24, 2018.

The previous contract expired December 31, 2016.

CUPE Local 59 is the largest collective bargaining unit of City employees.

The Victoria Avenue rehabilitation is substantially complete, making it ready for the opening of the new Traffic Bridge on October 3^rd. Some small finishing touches are ongoing, but they should be wrapped up in the next couple of weeks.

“The improvements we’ve made are going to benefit people driving, walking, and biking as well as area residents,” says David LeBoutillier, Acting Engineering Manager with the City’s Transportation Division. “We’ve also improved the aesthetics to make the corridor a more pleasing place to travel and live.”

The reconstructed corridor provides an important link to the Traffic Bridge and the Downtown and will enable all types of traffic to travel this route safely and comfortably.

The improvements include:

• Reconfigured street alignment to bring Victoria Avenue in line with the City’s current street guidelines.
• Median restoration to address deterioration and increase street appeal.
• Installation of new concrete sidewalks.
• Installation of a raised, asphalt cycle track to create a separate, distinctive and safe space for people on bikes.
• New signage and pavement markings to help clarify how traffic will move.

“We considered several different options for the new cycling infrastructure to address the neighbourhood’s concern about traffic speeds and volumes as well as pedestrian and cycling safety,” says LeBoutillier. “In the end, we went with a raised cycle track because it offered the best function while maintaining the neighbourhood’s character.”

A raised cycle track is a high quality, safe, permanent installation that provides a comfortable space for cyclists of all ages and abilities to cycle away from vehicle traffic.

Once the Traffic Bridge reopens, the City is expecting to see traffic volumes along Victoria Avenue much the same as prior to the bridge closure: approximately 7,000 vehicles per day. However, users of this route will note differences including the new infrastructure and more people walking and biking. The City is asking all road users to exercise extra care in this area while people adjust to the changed travel patterns.

Following are some tips on how to share the space:

• People riding bikes can choose to ride on the raised cycle track or in the traffic lane. In both instances, they should travel in the same direction as traffic.
• Cyclists have the right-of-way, but should slow down and use caution when approaching intersections.
• Drivers are reminded to watch for cyclists using the cycle track, especially when approaching intersections or driveways.

A driver who ignored work zone signs and damaged City maintenance equipment was issued a ticket under The Traffic Safety Act for driving without due care and attention by the Saskatoon Police Service.

The incident happened on the afternoon of September 4, 2018, when a maintenance crew had an area of Central Avenue at 103rd Street blocked off for fire hydrant testing and maintenance. The driver entered the marked work zone, hit the equipment with her vehicle, and dragged it off the curb causing damage.  

No staff were injured in this collision; however, the crew member recalls the driver’s indifferent attitude about what happened was disheartening. Near-miss incidents can have a lasting effect on workers, as shared by Landen in his video for the Respect Work Zones public awareness campaign.

City crews are encouraged to record license plate information and a driver description when there is a work zone violation. This incident is one of at least eight other such reports that the Saskatoon Police Service is investigating, and is – so far – the first in which a ticket was issued.

While construction is winding down, the City reminds drivers to remain alert and obey work zone signs as year-round repairs and maintenance work continues. Learn more about the risk of entering a work zone at saskatoon.ca/respectworkzones.

Students of many post-secondary college and university programs have resumed classes; many of these students are living away from home for the first time. The Saskatoon Fire Department knows what an exciting time this can be, but emphasizes the importance of finding and maintaining safe living accommodations.

Parents and students should familiarize themselves with fire safety advice for students living on their own:

Cooking

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking; always keep combustible materials away from the heat source.

Candles

• If you choose to burn candles, keep them in a safe place away from combustible materials and where they won’t be knocked over. Remember to blow all candles out before leaving the room or going to sleep.

Smoking

• If you smoke, do so outside; always use large ashtrays and frequently empty them into metal containers.

Electrical

• Ensure all major appliances and electronics are plugged directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord as a permanent solution.

Organization

• Keep your belongings a safe distance from any heat source; this includes furnaces, space heaters, baseboard heaters, and fireplaces, among others. Ensure all doorways and windows are free of clutter, should you need to get out quickly.

Drugs and Alcohol

• The consumption of drugs and/or alcohol can create an increased risk of starting a fire, especially when the proper care and attention is not given to the topics covered above.

It is also important to be mindful of the type of structure that you will be living in or if you will be living with other people, such as a roommate or a friend. Be sure that you are confident that the person you may be living with is also conscious of tips for living safely to minimize the risk of a fire occurring. Always have an escape plan for how you could safely get out of each room in the event of an emergency.

The Saskatoon Fire Department wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable school year.

 In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

With the approval of the Water Security Agency and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, the City of Saskatoon has lifted the Do Not Use water advisory for Bolstad Link/Manor/Turn/Way in the neighbourhood of Aspen Ridge. Bolstad residents were taken off the permanent, underground water system and moved to a temporary above-ground system after potential hydrocarbon contamination was discovered in a few area hydrants in January.

“The City commissioned an investigation that led to a thoroughly documented remediation process coupled with many rounds of confirmatory water quality testing,” says Angela Gardiner, Acting General Manager of Transportation and Utilities. “All testing indicates that the water on Bolstad meets or exceeds all regulatory water quality standards.”

The City contracted Stantec, a global engineering firm, to lead the remediation activities in consultation with a senior toxicologist. Inspections and remediation activities included:

• Camera inspections of hydrant lead pipes and main pipes with a high definition camera to assess conditions before and after remediation.
• High pressure flushing and regular flushing.
• Scrubbing, also known as pigging.  

“The watermains and connecting infrastructure have been confirmed to be acceptable or better than typical operating conditions, as a result of extensive remediation,” says Chris Mathies, Principal & Sector Leader with Environmental Services at Stantec. “We will also continue to monitor the water quality and we’re confident it will continue to meet with water quality standards.”

The City’s investigation into the source of the contaminant is ongoing although it has been determined to be an asphalt-type product, of which there are many varieties widely available.

Properties located on Bolstad Link/Manor/Turn/Way received notification that the advisory had been lifted earlier today. The area will be transitioned off of the temporary system and onto the permanent one over the course of the next few weeks.

Two special events are being planned on Tuesday, October 2 to commemorate the completion of the City of Saskatoon’s largest ever infrastructure project. In just days, the Bridging to Tomorrow project, which includes the Chief Mistawasis Bridge, McOrmond Drive and Central Avenue extensions, and the new Traffic Bridge will be completed on time and on budget.

“The City is grateful for the strong partnerships we have with the Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, and Graham Commuter Partners on this project,” says Dan Willems, Acting General Manager of Corporate Performance. “All of this new infrastructure will shorten commute times, offer more transportation options for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and help grow the economy, all of which improve our quality of life.”

Events will focus on the theme of community and bridging together citizens in celebration. At the Chief Mistawasis Bridge, a morning celebration will include a grand entry with local Indigenous leaders, residential school survivors, and City and government officials. Citizens will be invited to walk around and explore the bridge for the entire morning.

Beginning at noon, a more informal event will be held on the deck of the new Traffic Bridge. The event will start with a bridge walk that will include citizens, local community leaders, school children, and walking, cycling and running groups. It will begin on both ends of the bridge and meet in the middle in a celebration of community. Citizens are invited to bring their own lunch to the new Traffic Bridge or purchase their lunch from food truck vendors that will be set up on the deck. The Traffic Bridge Party will include local cultural entertainment and history and information about the Bridging to Tomorrow project will be on display.

Chief Mistawasis Bridge, McOrmond Drive and Central Avenue extensions will open to vehicular traffic later in the day. The Traffic Bridge will open to vehicular traffic on October 3.

For more information on the Bridging to Tomorrow project, visit saskatoon.ca/bridging.