News Releases

A Saskatoon Access Transit bus and a Canadian Pacific Train collided around 7:45 a.m. this morning at a crossing on 20^th Street West; Access Transit is grateful there are no reported injuries.

The operator had parked near Station 20 West to help a passenger off. Another passenger remained on the bus.

Saskatoon Fire dispatched two engines to the scene and upon arrival firefighter paramedics helped to assist transferring the remaining passenger to hospital as a precaution. While the internal investigation is underway by Transit supervisors, it appears the bus had been parked too close to the railroad tracks.

Shortly after 9:00 a.m. rail officials reported the train was assessed and was safe to continue its trip.

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

“We are very pleased to receive S&P Global Ratings ‘AAA’/Stable credit rating today especially given the financial challenges the City and other municipalities have weathered because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This rating supports the City of Saskatoon’s ongoing strong governance and financial management practices,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. “The City’s prudent financial management and strategies have allowed us to continue providing essential core services while balancing our budgets during the ongoing financial disruption from COVID-19 over the last two years.”

Noting Saskatoon’s diverse economy and observing the City’s “strong operating surpluses and prudent financial management”, today’s release of the S&P Global Ratings report reaffirmed ‘AAA’ long-term issuer credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on the City with an outlook that is “Stable”.

S&P expects “the global pandemic will continue to affect economic growth in 2022 as social distancing and other preventative measures slow business activity,” but further note that they “believe this slowdown will be temporary and (Saskatoon’s) economic diversity and ongoing population growth should continue to support GDP per capita growth in line with Canada's over the forecast horizon.”

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

Key rationale within the January 18, 2022, S&P Global Ratings Direct® Report include:

• The City's “strong and prudent financial management is a key credit strength” and its “management team is experienced and qualified to effectively enact fiscal policies and respond to external risks.”
• The City “demonstrates good political and managerial strength with its lengthy track record of passing budgets with minimal variations from budgeted revenues and expenses.”
• “Management’s disclosure and transparency are good, and the City prepares robust annual budget documents, with multi-year operating and capital budgets and long-term capital and borrowing plans.”
• The City’s “strong budgetary performance will assist in keeping the debt burden manageable.”
• An “exceptional liquidity position will continue to support its creditworthiness.”

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

To learn more about the City of Saskatoon’s financial performance and credit rating, visit saskatoon.ca.

The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) has been closely monitoring life and fire safety at the Lighthouse Supported Living Facility. As a result, ongoing inspections dating to April 2021 have revealed a number of deficiencies that must be remedied to make sure work and living conditions at the facility do not deteriorate.

“Our focus at the Lighthouse is community safety,” says Assistant Chief Yvonne Raymer. “We want to ensure all life safety measures are in place so that any concerns or deficiencies can be easily rectified. We don’t want the issues to compound like we have seen elsewhere, so we’re keeping a close eye on the building and staying on top of inspections at the Lighthouse.”

Inspections and results:

• One fire inspection in April 2021 and four re-inspections since (three in December 2021 and one in January 2022)
• Four Property Maintenance Nuisance Abatement Bylaw inspections (September, November and January)
• 42 Fire Safety Act contraventions pertaining to failing to maintain life safety systems and building systems (i.e. electrical, sprinklers, fire alarm system, lack of records, failing to maintain means of egress, failing to maintain fire separations)
• One Fire Safety Act Order to Remedy related to 42 contraventions
• Two Bylaw Orders to Remedy (one for structural assessment-December; one for various property maintenance issues-January)
• Fire investigation December 10 revealed careless disposal of smoking materials
• 14 tickets related to the 42 Fire Safety Act contraventions (issued December 10 & January 6)
• One ticket related to junk/garbage under the Property Maintenance Nuisance Abatement Bylaw (January)

There are outstanding issues arising from inspections that remain under investigation.

SFD will not be closing the Lighthouse; inspectors determine the risks in the building are less than the risk posed by displacing occupants. Instead, SFD has issued Orders to Remedy. The Lighthouse has been ordered to fix the hazards by the end of January. If the hazards are not remedied by then, SFD may contract the work, bill the Lighthouse for the repairs and then discuss payment terms.

Following the most recent visit to the Lighthouse on January 4, that inspection identified:

• Two sinks removed in a bathroom off the dining room, which is currently converted into a temporary shelter area due to COVID-19
• One water heater not working; multiple other water heaters remained fully functional
• A small water and sewer backup in the service room with slight wet staining around the drain

Since the January 4 inspection, the water heater has been fixed. Showers and sinks with hot water remained intact for all other suites and bathrooms. The deficiencies identified by SFD are considered to be minor and can be rectified by a plumber.

“We are not aware of the current financial situation of the Lighthouse, but it is our view that the repairs required to complete the orders are relatively minor,” notes Assistant Chief Raymer. “However, if the Lighthouse requires assistance in completing these repairs, we would invite them to reach out to the Saskatoon Fire Department to discuss their various options.”

Other deficiencies can be fixed by hiring qualified tradespeople or other service contractors that would be able to ensure the Lighthouse is a safe facility for staff and residents.

The City of Saskatoon, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart) and Hoist the Hoops have drafted an agreement that proposes the construction of a world-class outdoor accessible basketball facility in the River Landing area. Under the gift agreement, Jumpstart, with the support of local Canadian Tire Dealers, Dave Deplaedt and Paul Cairns, will provide a gift-in-kind for design and construction of the multi-court facility, with construction potentially to begin in 2022. The details of the updated project will be presented to City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services (PDCS) on Monday, January 17, 2022.  

“The Hoist the Hoops initiative has done an amazing job to bring to life a vision where youth can play basketball outside with no financial, social or other barriers,” says Andrew Roberts, Director of Recreation and Community Development. “With Jumpstart’s support to the project, Saskatoon could soon see a sports facility that serves the community in a unique and important way and will offer other benefits like camps and sporting events.” 

Hoist the Hoops is a local initiative spearheaded by Michael Linklater, Marcus Storey and Michael Donauer who saw the need for an outdoor basketball facility to serve as both a sports opportunity and a way to bring community together in Saskatoon’s core neighbourhood.

City Council approved the original concept plan that was presented and agreed to provide other supports to the initiative. Jumpstart then reached out to Hoist the Hoops in the fall of 2021 to see what support they could offer, resulting in the gift-in-kind proposal and a revised concept plan. 

“At Jumpstart, we know that sport and play is about more than getting active, it’s about building stronger individuals, and more inclusive and healthier communities,” says Scott Fraser, President, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. “We are proud to work with our local Canadian Tire Dealers, the City of Saskatoon and the Hoist the Hoops initiative to bring this ambitious project to the River Landing community.”

The revised concept plan includes a full-size International Basketball Federation (FIBA) basketball court, two regulation 3-on-3 courts, lights, a shade shelter and up to six basketball standards with backboards, rims and nets.  

The concept is rooted in the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #90 “To ensure that national sports policies, programs and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples.” Throughout the planning process, a representative from Hoist the Hoops has been in discussions with Elders, Residential School Survivors and community members about the outdoor basketball multi-court facility. These discussions will continue with the community to develop the facility name and other key elements.  

About Jumpstart: Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a national charity committed to ensuring kids in need have equal access to sport and recreation. With an extensive, national network of more than 1,000 grantees and 289 local chapters, Jumpstart helps eligible families cover the costs of registration, transportation and equipment, and provides funding to selected organizations for recreational infrastructure and programming. Supported by Canadian Tire Corporation, Jumpstart has provided more than 2.5 million opportunities for Canadian kids to get in the game since 2005. For more information, visit jumpstart.canadiantire.ca. 

The City is actively monitoring the Omicron variant and the impact on operations and the core services Saskatoon’s residents rely on even as the colour-coded risk level has moved to red-level status. 

In Fall 2021, the City implemented a COVID-19 risk decision-making framework which presents a colour-coded risk level and measures for consideration at each level to City Council for approval near the end of each month that remain in place for the following month. For January 2022, the Council-approved status is yellow [caution]. 

In the interim, the framework is updated weekly to monitor any changes in the primary indicators, but no potential changes are made to the framework until the next Regular Business Meeting of City Council -- or if City Council decides to hold a special meeting. The primary indicators for the current week of January 5th indicate that Saskatoon has entered red-level status.

“We are anticipating and planning for the likelihood that City staff will need to be away from the workplace due to COVID-related illness and self-isolation resulting from the Omicron variant in our community,” says Pamela Goulden-McLeod, Director of Emergency Management Organization. “However, we want to stress to residents that core services are being maintained.”

The City has a number of measures in place to mitigate the potential of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace, including, but not limited to: an Employee Mandatory COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination or Proof of Negative Test Program, the requirement for all staff to complete a Fit For Duty health screening form prior to attending to the workplace, masking and physical distancing protocols, enhanced cleaning, physical barriers, and staff who have been working from home are continuing to do so, with in-person meetings discouraged at this time unless they are critical in nature. 

“These measures have worked to keep our staff safe and services operating throughout previous waves of COVID-19, and we continue to enhance our safety plans and business continuity processes to respond to the fifth wave,” says Goulden-McLeod.

Core City Services

Goulden-McLeod says the core services currently continue: garbage collection remains on schedule; roadways snow clearing is progressing as scheduled; water treatment remains reliable and safe; wastewater processes remain unaffected; City repair and maintenance projects are happening; Saskatoon Light & Power service remains unaffected.

Saskatoon Transit, Leisure Facilities & City Hall Lobby

Saskatoon Transit service is being affected by the cold weather.

Leisure Centres, Indoor Arenas, and City Hall lobby remain open and operating with a focus on staff and customer safety under the current Public Heath Orders and previous direction of City Council. Cancellations and modifications have not been made to Leisure Centre or Indoor Arena programming at this time.

Emergency Services

The Saskatoon Fire Department is not currently experiencing any significant staffing challenges. 

“We continue to watch and plan for any impact of the Omicron variant on staffing levels by reviewing our business continuity plan to ensure that core safety services can continue to operate in the community,” says Morgan Hackl, Saskatoon Fire Chief.

Saskatoon Police Service Deputy Chief Mitch Yuzdepski says community safety measures remain firmly in place.  

“The Saskatoon Police Service has a business continuity plan in place to ensure that there will be no disruption to front-line services. This plan includes folding-in other police units to support frontline resources as required,” says Deputy Chief Yuzdepski.

For the latest information, visit:
saskatoon.ca/covid-19 
saskatoontransit.ca 
saskatoonpolice.ca

Four new research projects that will benefit Saskatoon residents are advancing thanks to Research Junction, an innovative partnership between the City of Saskatoon and University of Saskatchewan (USask). Research Junction awards funding to projects that apply advanced research methods to addressing current issues in our city.

The four new projects, with combined funding of $100,000, include:

Public Safety in Downtown Saskatoon
This project will look at the factors that inform public perception of safety to develop an evidence-based, collaborative response. The response will look at ways to address the public safety issue as well as the root cause(s). Funding: $25,000

USask lead researchers: John Hansen, associate professor of sociology, and Isobel Findlay, professor emerita and co-director of USask’s Community University Institute for Social Research (CUISR)

City leads:  Elisabeth Miller, Senior Planner, Neighborhood Safety, Planning & Development, Community Services Department, and Bill Holden, Senior Planner, Planning and Development Branch, Co-Director of CUISR

Slope Failures Along East Riverbank
This project will apply geophysical methods to monitor the east riverbank of the South Saskatchewan River, where slope failures have occurred. The information gathered is expected to improve the ability to predict regions of slope instability. Funding: $30,000  

USask lead researcher: Sam Butler, professor of geological sciences

City lead: Vanessa Heilman, Geotechnical Engineering Specialist

Strategic Allocation of Business Tax Incentives
A comparison of business tax incentives and subsidies in major Canadian cities and their impacts on local employment, income, and economic growth. The project’s aim is to identify the best ways to encourage investment in Saskatoon in terms of attracting new businesses and promoting expansion for existing firms. Funding: $15,000

USask project leads: Haizhen Mou and Dr. Yang Yang with the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy

City lead: Mike Jordan, Chief Public Policy & Government Relations Officer

Integrating Renewable Energy Through Implementation of Microgrids
This project will look at forming microgrids that connect renewable energy sources with Saskatoon Light & Power’s distribution system. The goal is to identify ways of providing reliable and affordable power that integrates renewable energy sources. Funding: $30,000

USask lead researcher: Xiaodong Liang, associate professor of electrical and computing engineering, and Canada Research Chair in Technology Solutions for Energy Security in Remote, Northern, and Indigenous Communities

City lead: Mehrnoosh Janbakhsh, Senior Project Management Engineer, Saskatoon Light & Power

“I am very excited to see all four of these projects move forward as part of the Research Junction program,” says Mayor Clark. “These projects cover important aspects of the human, economic, environmental, and technological future of our city. I am excited to see the insights and strategies that will be developed by bringing together the best minds at the University and the City.”

The newly announced projects will be carried out between now and spring 2022.

“We see this partnership as a terrific opportunity through the power of research to help collaboratively address challenges we face as a city,” says USask President Peter Stoicheff. “The breadth of our university’s research activities enables us to contribute and have an impact in areas as varied as public safety, renewable energy, riverbank preservation and investment growth.”

The partnership enables researcher access to City resources, data and expertise, and provides City staff with analysis and data to inform decision-making. Projects funded through the Research Junction initiative also create hands-on learning and research opportunities for University of Saskatchewan students and post-doctoral fellows, helping them prepare for future careers.

On January 11, 2021 Saskatoon’s Solid Waste Reduction & Diversion Plan (the Plan) will be presented to the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities, and Corporate Services. This plan provides a detailed picture of the City’s progress on waste diversion and lays out a roadmap for actions needed to achieve the 70% waste diversion target from the Saskatoon Landfill set by City Council in 2015.

“The plan is founded upon local data, community engagement and national best practice.  It considers the significant strides projected for the waste projects - like curbside organics and Recovery Park - that are starting and outlines actions to achieve the remainder of the waste reduction target over the next ten years,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability.

Saskatoon currently sits at 24% waste diversion, while approved programs such as curbside organics (2023), Recovery Park (2023), and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) recycling and organics (2022-2024) are expected to increase the diversion rate to 41–54%.

The Plan, however, looks not only at waste diversion but also to waste reduction. Multi-unit organics, construction & demolition waste diversion, diversion from civic facilities, landfill disposal bans, and single-use items and food waste reduction programs, just to name a few, could position Saskatoon to achieve a 51 – 79% diversion rate. Implementation of the Plan would bring waste management in Saskatoon in line with comparable Canadian municipalities and make Saskatoon a leader in the Prairie Provinces.

“The benefits of the plan’s actions can be looked at from the broader civic, environmental, social and economic perspectives to understand how it contributes to a healthy community,” says South, “while it leads to waste reduction, diversion and improved landfill asset management, implementation of the Plan’s actions also would result in lower greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable and equitable services for residents, and importantly, new economic opportunities.”

The complete Plan, administrative report, fact sheet and future updates can be found at https://www.saskatoon.ca/environmental-initiatives/solid-waste.

At the direction of City Council, City crews will early this month begin a one-time snow removal initiative for secondary paths in parks. 

In an effort to get people to enjoy Saskatoon’s winter and not just endure it, Council asked the Administration to provide a report on the cost and results for a one-time clearing of secondary pathways in City-owned parks.

Following the December 21, 2020 City Council approval, the one-time snow removal began the first week of January and is expected to take approximately a week to complete.

There are 35.4 KM of secondary pathways throughout City parks that have been challenging to use since the November 2020 snowstorm.   Pathways classified as secondary within city-owned parks are unlit park paths surfaced with either asphalt, red shale or crusher dust and have sufficient width to accommodate snow clearing equipment.  These pathways are typically not cleared.  Sections that will not enhance the opportunity to take longer walks through parks will remain uncleared.  The one-time cost is $14,400.

*Corrects bathing information*

The City of Saskatoon is asking citizens to limit their water use effective immediately for essential use only.

Water quality is not affected -- it is safe.

Examples of essential use:

Cooking

Hand washing

Keeping surfaces clean

Washing dishes
 

Examples of Non-essential use:

Bathing

Washing vehicles

Flooding rinks

Several loads of laundry

Due to large amounts of sanding in the river, the primary intake of the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) has been significantly impacted, as a result this is also affecting filtration capacity at the WTP.

The WTP is currently switching to the backup intake on site and making adjustments at the water treatment plant to return them to normal operating conditions.

This change is more effective at lower flow rates and that is why we are requesting residents and business to limit their water use.

We are hopeful we will be able to have the upset conditions resolved in the next six hours. 

The City of Saskatoon will notify residents when full plant capacity resumes.

The City thanks everyone for their patience and cooperation. Questions on the mandatory restrictions can be directed to our 24-hour Customer Care Centre at 306-975-2476.