News Releases

Saskatoon’s Green Infrastructure Strategy (Strategy), which forms the vision, actions, initiatives and mapping for Saskatoon’s Green Network is now complete.

Green infrastructure creates a network of natural, enhanced, and engineered assets that protect, restore or enhance green space.  Saskatoon’s green spaces are under pressure from urban growth and increasing stress from climate-related impacts such as invasive pests, flooding, heat and drought.  When the quality of green space diminishes, ecosystem services such as fresh water, storm protection and air quality are at risk.

“As Saskatoon continues to grow and our climate changes, we must look to strengthen the Green Network by improving the condition of our green spaces, partnering with the community, and nurturing relationships between people and nature,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “This Strategy outlines how, by integrating Green Infrastructure into the system of urban fabric and creating a comprehensive green network, Saskatoon can better provide resilient municipal and ecosystem services and high quality environments to live, work, learn and play.”

Through research, engagement, and analysis of the findings, the Strategy proposes a series of 15 actions, each with associated tasks for implementation. The next step for Saskatoon is the development of a Green Infrastructure Program to carry out the actions presented in the Strategy, including:

• Preparation of education material to promote understanding of the Green Network, including biodiversity and urban agriculture
• Collaboration with Meewasin to coordinate with their programs
• Review opportunities for community grants and incentives for green projects
• Green space management planning and engagement

The Green Infrastructure Strategy supports the Strategic Goals of Asset & Financial Sustainability, Quality of Life, Environmental Leadership, and Sustainable Growth. 

For a complete list of the 15 Strategy actions, to read the Strategy, or learn more about Saskatoon’s Green Network, please visit: saskatoon.ca/greeninfrastructure.

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

“We’re pleased and excited to receive our ‘AAA’ rating today,” says Kerry Tarasoff, Chief Financial Officer. “This year’s introduction of the City’s first Multi-Year Business Plan & Budget Planning process has supported our fiscal transparency, and our ongoing commitment to improve our financial management practices as we plan for Saskatoon’s future.”

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

Key points within the February 4, 2020 S&P Ratings Direct® Report are:

• The City’s management team is described as “experienced and qualified to effectively enact fiscal policies and respond to external risks.”
• “Management accountability is strong and financial policies are prudent.”
• The City’s has a “lengthy track record of passing budgets before the start of the fiscal year with minimal variations from budgeted revenues.”
• With “exceptional levels of liquidity, (the City’s) debt burden is expected to remain around current low levels of just under 40% of consolidated revenues.”
• Saskatoon’s strong economy has supported “budgetary balances leading to large operating surpluses more than sufficient to fund (the City’s) capital agenda.”

“Maintaining the City’s ‘AAA’ rating is important as it supports our confidence in our budgetary decisions for Saskatoon’s bright future with continued and steady growth,” Tarasoff says. “We remain confident in our ability to minimize debt as we undertake long-term planning for infrastructure to support our great quality of life in Saskatoon.”

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

Approximately 400 properties in the Sutherland neighbourhood experienced a water outage and lower water pressure in the evening of February 3, following an issue with the primary water main on 102nd Street W at O’Neil Crescent. These properties are on a Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory issued by the Water Security Agency and Saskatchewan Health Authority and should boil their water until notified.

There were two separate water main breaks that caused the water distribution system in the area to depressurize. The water main breaks occurred on 102nd Street W at O’Neil Crescent, and Packham Avenue affecting approximately 400 properties south of 108th Street W. 

The water was restored to all properties; however, there could be some localized water outages as crews tackle the repair to the individual water main breaks.

“We thank everyone for their patience as we work as quickly as possible to restore water service,” says Trent Schmidt, Acting Director of Water & Waste Operations. “This is the time of year when the frost is gets closer to the depth of our water pipes and we can notice an increase in breaks, unfortunately.”

Crews are flushing out the water system this morning, which could carry into tomorrow due to the size of the area affected. Following flushing, water testing can take another 48-72 hours to confirm the drinking water quality is achieved. Affected properties will receive a green Drinking Water Advisory Lifted Notice when the water quality tests confirm it is safe to drink.

Properties affected are reminded to review the white letter from the Water Security Agency and Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the yellow door hanger from the City delivered to their front door for instructions. Learn more at saskatoon.ca/drinkingwater.

City and CUPE Local 59 reach tentative contract deal

The Bargaining Committees for the City of Saskatoon and CUPE Local 59 reached a tentative agreement on January 24, 2020.

The term of the tentative deal is for four and one-half years expiring on June 30, 2023. Details of the settlement will be released upon ratification by both parties.

The ratification process will begin the first week in February.

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

Following the direction of City Council, negotiations on possible locations for a new Downtown Event and Entertainment District continue to move forward.

“As one of the most significant projects the City is likely to undertake in the next decade, we are investing significant efforts to ensure pre-planning and site analysis is thoroughly completed,” says Dan Willems, Director of Technical Services.

"This file is extremely active and we are currently working with landowners and key stakeholders,” says Willems.

An Information Report will be presented to City Council at its meeting on Monday, January 27, 2020. In the report, Administration provides an update on the site selection process for a Downtown Event and Entertainment District, which includes:

• Researching best practices and reviewing the experience of other cities in developing comparable downtown event entertainment districts;

• Engaging the services of two external advisory firms with experience in the development of arena/convention centre/entertainment districts to gain insight into aspects such as site design, patron access, site access (loading/unloading, etc.) and other technical considerations that will influence the feasibility of potential sites; and,

• Negotiating with owners of potential private sites, in addition to assessing all potential sites on City-owned property. 

As negotiations have progressed, it has become evident that additional time will be required to sort out the necessary details to secure land and achieve an agreeable outcome for all parties before public communications on the potential sites can occur.

Once negotiations with private site owners have progressed further, Administration will report back to City Council on the preferred site options and recommended public engagement strategy.

“The public will be able to provide input on all sites that were considered reasonable options before Council is asked to formally approve a preferred location for a future event and entertainment district,” Willems says.

Information will be available on saskatoon.ca later in the year with details on how the public can get involved.

The City of Saskatoon Corridor Transformation Plan aims to re-imagine the major transportation corridors that currently serve to move traffic from one place to another and turn them into vibrant, connected neighbourhoods that fit holistically into the city of the future. The Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services will be presented the Corridor Transformation Plan on January 14, 2020.

“The Corridor Planning Program (CPP) is a key component of The Growth Plan to Half a Million,” says Chris Schulz, Special Project Manager for the Plan for Growth. “It is intended to provide a mechanism that allows us to balance future outward growth of the City with infill development.” A map of the corridor planning area is attached.

The Corridor Planning Program, along with other Growth Plan components like the Transit Plan and Brownfield Renewal, aims to help ensure that future growth and development in Saskatoon occurs in a sustainable and livable way. “The Corridor Transformation Plan is meant to assist us in creating transit-friendly and walkable areas where people can live, work, learn, and play,” says Schulz. “The Plan provides a vision and guidelines that will set the stage for turning busy roads like 8^th Street into animated places where people want to stay.”

The Transit Villages Plan, a part of the corridor program that looks at specific transit hubs, will also be presented at the January 14^th Planning, Development, and Community Services meeting.

Report information, including technical recommendations, is available on the City of Saskatoon website at saskatoon.ca/corridor-planning. The official agenda for the Committee meeting, including supporting documents, can be found at saskatoon.ca/city-hall.

On January 13, the Administration will present options for requirements for recycling and organics for the Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) sector to the Standing Policy Committee of Environment, Utilities, and Corporate Services. The Administration is recommending that the ICI sector be required to have separate containers for garbage and recycling and, if food or yard waste is generated as part of operations, a separate container for organics. Implementing this approach will involve an amendment to the Waste Bylaw (No. 8310).

“A more comprehensive organics and recycling program is critical to achieving our waste diversion goals and extending the life of our landfill,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “This cannot fall only on residents; Saskatoon businesses and organizations must participate when it comes to waste diversion and environmental leadership.”

The ICI sector generates 68% of all garbage sent to Saskatoon and area landfills, with approximately 45% (75,800 tonnes) representing recyclables or organics that could be diverted.

“24% of what is landfilled by the City is from the ICI sector, which represents a significant diversion opportunity that can’t be ignored,” adds South.

Option 1, being recommended by the Administration comes with the following requirements from members of the ICI sector:

• Separate and labelled containers for recycling and garbage
• A separate container for organics if food or yard waste is generated as part of operations
• Education on how to properly sort and store materials for employees and tenants
• Ensuring removal and proper disposal of waste

To support this priority, the Administration engaged with 870 participants from businesses and organizations through workshops, online surveys, and face-to-face meetings.

The 2019 ICI Waste and Recycling Survey and the 2019 Waste and Recycling Survey (residential) revealed high levels of support from residents, businesses and organizations for the implementation of recycling and organics requirements for the ICI sector.

 “The recommended option comes at a lower cost than the others, and has been successfully implemented in other municipalities,” says South. “It will give us the best chance of meeting residents’ expectations of the ICI sector and achieving our waste diversion goals.”

Option 1 was the most preferred mandatory approach by stakeholders. The Waste Diversion Options Fact Sheet provides a more detailed comparison of the options presented.

The Admin Report and all attachments can be found here.

For more information, please visit saskatoon.ca/yxetalkstrash or saskatoon.ca/wastediversion.

No defendant has filed an appeal in the Ontario case involving $1.04 M in stolen City funds directed to a fraudster’s bank account in August. 

“All the money stolen in the fraud scheme is now back in the City’s hands,” says Acting City Solicitor Christine Bogad.  “The passing of this deadline brings the case to a close.”

Last month an Ontario Superior Court Justice ordered the return of $345 thousand in City money fraudulently obtained in August. The majority of the stolen money had already been returned. 

The remaining $345 thousand had been the subject of court hearings in Toronto where three parties claimed they had been unwitting victims of the fraud scheme.

Justice Michael A. Penny found none of the remaining defendants provided enough evidence to require a trial.

Each defendant had a 30 day window to appeal, which closed yesterday.

View related news releases on this matter on saskatoon.ca.

*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.

NEW

MCORMOND DR EB & WB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED FROM WANUSKEWIN RD TO CENTRAL AVE
(Streetlight repairs)
Start: December 24, 9:30 a.m. End: December 24, 1:30 p.m.


ONGOING

TAYLOR ST E ROAD CLOSED FROM LANSDOWNE AVE TO ALBERT AVE
(Valve replacement)
Start: December 23, 8:00 a.m. End: December 24, 5:00 p.m.

CENTRAL AVE NB RIGHT TURN LANE CLOSED FROM KONIHOWSKI RD TO GARVIE RD
(Water main & roadway construction)
Start: December 12, 8:00 a.m. End: December 24, 5:00 p.m.
 

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.