News Releases

The City and Kahkewistahaw First Nation have cleared a path to designate the First Nation’s land at 1215 Claypool Drive as an urban reserve.

The City will host a special signing ceremony on Tuesday, October 22, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. in Council Chambers for the Kahkewistahaw First Nation Chief and Council, the Mayor and the Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners to come together to formally sign the Agreements and honour the relationship between Kahkewistahaw First Nation and the City. 

At its regularly scheduled meeting on September 30, 2019, City Council approved the Municipal Services and Compatibility Agreement negotiated with Kahkewistahaw First Nation to fulfill the requirement needed for urban reserve designation. 

The agreements address:

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

Decisions on reserve designation are made by the federal government. Once the property is designated as a reserve, it will become the eighth 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 Kahkewistahaw First Nation
Kahkewistahaw First Nation is a member of the Yorkton Tribal Council whose home reserve is located approximately 15 kilometres north of Broadview, Saskatchewan. A signatory of Treaty No. 4, Kahkewistahaw First Nation has 2,020 members.  Approximately 670 members reside on the home reserve and 1,350 members live in other communities throughout the province. 

City Council, at its regular business meeting held on September 30, 2019 opted to maintain the list of acceptable items, minus black plastics and polycoat (e.g. disposable coffee cups), as recommend by the Administration. This decision comes during a wave of uncertainty in the global recycling markets, driven by restrictions imposed by the Chinese Government, falling oil prices, and weak market prices in the plastics market.

“An ideal scenario would have us accepting all recyclable material, but unfortunately that is out of our control,” says Russ Munro, Director of Water & Waste Operations. “Changing markets and higher processing costs are the reality we are facing, but we will continue to be diligent in working with our recycling partners to run an efficient and cost effective recycling program for Saskatoon residents. We believe the decision made by Council to enter into this long term contract will help stabilize us during this time of uncertainty in the recycling market and put us in a more favourable financial position than other prairie cities with similar recycling programs.”

City Council also opted to continue the Glass Recycling Partnership with SARCAN Recycling which would see a greater number of glass bottles being diverted for recycling. Glass will still be collected through the Curbside Program but this additional drop-off option results in less breakage and a greater potential to recycle glass containers.

The current contract for curbside residential recycling services expires on December 31, 2019, and a new contract is required for 2020 and beyond. After a competitive RFP process, the City has entered into negotiations with the highest ranked proponent to finalize an agreement. Details of the 2020 recycling program will be shared when negotiations are complete, including information on service levels, accepted materials, and rates.

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

A Queen’s Bench judge has allowed the owner of a Briarwood home – already slated for demolition – more time to file information and evidence to support the property owner’s request for an interim injunction or delay on the home’s demolition.

An injunction has not been granted.

Rather, Mr. Justice R.W. Elson today, ordered the owner of 166 Beechdale Crescent to bring back a proper application on Friday, October 11, 2019.

While this matter is pending, the City of Saskatoon has been directed not to demolish the property at 166 Beechdale. The City’s demolition is on hold.

The construction equipment, along with perimeter fencing, was already mobilized at 166 Beechdale Crescent; the construction equipment will be removed until the judge makes a decision.

Key Points:

• The owner of 166 Beechdale lives out of Canada and despite the City’s many efforts has not had any contact with the City until now 
• The property has become a serious health and safety hazard to neighbours
• Since March 2019, the City has followed the proper legal process for derelict or deficient properties
• The building may look fine on the outside, but inside it is uninhabitable and beyond a cost-effective repair 
• The property has been abandoned since 2016; as a result, the property suffered a water-filled basement from burst frozen pipes
• Because of the excessive water and moisture, severe mould damage developed throughout the entire home; the entire interior of the home is structurally unsound, again, a safety hazard.
• The demolition does not cost City taxpayers – the demolition cost is added to the property’s taxes or is the owner’s responsibility.

The City of Saskatoon has recovered roughly $400 thousand in funds that in August were directed to a fraudster’s bank account through a fraud scheme. 

City Manager Jeff Jorgenson says the City continues to actively work with law enforcement,  banks, and its legal team to recover the remainder of the stolen money.

“There is an important court hearing taking place this week in Toronto,” Jorgenson says.  “It’s expected there will be further movement on the return of more funds following that hearing. For now, the funds still remain frozen in various bank accounts.”

Jorgenson adds the internal investigation has been completed. An update report will be provided to City Council and the public in October or November 2019.

After discovering the fraud August 12, 2019, the City took quick action and on August 16, 2019, an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered the City funds to be frozen.

The vast majority of the $1.04 million obtained in the fraud scheme that has not been returned to the City has been identified, traced and locked down by the Court.

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

Next week, Saskatoon will host the 2019 Creative City Summit (Summit). From October 1 to 3, municipalities, arts organizations and government agencies will meet in Saskatoon to share ideas, connect and work together to build vital infrastructure for arts and cultural development in Canada. 

The Summit is the annual gathering of the Creative City Network of Canada (CCNC), an organization of municipal staff, organizations and individuals working in communities across Canada on arts, cultural and heritage policy, planning, development and support.  The CCNC exists to connect and educate the people who do this work so they can be more effective in cultural development in their communities. 

“The Creative City Network of Canada has named Saskatoon this year’s ‘Creative City.’ The Summit we will be gathering on First Nation Traditional Land of Treaty 6 and the Homeland of the Métis, and we look forward to learning more about the Indigenous culture of the region,” says Kelly Jerrott, President, Creative City Network of Canada.  “Cultural colleagues from across Canada will be sharing, learning and celebrating the significant role culture has in creating vibrant and healthy communities.”

2019 is the first time the Summit will be hosted in Saskatoon. Hosting a Summit puts the host municipality in the spotlight and raises the profile of the community across Canada by encouraging people to visit and experience the community’s cultural resources. The Summit can also strengthen the support for culture within the community and highlight local achievements.    

“The theme of this year’s Summit, ‘Growing the Creative Cultural Economy for 21st Century Cities,’ is intended to challenge delegates to view cultural assets and resources as powerful municipal economic drivers,” says Kevin Kitchen, the City’s Community Development Manager. “We look forward to learning from other cities and from creative industries on how we can further develop our own creative cultural economy in Saskatoon.” 

For more information on the Summit, visit saskatoon.ca/artsandculture and creativecity.ca. 

The City of Saskatoon, together with Reconciliation Saskatoon is proud to support Orange Shirt Day on September 30. The day aims to raise awareness of the devastating impact of the Indian residential school system on Indigenous people, their families and the social fabric of the community, and supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action #80.

“Our roots got shaken up, pulled up and cut off from our families but we are slowly re-rooting ourselves by reclaiming and re-learning our languages, our ceremonies – these are our sacred sites of resistance,” says Linda Young, a residential school survivor from Onion Lake Cree Nation.

“Speaking our ancestral language, practicing our ceremonies, protecting the Land and Water, is slowly but surely unclogging the blocked arteries to our hearts, giving us new life,” adds Young.

The public is invited to attend any of the following events to mark this day and learn more about the historical legacy of Indian Residential Schools:

Speaker Event – September 26

As a residential school survivor, Linda Young will share her personal story of time spent at St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Indian Residential School. The event is free and takes place at Cosmo Civic Centre Theatre from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Please register in advance.

Free Community Pancake Breakfast – September 30

Hosted by CUMFI, this event aims to honour Indian residential school survivors, Sixties Scoop survivors, Day School, MMIWG and Two-Spirited peoples. It will take place at the Central Urban Metis Federation (CUMFI) Office from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Traditional Ceremonies & Mini Round Dance – September 30

Hosted by survivors and old people circle, the theme for the day is "Every Child Matters". This event will celebrate the children and families at three traditional ceremonies. Events are taking place at White Buffalo Youth Lodge from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

“CUMFI is working with Reconciliation Saskatoon to educate the grass roots community on the impacts of Indian Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop by honouring the Survivors. We invite you all to wear orange on September 30 and to attend our community pancake breakfast,” says Central Urban Metis Federation Inc. President Shirley Isbister, President.

Orange Shirt Day grew out of the story of six-year old Phyllis Webstad who wore an orange shirt on her first day of residential school. It was forcefully removed from her and her story is now a powerful reminder of the inter-generational trauma that has resulted from decades of cultural loss.

Reconciliation Saskatoon is a 98-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 Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Calls to Action.

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

Orange Shirt Day events are made possible through the support of community investors Nutrien, Affinity, Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporate, SIGA, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Community Foundation and the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund.

The University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the City of Saskatoon are partnering on a new program to help solve challenging urban issues through the power of research collaboration.

The new $100,000 cost-shared program—Research Junction—will involve research teams of at least one USask researcher and one City of Saskatoon staff member working together to address community needs around issues that include urban planning, reconciliation, transit, environmental sustainability, and youth issues.

Research Junction is a major initiative under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last year between the City of Saskatoon and USask to explore wide-ranging collaborations.   

“As the City of Saskatoon and the university work together towards a healthy, strong and sustainable future, Research Junction will provide the opportunity for our staff to join with researchers to problem solve and create unique solutions to the issues facing our city,” said Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark. “The result of this collaboration will have tremendous and positive outcomes for our community.” 

The funding—$50,000 from USask and $50,000 from the City of Saskatoon (committed in last year’s city budget)—will be allocated through a grant competition, with a Nov. 1 deadline. It is anticipated that this initial “seed funding” will attract external funding longer term.

“This exciting flagship initiative of our university-city partnership draws on the wealth of knowledge and expertise of our research community to help find locally tailored solutions to pressing City of Saskatoon research needs,” said USask President Peter Stoicheff. “It’s one way that we can give back to our community and be the university the world needs – starting with addressing complex challenges right here in our city.”    

The research questions and projects will be co-developed and each project will either create a new collaborative partnership or broaden the scope of an existing partnership.

Half a dozen grants of $10,000 to $30,000 each will be awarded to projects that support the city’s strategic goals and contribute to making Saskatoon a great place to live, work, learn and play. Projects must be completed within 18 months.

“This program will enable university researchers and city staff to connect on research needs and opportunities in a more co-ordinated way,” said Dan Willems, the city’s Interim Chief of Strategy and Transformation Officer. “We’ve had collaborations for a long time within areas such as engineering research and other issues, but this initiative will enable us to broaden the topics and issues that we work together to help solve. These types of collaborations often unlock creative innovation.” 

Research Junction will provide researchers with access to the city’s resources, data and expertise for research projects, and provide city staff with access to analyses and data to inform decision-making. 

The initiative will also create co-developed experiential learning and research opportunities for USask students and post-doctoral fellows, which could help prepare them for future careers.    

USask donor provides another $98,000 to augment community impact  

In addition, thanks to a $98,000 anonymous donation, USask has launched a related initiative to focus research on community well-being through collaborative community-based research proposals with the City of Saskatoon and other partners. This year, up to $50,000 of this fund will be allocated for collaborative projects related to homelessness.  The deadline for proposals for this Pathways initiative is Nov. 1.

“It is inspiring when donors come forward to help drive social change in our community through the power of research,” said Laura Zink, director of USask Strategic Research Initiatives. “Collaborations between our researchers and city personnel through the Pathways initiative will help find solutions to the many dimensions of homelessness.”

The research collaborations and success stories from Research Junction and the Pathways initiative will be shared on a website: research.usask.ca/research-junction.

To streamline administrative processes, the City of Saskatoon and USask are creating a master research agreement and data licensing agreement.

The Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference is pleased to announce the following key note speakers at this year’s conference: The Honourable Dr. Lillian Dyck, award-winning physician Dr. Alika Lafontaine, Season 7 Amazing Race Winners Dr. James Makokis and Anthony Johnson, University of Alberta Associate Professor Dr. Sean Lessard and University of Winnipeg Assistant Professor Dr. Marc Kuly.

“We are honoured to have such a wonderfully diverse range of speakers at this year’s conference. Our theme this year is particularly meaningful – it is inspired by the late Elder Walter Linklater whose world view teaching of “being a good person and trying to live a good life” continues to guide people on a path to reconciliation,” said Elder Gilbert Kewistep and Indian residential school survivor.

Held on October 16 and 17, the Wîcihitowin (wee-chee-HEE’-toe-win) conference brings together leading experts, community and business leaders, elders and youth to discuss the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and address Indigenous engagement and inclusion issues. 

Early bird tickets are available from wicihitowin.ca until September 15 and include breakfast and lunch on both days. Groups of 10 are available at the early bird pricing.

The 2019 theme for the conference revolves around the number five because of its significant meaning in the lives of thousands of Indigenous people across Canada. It was at this age that many children were removed from their families and sent to live in Indian residential schools, as a way to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture.

Now in its fifth year, the Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference is commemorating these children and is demonstrating respect to the survivors of Indian residential schools, Indian day schools, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the sixties scoop by recognizing that they were, and continue to be, seeds for change.

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 investors Nutrien, Saskatoon Community Foundation and Affinity Credit Union.

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