News Releases

An Ontario Superior Court Justice has today ordered the return of $335 thousand in City money fraudulently obtained in August.  This means the City will recover all $1.04 M that was directed to a fraudster’s bank account in August 2019 through a fraud scheme.

“This is exactly the outcome we have wanted for the past three months,” says City Manager Jeff Jorgenson. “We are grateful to the Court and for the efforts made by many people and organizations to recover this stolen money.”

Mr. Justice Michael A. Penny reserved his decision on November 5. The remaining funds had been the subject of court hearings in Toronto, where three parties claimed they had been unwitting victims of the fraud scheme.

Justice Penny found none of the remaining defendants provided enough evidence to require a trial. He also awarded the City $25 thousand in Court costs.

Each defendant has 30 days to appeal.  Until then the money will be held in trust by the City’s lawyers.

Jorgenson says the City is currently finalizing the costs of the recovery and has already installed tighter accounting measures at City Hall.

“The finance team has worked closely with our internal auditors to implement appropriate controls that are now in place to help ensure that nothing like this happens again.”

Jorgenson anticipates an update report on the full cost of the recovery and findings of the root cause investigation will be provided to City Council before year-end.

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

Following a competitive request for proposal and negotiations process, the City has finalized a new eight-year agreement with Loraas Recycle for Curbside Recycling Services, effective January 1, 2020 through 2027.

“We are happy to continue our partnership with Loraas Recycle to deliver a successful recycling program and to offer the levels of service the City and its residents have come to expect,” says Russ Munro, Director of Water & Waste Operations.

The program will continue to have bi-weekly collection year-round and have the same collection routes and days in 2020. The City will also maintain its contract with Cosmopolitan Industries through 2023.

Because of increased pressures and shifts in the global recycling market, there are changes required to both residential recycling programs that will take effect January 1, 2020, including:

• Removal of black plastics (e.g. takeout containers and disposable coffee cup lids)
• Removal of polycoat* (e.g. paper coffee cups and beverage cups)
• Curbside Residential Recycling rate increase to $7.38 per household per month in 2020 and $7.47 in 2021 pending City Council approval
• Multi-Unit Residential Recycling rate increase to $3.71 per household per month in 2020 and $3.86 in 2021 pending City Council approval

Additional information on these changes can be found in this fact sheet.

As noted, these changes come after much deliberation and are a result of significant changes in global recycling markets, impacting municipal recycling programs across North America. Demand for high-quality material and a decrease in commodity values has lowered profits for the sale of those materials, resulting in lower revenues to offset processing costs. 

“An ideal scenario would have us accepting all recyclable material and maintaining the rates for our residents, but unfortunately the market is dictating otherwise,” says Munro. “That said, the changes we are implementing to our residential recycling programs will help stabilize us during this time of market uncertainty and put us in a better financial position than other prairie cities with similar recycling programs.

“We remain diligent in working with our recycling partners to run an efficient and cost-effective recycling program for the City and its residents.”

The administration will present a report, Additional Information for Curbside Residential Recycling for 2020 and Beyond, to the Standing Policy Committee of Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services on December 2, 2019.

*Tetra Pak containers (e.g. juice boxes, milk cartons, and soup broth containers) are still accepted in the program as they can be recycled through SARCAN Recycling.

City Council is set to deliberate Administration’s proposed 2020/2021 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget on November 25, 26,27, 2019.

The multi-year business plan, operating and capital budget will guide the investments, projects, and service levels the City wants to achieve over the next two years, with an eye to future planning.

To maintain and improve the high quality of life Saskatoon residents enjoy, a significant portion of the proposed 2020/2021 Budget is aimed at investing in core programs and services that reflect the top priorities of Saskatoon residents. Learn more about the proposed 2020/2021 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget.

City Council will make careful investment decisions to ensure:

• property taxes and fees are kept as low as possible for the next two years
• dedicated investments are made in the core services residents rely on every day and consider the most important
• the right investments are made for a sustainable future
• the City’s debt levels and assets are properly maintained

Watch the Your City Video on the City's first two-year budget planning approach. 

The budget deliberation sessions are open to the public and begin at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25, in Council Chambers. 

Members of the public may email using the online form or write a letter to City Council relating to 2020/2021 Budget matters.  Emails/letters must be received before 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 25, 2019.

More details at saskatoon.ca/write-letter-councilcommittees.

A record of Saskatoon’s former residents who fell in military service during the Second World War and in the following years is on display at City Hall.

“We’re so pleased to have this volume and be able to have it where it can be seen by more people,” says City Archivist Jeff O’Brien.  “It joins the First World War Book of Remembrance we already have at the archives and together they form such a vital community historical resource.”

As was the first book, the second volume is a gift to the City from the Military Institute of Saskatoon.

The book contains the names of 345 residents of Saskatoon who died during the Second World War, three killed in the Korean War, seven during peacetime operations and five during the War in Afghanistan.

The latest book was presented to City Council in 2018 and is now part of the permanent collection of the City of Saskatoon Archives.

The Book of Remembrance will be available for viewing until Friday, November 15, 2019.

The City of Saskatoon is awaiting the decision of an Ontario Superior Court Justice on the return of City money fraudulently obtained in August.

The issue was considered in a Toronto courtroom Tuesday, November 5^th. 

“The matter has been heard by the Court and no further actions can be taken on recovery efforts until we know its decision,” says City Manager Jeff Jorgenson. “So we can’t speculate on how long it will take or what the decision will be.”

The City has recovered just over two thirds or nearly $700 thousand of the City’s money that was directed to a fraudster’s bank account in August 2019 through a fraud scheme.

“As we’ve said from the outset, we’re extremely grateful for the efforts made by many people and organizations to recover the stolen money,” Jorgenson says.  “We remain optimistic that the remaining funds that are still frozen in several bank accounts will be returned to the City.”

Jorgenson anticipates an update report on the findings of the root cause investigation will be provided to City Council before year-end.

A fraudster obtained $1.04 million in the scheme, and any money 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.

The following is a statement from Terry Schmidt, General Manager of Transportation and Construction:

"At around 5 a.m. today there was a report of erratic driving involving a City of Saskatoon one ton sanding truck. At this point, there have been no reports of injuries, property damage or theft.

The driver, a City of Saskatoon employee, was detained by Police.

Separate investigations by the City of Saskatoon and Saskatoon Police Service are underway."

Saskatoon has one of the safest water supplies in North America.  The vast majority of Saskatoon neighbourhoods do not have lead line connections.

However, a goal to replace lead pipes that link older homes and businesses to Saskatoon’s main water supply is progressing as planned. In 2017, the City committed to removing all underground pipes containing lead and install lead-free ones within 10 years. The work is being done in conjunction with necessary water main and road upgrades.

“Most recently, water main replacement projects have been underway in Saskatoon’s most established neighbourhoods, such as City Park and Riversdale, where the pipes are more than 100 years old in many cases,” says Angela Gardiner, General Manager of Utilities and Environment.  “Replacements also occur when a water main breaks. The connections from the main water lines into homes and businesses are replaced at the same time.”

Of the 4,900 lead water service connections identified in 2017, over 2500 have already been replaced. The City expects to have all connections replaced by 2026, completing nearly 500 every year.

The City began replacing lead connections in established neighbourhoods in 2010. City Council accelerated the program in 2017.

“When it comes to overall quality, Saskatoon has one of the safest water supplies in the world. Regular test results show lead level content in our drinking water supply is 100 times lower than the Health Canada limit when it enters the water distribution system.”

However, properties within city neighbourhoods built before 1950 may still have lead water service pipes.  In these older neighbourhoods where lead connections remain present in someone’s home, there is a greater possibility that lead can be present in water left stagnant for six hours or more.

Because of this, and every year, the City makes sure every household with a lead connection is made aware of it and ensures owners or residents receive a pamphlet containing information about the accelerated rehabilitation program, how connection replacements are coordinated and what they can do to reduce their exposure to lead. The information is also available online at Saskatoon.ca/lead.

“The most important thing someone can do is flush the water for all least five minutes if it is going to be consumed.  It’s also safe for other uses like washing dishes or watering plants – so it doesn’t have to be wasted,” Gardiner says.

Without the aggressive program now in place, the timeline would have been 90 years.

Focusing on investing in infrastructure, maintaining service levels and supporting future growth, the City today released the 2020/2021 Preliminary Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget.

“We’ve put forward careful investments in high-quality civic services and programs that stretch taxpayer dollars and add value for residents,” says Clae Hack, Interim Chief Financial Officer.  “Citizen input shared with us through our civic services surveys was considered in our proposed budget planning.  Citizen feedback on service priorities helps inform City Council when it makes investment decisions in November.”

While the 2020/2021 Preliminary Budget invests in those civic services most important to residents, it is also guided by the vision and goals outlined in City Council’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan and its 10 Strategic Priority areas of focus.

The 2020/2021 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget deliberations are scheduled for November 25, 26 and 27 in City Council Chambers.

This is the City’s first multi-year budget approach. It will provide greater certainty for residents about future property taxes, give better alignment with the City’s longer-term goals, and improve transparency, financial stability and accountability.

The multi-year budget is built from this foundation, and a four-step process that started with:

• Determining costs to maintain current service levels for the next two years - the original estimate required a 3.94% and 4.17% property tax increase;
• City Council providing a property tax target goal for 2020 and 2021; City Council then directed Administration to bring back options to reduce the proposed property tax increase estimate;​
• Administration providing various options and plans to help achieve City Council’s strategic and property tax goals, effectively lowering the proposed property tax increases to 3.23% for 2020, and 3.54% for 2021; and​ 
• ​Incorporating corporate business plans into the proposed 2020 and 2021 multi-year budget document, including six property tax-reducing options.

“City Council will consider additional operating budget options aimed at helping to accelerate its top priority areas of focus in November,” Hack says.

With the above considerations, the 2020 and 2021 Operating Budget proposes total expenditures of $530.0 million and $548.3 million respectively.  This is an investment increase of $19.6 million, or 3.84%, in 2020; and $18.4 million, or 3.47%, in 2021.

With a commitment to improving safety in Saskatoon, Policing represents the largest portion of the City’s operating expenditures at approximately 21%, or $109.6 million, in 2020; and $114.0 million in 2021.  All other civic operations make up the rest of the operating budget, with $420.4 million in 2020 and $434.4 million in 2021.

The proposed 2020/2021 Capital Budget aims to prepare Saskatoon for future growth, improve mobility, enhance public safety and quality of life, and protect the environment. Investments of $390.8 million in 2020 and $293.5 million in 2021 will provide a continued focus on road and infrastructure enhancements, transit improvements, and expanded water and wastewater distribution systems.

The proposed municipal property tax increase is 3.23% in 2020, and 3.54% for 2021.  These increases would generate an additional $7.9 million in 2020 and $8.7 million in 2021.  In 2020, 1.0% of property tax is equivalent to $2.4 million, and $2.5 million in 2021.

For a homeowner who owns a single-family detached home with an average assessed value of $371,000, this amounts to $60.95 for 2020, or $5.08 a month, and $66.83 for 2021, or an additional $5.57 month.

Learn more about the investments the City proposes in services, programs and projects valued by citizens, and those that will ensure Saskatoon stays a great place to live, work, learn and play through the detailed 2020/2021 Preliminary Business Plan and Budget at saskatoon.ca/budget

For the safety and protection of residents and homeowners on the east riverbank, new regulations are being proposed to support continued development of riverbank areas.  The City has identified two zones on the east bank with existing ground conditions that may experience slope instability to be regulated on a go-forward basis.  

“The regulations provide options for owners to continue development within the area while maintaining, to the extent possible, the integrity of the riverbank,” says Kara Fagnou, Director of Building Standards.  “Meanwhile the City continues to monitor the east and west riverbank slopes for slope instability.”  

Fagnou says historical studies, recent geological assessments and a review of slope management practices from across Canada have been used to develop the proposed regulations. The regulations she says are intended to provide consistency and a clear process to support development in the two zones. 

The proposed regulations are outlined in an Administration report to the Municipal Planning Commission which meets today, Tuesday, October 29.  The regulations provide a clear process for the development of new structures, changes to existing structures and site work.  Examples of development are minor projects such as decks and garages, and major projects including houses, retaining walls, and swimming pools.   

Owners will be required to hire a geotechnical engineer to prepare a geotechnical report to support their building and development permit application. Geotechnical reports are already required for subdividing and rezoning property on the east riverbank and the proposed regulations will help to make requirements consistent throughout the area.

Owners will need to review the recommendations with their geotechnical expert, including costs of development, to understand the impacts of developing their property both for themselves and for the surrounding area.  

Following the Municipal Planning Commission meeting the regulations are expected to proceed to the Public Hearing meeting of City Council on November 18.

A map of the Riverbank Slope Overlay District can be viewed here.