News Releases

The Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation has been rescheduled for September 30, following the cancellation on June 21 due to extreme weather. The event will take place on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) between 10:00 and 11:30 a.m. The walk will begin at Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. (CUMFI) and end at the “Where our Paths Cross” Reconciliation Circle art installation in Victoria Park (across the road from 422 Spadina Cres W).

“The significance of a walk can be attributed to the Sunday walks in residential schools; this was often the only time when siblings and cousins of different genders might be reunited,” says Judy Pelly, a Residential School Survivor and member of the Rock Your Roots Walk organizing committee. “It’s meaningful to see Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples come together in this way.”

Rock Your Roots is put on by Reconciliation Saskatoon, which the City of Saskatoon co-chairs along with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner. The event, which has seen attendance in the thousands in past years, was first held in 2016. The intent of this event is to answer the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action by demonstrating a commitment to Reconciliation, honouring Residential School Survivors, and continuing work towards an inclusive community.

“This walk is an opportunity to learn about and honour First Nation and Métis residential school survivors,” says Shirley Isbister, President of Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. (CUMFI). “It’s an inclusive event that welcomes everyone to come out and participate. We look forward to being together.”

Individuals of all ages are invited to attend—alone or as part of a group. Workplaces and other organizations are encouraged to send a team and invited to come outfitted with banners showcasing their organization’s support for Reconciliation. Many schools will be closed for the day in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation which presents an opportunity for parents to bring their children and partake in this powerful Reconciliation event together. Cultural performers will 'rock their roots' to start and end the walk, sharing their culture and showcasing Saskatoon's incredible diversity.

“Rock Your Roots is an opportunity to bring our community together to understand and be educated on residential schools and how they have negatively impacted Indigenous peoples,” says Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand. “This walk is a symbol of Reconciliation and a commitment to change for the better, so that all people can have a good quality of life.”

“Rock Your Roots represents an acknowledgment of the multi-generational impacts of residential schools and a commitment to Reconciliation,” says Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark. “It’s a public demonstration of support for residential school attendees and those lost. It’s a promise to work towards a future that affords every member of our community equal opportunity.”

This event is open to all and there is no charge for participating. Walk participants are invited to wear their cultural dress or symbols, an EveryChildMatters shirt, or any other orange shirt. For the latest event information, follow the Rock Your Roots Facebook Event.

Members of City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Finance will review options for setting the indicative rate for the 2022 and 2023 budget at a special meeting on August 31 at 1 p.m.

At the June 21, 2021, Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) meeting, members asked for a deferral to set the indicative rates for 2022 and 2023 to a later date, in order to further explore options to address the property tax pressure residents and businesses face in this unprecedented year, and to recognize the funds required to maintain quality services and address strategic priorities of City Council.

Setting the indicative rate is not to finalize the property tax rates. It is the starting point in the budget building process and for 2022 and 2023, whereby the estimated rates presented are for a status quo budget. The estimated property tax rates presented at the June 21 GPC meeting of 5.96% in 2022 and 5.42% in 2023 are the rates required to keep all City services and service levels the same as what residents have been receiving. 

Input from residents and the business community is being welcomed as part of this review of the proposed indicative rates. Those wishing to participate or share their input on the 2022 and 2023 indicative rate may submit their intent in the following ways:

• Online through the Submit a Letter/Request to Speak to Council and Committees form
• By post or in person to: Office of the City Clerk, 222 - 3rd Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 0J5
• By fax to 306-975-2784

Interested residents and businesses are encouraged to contact the City Clerk's Office at 306-975-3240 to clarify the requirements for sharing input at this Special Meeting.

The indicative rate guides the Administration in preparing the multi-year budget to allocate resources to the services, programs and initiatives within Council’s priority areas outlined in its 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, which will be released in early fall. 

Visit saskatoon.ca/budget for more information on the City’s 2022/2023 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget process.

On Monday, August 23, the Administration will present two information reports to the Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC). This is in response to the requests made by GPC at its June 21 meeting, that the Administration report back on the following:

• Implications for the funding and operations of waste programs, including the organics program, if funding for the organics program moved to a utility model.
• The option to outsource collections with an affordability threshold, including triple bottom line analysis, that reflects as many factors as possible to ensure that we achieve the best overall organics collection with price and service.

“We are thoroughly assessing all options as we implement this new service for residents, both financially and operationally, but also with our sustainability commitments in mind,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water and Waste Operations. “We welcome the opportunity to conduct further review, where necessary, and provide City Council with the information required to ensure the success of this program. After an unprecedented and challenging year, it is important that we ensure the decisions made in 2019 reflect and compliment the environment we are in today.”

The City established a contract with Green Prairie Environmental Ltd. in August 2020 to manage organics processing, while a decision on collections has yet to be made. The city-wide curbside residential organics program is expected to launch in spring 2023.

Administrative Reports & Attachments:

• Curbside Organics Collection: Affordability Threshold and Triple Bottom Line Approach to Tendering Collections
• Solid Waste Program Funding Models: Implications and Considerations for Change

Progress updates and a decision history can be found at saskatoon.ca/curbsideorganics.

The City of Saskatoon (City) and the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have developed a Climate Commitment and Call to Action with an aim to speed up the transition to a green community.

To formalize this pledge—which progresses the goals of a first-of-its-kind 2017 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between a Canadian university and municipality—the Climate Commitment and Call to Action has been presented to the City’s Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services (EUCS) on Monday morning, Aug. 9, 2021.

“There are many co-benefits that can result from this strong partnership and project collaboration. The City, USask, Saskatoon residents and students can expect to benefit from lowered emissions and pollution and environmental protection which make the world around us healthier,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “Equity and reconciliation are top priorities throughout this commitment, thus we also expect to see improvements in our relationships and quality of life.”

While both the City and USask have their own climate action plans, this additional commitment will provide common ground between the institution and municipality in order to make way for easier collaboration.

“We are excited to be taking this important step to further develop our relationship with the City on this urgent and accelerating policy challenge,” says Julian Demkiw, Senior Strategist for USask.

If approved by City Council, the first steps will involve sharing information on climate baselines and expanding student engagement. Further work will explore collaboration opportunities around equitable climate action on topics such as energy efficiency and biodiversity conservation.

Visit research.usask.ca/research-junction for more information on collaborations between the City of Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan.

In early March, the animal care staff observed Malcolm having difficulty walking and jumping. A physical exam was performed and arthritis was seen in his joints. Veterinarians had been treating his symptoms with medication to help ease the pain; however, this week his well-being declined significantly and the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him.

Malcom, who was considered geriatric, arrived at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo in 2009 and made his permanent home at the Nutrien Ark.

“Malcolm was an amazing ambassador for his species,” said Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “In his 12 years at the Zoo, many people had the opportunity to learn more about cougars and we know everyone who had a chance to see him, cared about him as much as we did”.

Cougars have a life expectancy of 9-13 years and range from the north Yukon down to the Andes Mountains in South America. They are classified as Least Concern on the endangered species list but are considered endangered in several provinces in Canada.

The City of Saskatoon has a responsibility to provide clean drinking water to a growing population through an efficient and reliable water treatment and distribution system. Since it was established in 1906, Saskatoon’s Water Treatment Plant has been expanded to a treatment capacity of 250 million litres per day (MLD). The plant, along with reservoirs and pump stations, serve the city and several surrounding municipal and rural customers.

“We will continue to utilize and upgrade our current Water Treatment Plant and infrastructure for years to come, but we need to begin planning the development of a second plant to increase treatment capacity,” says Pamela Hamoline, Interim Director of Saskatoon Water. “A second plant would eventually bring our total treatment capacity to 450 ML per day, which is necessary for an expected population of 500,000 in the coming years.”

On Monday, the Water Treatment Long Term Capital Strategy will go before the City’s Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services. The report highlights the current and future steps needed to increase treatment capacity.

“Despite many successful water conservation efforts, as well as maintenance and upgrades over the years, it is unrealistic to depend on our 116-year-old Water Treatment Plant to keep up with future demand,” says Hamoline.

Hamoline says an internal Decision Quality Team is committed to ensuring the alignment of the City’s Strategic Goals in determining a treatment plant expansion strategy, including the goal of Environmental Leadership to reduce the City’s environmental footprint and promoting responsible use of resources.

“The team still has a lot of work to do and is currently exploring funding strategies so it can report the findings to City Council. That work will include looking into opportunities and partnerships with Federal and Provincial funding programs.”

The City has a draft Engagement Plan in the works as well, focusing on identifying major stakeholders and opportunities for proactive public communication.

For more information about the Water Treatment Plant, history, distribution system, and treatment process, visit saskatoon.ca/water.

With the concept and site design approved by City Council, construction is in full swing on Recovery Park. The facility, next to the landfill, will be Saskatoon’s one-stop point for easy, efficient, and cost-effective waste diversion.

“This project has been years in the making so it’s great to be at the stage where work is now happening on the site,” says Bryan Zerebeski, Senior Project Management Engineer, Technical Services. “The site has been cleaned up and cleared and soon we’ll get started on new weigh scales and new administrative and equipment storage buildings. The site will be landscaped and when Recovery Park opens in 2023, Saskatoon will experience a very easy and well-organized facility for waste and recycling.”

A new road into the Recovery Park site has already been built and will open on August 9, 2021. Visitors will still access the landfill off Valley Road but will be directed onto the new road while the existing one is decommissioned.

Recovery Park was designed to improve recycling options at the landfill and provide space to develop future diversion opportunities. The materials being considered for acceptance include:

• mixed metals
• appliances
• construction and demolition waste
• rigid plastics
• household hazardous waste
• bicycles
• used oil and antifreeze
• elm wood

Right now, the City diverts 24 per cent of its garbage from the landfill. With Recovery Park, curbside organics and the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Regulation all launching in 2023, the waste diversion rate is projected to increase to 41-54 per cent.

Under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, the Government of Canada will fund up to $7.8 million toward the Recovery Park project and the Government of Saskatchewan will contribute up to $6,499,350. The City of Saskatoon will fund the remainder of the $37.5 million project and any additional costs.

For more information on Recovery Park and to see the facility layout, visit saskatoon.ca/recoverypark. 

Residents of Saskatoon will soon be able to request public transit service using the Saskatoon Transit OnDemand app from designated stops to the nearest transit hub and vice-versa. The OnDemand Transit (ODT) service will connect the new neighbourhoods of Brighton/Rosewood, North Kensington and Blairmore with fixed route service, to fill service gaps in those areas.

“This is all about service,” says Tracey Davis, Interim Director, Saskatoon Transit.

“We want to provide people with as much flexibility as possible - especially in developing neighbourhoods where full public transit options don’t yet exist. Our OnDemand Transit service is just the thing to meet this challenge head on.”

The new ODT service will begin August 2 and will be fully integrated with the current fixed-route transit system. OnDemand will also be available in Transit, Saskatoon Transit’s all-in-one app to plan, track and pay for rides. Thanks to this integration, riders can, for the first-time plan trips that combine Saskatoon's OnDemand and fixed-route services. Passengers can plan a trip in Transit to their destination using a combination of OnDemand and fixed-route service, then link directly to the Saskatoon OnDemand app to request their ride. Trips can be requested in multiple ways: the Saskatoon Transit OnDemand mobile app, website, or phone (306-975-3100).

To make this all work in a coordinated effort is new AI technology paired with an app that allows trips to be booked in real time, or up to two weeks before riding. Spots can also be reserved for wheelchairs and bikes.

“The software is brilliant,” says Davis. “We’re able to connect buses directly to our customers when they need it, and to route the bus efficiently from rider pickup to drop-off.”

The new service to launch August 2, 2022, will connect Brighton/Rosewood, North Kensington and Blairmore to transit hubs Monday to Friday, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.