News Releases

The Governance & Priorities Committee (GPC), at its June 17, 2019 meeting, resolved that the Administration bring back options for a municipal property tax target of less than the 3.94% for 2020 and 4.17% for 2021. The property tax targets presented at the June meeting would maintain existing services, correct the Waste Service budget shortfall, and begin the funding phase-in for a city-wide organics program.

The City’s Administration is proposing several options to reduce the municipal property tax targets for 2020 and 2021, based on:

• the ability to implement;
• having a positive impact on the mill rate; and
• not having a significant long term negative impact to service levels.

“At the July 29 City Council meeting, the Administration will present a number of options to help reduce the property tax in 2020 and 2021. These options will include opportunities to phase-in funding over a longer period, defer certain initiatives or take on slightly increased risk within the budget,” says Jeff Jorgenson, City Manager. “Setting these early property tax targets gives City Council an opportunity to start to plan for the priorities it wants to invest in at our first Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget Deliberation this November.”

City Council will be presented with nine options to consider, each aimed at reducing the property tax target increases earlier directed by GPC.

It is important to note that there have been some changes to the Administration’s original assumptions, including new SaskPower electricity rate information which negatively impacts taxes, which is partially offset by a lower budget estimate from the Saskatoon Police Service.  The net result of these changes is a negative impact of $455,600 to the City’s previously presented forecast equivalent to a 0.19% property tax increase.  However, as the Administration continues to work through finalizing the 2020/ 2021 Business Plan and Budget, every effort will be made to offset this impact.

“There will likely be other minor adjustments to the property tax estimates for 2020 and 2021 as more information becomes available, for example, as the Boards of the City’s Controlled Corporations and the Board of Police Commissioners finalize their budgets, and as more becomes known about federal pollution rebates,” adds Jorgenson. “The Administration will release its preliminary Multi-Year Budget in October 2019.”

Administration is recommending the following options to City Council, which provide a starting point for consideration: 

• Option 2 – implement a subsidized fee for civic services associated with special events;
• Option 4 – utilize Multi-Material Stewardship Western funding towards the Waste deficit;
• Option 6 – phase-in the Remai Civic Buildings Comprehensive Maintenance Reserve requirement over a longer period;
• Option 7 – defer the Recovery Park funding phase-in until 2023; and
• Option 8 – adjust the Major Transportation Funding/Bus Rapid Transit funding plan.

The Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget will provide greater certainty for residents about the future direction of property taxes, better alignment of the City’s longer-term goals, and improved financial stability, transparency and accountability.

City Council will set the final budget and associated municipal property tax rate through the 2020/2021 Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget Deliberations at the end of November 2019.

For more information on the City’s multi-year budget, visit saskatoon.ca/budget.

The City of Saskatoon's 2018 Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2018, is now available online.

The 2018 Annual Report provides an overview of:

• The City’s Audited Consolidated Financial Statements;
• Financial Discussion & Analysis of the City’s financial performance and forecasts;
• Updates on Major Projects and Initiatives by Business Line;
• Financial and statistical information about the City and related entities; and
• Updated Performance Measures.

Visit saskatoon.ca.

After travelling over 14,000 kilometers from Australia, the newest members of the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) have arrived and are getting ready to settle into their new permanent home.

“The addition of the dingoes provides a great opportunity for us to bring some exciting new animals to Saskatoon, allowing visitors of all ages to meet dingoes, most likely for the first time.  This is a great way to enhance our conservation, research and education opportunities at the Zoo,” says Tim Sinclair-Smith, Zoo Manager.

The Zoo has teamed up with the Australian Dingo Foundation and the Oakvale Wildlife Park in Australia to bring these animals to Saskatoon for the first time.

“The Dingo has kept the fragile balance of biodiversity unseen and unsung for around 16,000 years,” says Lyn Watson, Founder of the Australian Dingo Foundation.  “We are so heartened after a lifetime of work with them, to know that Canadians will now be able to observe Canis dingo in live form at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo.”

The dingoes will be taking over the previous wolf enclosure at the Zoo once they complete a 30-day Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA) quarantine.  The new exhibit is set to officially open to the public on Friday, August 9, 2019.

The Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until August 18, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting August 19.  Additional information regarding the Zoo can be found at saskatoon.ca/zoo.

The City of Saskatoon is resurfacing several high traffic roadways this summer. Resurfacing helps the roads last longer, improves drainage, and makes surfaces look brand new.

“Resurfacing is a road restoration technique in which a new layer of asphalt is laid over the existing road surface,” says Tim Bushman, Engineering Manager, Construction & Design. “Roads are preserved without having to do a full replacement.”

2019 resurfacing locations include:

• Circle Drive and Millar Avenue intersection
• Circle Drive east bound lanes from Millar Avenue to the Circle Drive North Bridge
• College Drive west bound lanes from Highway 41 to the CP Rail overpass
• Idylwyld Drive north bound lanes from 25^th Street to 31^st Street
• Preston Avenue north bound lanes from Taylor Street to 8^th Street
• 33^rd Street from Confederation Drive to Junor Avenue
• Taylor Street from Boychuk Drive to Brudell Road

Crews will work at night at locations where the noise won’t be disruptive to residents.

“We understand construction and the delays and detours that sometimes occur can be an inconvenience, but we do our best to avoid a lot of work in one area at the same time,” says Bushman. “To see where significant 2019 road construction projects are happening and when, residents can keep an eye on the Daily Road Report at Saskatoon.ca.”

City Council has invested over $61 million in 2019 for rehabilitation, maintenance and operations to make more Saskatoon streets, bridges and sidewalks, smoother, safer and longer-lasting.  

We appreciate everyone’s patience during construction. We know it can be a real ‘pain in the asphalt.’ 

The City has lowered flags in civic facilities in honour of Saskatchewan’s 22^nd Lieutenant-Governor, W. Thomas Molloy, who passed away on July 2 following a battle with cancer.

“I had the real privilege of sharing many meals and stages with Lieutenant-Governor Tom Molloy over the last several months,” said Mayor Clark. “He used every speech as a chance to enlighten, to challenge, and to bring us together, to be stronger as a province. He did this throughout his career, right across the country. I thank him for always working to bring out the best in us.”

Flags in civic facilities will fly at half-mast until sunset on the day of Lieutenant-Governor Molloy’s funeral. For members of the public who wish to express their condolences, a condolence book will be available in the lobby of City Hall during regular business hours.

The City of Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Police Service remind drivers to slow down when passing work zones and obey posted signs. To reduce speeding in work zones, City crews will start using temporary speed signs slowing people to 30 km/hr within the work zone on some roads where the speed limit is normally 50 km/hr.

“Even with bright clothing, barricades and signs, drivers continue to risk the lives of our road workers when they drive into equipment, between signs, and speed past without care and attention,” said General Manager Angela Gardiner. “By identifying and posting a temporary speed, it makes the expectation to slow down pretty clear.”

Hundreds of men and women work hard every day to provide Saskatoon residents with services that matter: from drinking water and sewer services, to smooth roads, clean and maintained parks and utility services. But at what cost? Too many drivers continue to ignore work zone signs and put lives at risk.

“It’s not only the law, but the responsibility of every driver to obey work zone signs,” said Saskatoon Police Service Traffic Unit Staff Sergeant Patrick Barbar. “The Traffic Unit will be patrolling work zones, reminding people to slow down, and charging drivers who insist on putting lives in danger by speeding.”

The new 30 km/hr construction zone signs will be rolled out over the next few months for City crews working on local streets. Regardless of whether a temporary speed sign is posted, drivers can be fined by Police for speeding or entering a work zone. Police have asked City workers to report these incidents.

The City’s annual Respect Work Zones public awareness campaign started today, in partnership with the Saskatoon Police Service, stressing that drivers must slow down in a work zone and obey signs. Advertisements include testimonials from real workers talking about their close calls s with drivers in City work zones.

Learn more at saskatoon.ca/respectworkzones.ca.

City Council has directed the Administration not to accelerate the Solair Neighbourhood project into the Holmwood Suburban Development Area.

Currently the proposed development lands are mostly outside Saskatoon City Limits and not in the development stream for any immediate city development.

Angela Gardiner, General Manager of Transportation and Construction, says the Civic Administration works hard to support developers and to create a business-friendly community.

“We completely respect and appreciate the goals of such a business and these companies need to make money on their developments; however, that cannot be done on the backs of taxpayers, or at the expense of other developers,” Gardiner says.  “We have an obligation to ensure Saskatoon develops in a fair and predictable manner for all developers.

“We also need to make sure the multi-million-dollar underground services – water, sewer, storm water, power, and communications – work properly and are constructed in a cost-effective way.”

Arbutus Properties has proposed a development of lands that are outside city limits southeast of Saskatoon that it says could be a future neighborhood.

The proposal has concepts that support many of the City’s environmental and development goals, but the civic Administration suggests the developer try a different approach.

“We would be very interested to see Arbutus implement some of the eco-friendly concepts it has proposed within the extensive undeveloped lands they own in Rosewood.”

Gardiner says there are multiple billion-dollar private developments already underway in Saskatoon.

“Adding another development will not attract additional housing demand in the City: it will simply take away demand from areas where City Council has already made significant investments.”

Council has also asked the Administration to report back on any possible ways to expand oversight or regulation around environmental features of new neighbourhood development.

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Encouraging individuals, businesses, and communities to keep the fire burning to spark change in our lives and city, the theme for the fourth annual Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation is Re-igniting the Fire.

“The Rock Your Roots Walk is an incredible example of coming together with the common cause of creating a better future for the generations yet to come,” said Mayor Charlie Clark. “The theme this year of Re-igniting the Fire is a reminder that we all have a role to play in this journey. As we seek the best for our community, we have to look inwards for answers and for action. We have so much potential in all of us, in our city, to help lead the way in living in right relationship and seeing strength in one another.”

The Walk honours survivors and answers the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

"The Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation, honours residential school survivors, 60's scoop survivors, day school survivors and Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Girls,” says Shirley Isbister, President, Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. “The walk is a day to promote diversity as we all walk together to support reconciliation in our community. We all need to re-ignite the fire of answering the calls to action."

Along the walk route, participants experienced live music, dance and entertainment - from traditional Indigenous performances to the Filipino Heritage School to Dance Egypt. The Walk joins with National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations hosted by the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre. Celebrations include free lunch, special guest speakers, live entertainment and fun for the whole family.

“I am very proud to be part of Rock Your Roots Walk in the spirit of Reconciliation,” says Mark Arcand, Tribal Chief, Saskatoon Tribal Council. “As we are all Treaty people we need to continue working together to promote partnerships and relationships so we can all have a quality of life.”

The “Rock Your Roots” Walk for Reconciliation is one of a number of events organized by Reconciliation Saskatoon, an initiative of 98 organizations, non-profits, businesses and partners who have come together towards one mission: to initiate a citywide conversation about reconciliation and provide opportunities for everyone to engage in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

“The significance of the Walk goes back to the days we were children -- when on Sundays we were allowed to go for a walk,” says a residential school survivor who wishes to remain anonymous. “This was the only time we got to mingle with the girls and a short time that we were able to see our sisters, cousins, and brothers. We could go on this one mile walk as long as we were finished all our duties or if we weren’t in trouble.

When the TRC came together, we thought of ‘how can we start this journey?’ That is with a Survivors Walk -- a walk with our family -- a walk to remember all the children who are now gone, who are missing, who are still here: a Walk for Reconciliation.”

Since 2016, the Walk for Reconciliation has grown, drawing almost 5,000 people to Victoria Park to recognize the sacrifices and resilience of Residential School and Day School Survivors, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and 60s Scoop Survivors. The event is made possible through the generosity of community investors, including the Saskatoon Community Foundation and Nutrien.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ReconciliationSaskatoon or www.otc.ca. 

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