News Releases

Environment Canada is predicting strong winds and up to 20 centimeters of snow starting tonight, as well as the possibility of freezing rain over the weekend. The City has extra staff, contractors and equipment ready to keep priority streets clear, sanded and salted during and following the snow event.

Streets may become icy, due to strong winds and snow blowing across the roadway. Visibility may also be reduced. Please use caution and drive to the conditions. City crews will be working 24/7 to maintain priority roadways so please watch for equipment on the road. The large machines used are equipped with flashing amber lights, move slowly in teams of two or more and can be found on the road at any time of day or night. By keeping a safe distance from the equipment and approaching slowly, everyone can be safe on the road.

Snow and Ice Updates will now be issued in the form of a Service Alert. Similar to Power Outage Service Alerts, these Snow & Ice Service Alerts are available at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts, by following @YXEServiceAlert on Twitter or by liking Saskatoon City News on Facebook. These alerts are issued at 6:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily, once a snow event starts and continue for 72 hours after the event. The Snow Grading Map will be updated at the same time showing the status of snow grading. Salting/sanding and grading occurs on the following priority system:

Priority 1 (Highest traffic streets) will be plowed within 12 hours after a snowstorm ends.
Priority 2 (Rapid transit bus routes and busy streets) will be graded within 36 hours.
Priority 3 (Main streets and school zones) will be graded within 72 hours.

*Another snowfall or blowing snow within the 72-hour timeframe may require crews to return to Priority 1 streets, causing grading to take longer.

Residents are encouraged to report impassable or hazardous streets by calling Public Works Customer Service at 306-975-2476.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

NEW

2ND AVE N NB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 26TH ST E TO QUEEN ST
(Sidewalk Construction)
Start: February 5, 7:00 a.m. End: February 5, 3:30 p.m.

CIRCLE DR E WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED ON OVERPASS OVER IDYLWYLD DR
(Electronic work)
Start: February 5, 9:00 a.m. End: February 5, 11:00 a.m.

QUEEN ST WB CLOSED FROM 4TH AVE N TO 5TH AVE N
(Tree Pruning)
Two-way traffic in EB lanes
Start: February 5, 9:00 a.m. End: February 5, 4:00 p.m.

25TH ST E WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM PACIFIC AVE TO IDYLWYLD DR N
(Directional Drilling)
Start: February 5, 9:00 a.m. End: February 5, 6:00 p.m.

22ND ST W EB CURB (OUTSIDE) & CENTER LANE CLOSED APPROACHING AVE B S
(Manhole work)
Start: February 5, 10:00 a.m. End: February 5, 4:00 p.m.

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

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

An independent engineering report commissioned by the City concludes slope failures on some private properties along the 200 and 300 blocks of Saskatchewan Crescent and 11th Street East, resulted from three main natural factors: geology, geometry and ground water.

“The report confirms that weak soil, a steep slope and a high water table from historically high rainfalls are why the slope has moved,” says Chief Engineer and Director of Major Projects, Mike Gutek.  “The conclusions of Golder Associates were then verified by a second, arms-length review done by another engineering firm.”

The Executive Committee of City Council will receive next week an information report about the 2012 and 2013 slope failures in this area.

“This comprehensive geotechnical study – prepared at the City’s cost – not only paints a picture of what has happened, but what remedy private property owners will need to hold the slope up,” Gutek says.

City Council may choose from a wide number of possible roles for the City at this site.  They range from the current approach, which is to monitor the slope movement and provide information to residents, to participating in remediation and contributing financially.  The City typically does not contribute financially to remediation or restitution on private property.

There is a wide range of legal and associated risk consequences to the City related to this location.  These will be reported to Executive Committee In-Camera, and are of the following nature:

Current approach, which is to monitor the site and provide detailed information to adjacent property owners and residents.
Offer mediation services, with or without participation by the City.
Become actively involved with property owners in the remediation approach.
Provide some level of grant or financial aid to property owners.

Slope movements are now at a standstill because of frozen ground and they slowed considerably over the late summer and fall.  As a result of minimal movement, the City was able to lift an evacuation alert in September.

“Since the monitoring began, we have encouraged property owners to retain their own engineers to assess what they need to do to stabilize their properties,” Gutek says. 

-30-

The new and much anticipated City website has officially launched into cyberspace today. Saskatoon.ca is now on-line.

 Over a year-long redevelopment, residents and the City revisited almost every aspect of the City’s approach to providing online services to citizens.

“A fundamental goal for us was to gear it towards how people looked for City information,” says Catherine Gryba, General Manager of Corporate Performance.  “We wanted to create a website designed with residents, for residents and we are pleased with the results.”

The new website design is easier to provide residents access to timely information and makes it easier to do business with the City.  Residents will experience improvements to 22 online services such as the Property Tax & Assessment Tool and Utility Bill lookup. The reconstruction also included a review process which eliminated outdated content and reorganized information to make it easier to search and navigate.

“Early on, we recognized we had an opportunity and responsibility to completely reimagine our approach to serving residents online,” says Rob Gilhuly, Website Project Manager.

“Throughout the redevelopment, we invited residents to participate in decisions about the new Saskatoon.ca, including setting priorities for online services, designing navigation, and selecting the visual design of the site,” Gilhuly says. Last April, the City launched the dedicated engagement site, new.saskatoon.ca, which had more than 10,000 visits over the course of the project. Residents completed over 1,000 surveys and voted 1,700 times on polls about various aspects of the site. A preview version of the site in development was launched in November for residents to provide even more feedback.

“Our work on the web will never be finished, but what we are launching today is the first step of a new approach that considers the needs of users first”, Gilhuly says. “With any project of this scope, we acknowledge there may be a few minor bugs to address and some of these bugs aren’t always discovered until the website is in full use,” he says.  “We continue to be committed to designing this with residents for residents, so if you discover a bug we not only want to know, but we will also put your name into a contest.”

The City is now inviting residents to provide feedback and participate in a contest for reporting bugs and trying out the new site features. Check out the Announcements on the homepage of saskatoon.ca for contest details.

Thanks to all of our residents for your support and participation. We couldn’t have done it without you.

For more information visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with us on Twitter and Facebook

 -30-

During Burn Awareness Week (February 1 – 7, 2015), the Saskatoon Fire Department reminds parents and those responsible for young children that a child’s skin is especially susceptible to burns and scalds and we need to take extra precautions to protect them.

Statistics Canada reports that in 2010/2011, 346 children aged 0-4 and 59 children aged 5-9 were admitted to hospital as a result of a burn and that burns were the leading cause of hospital admissions from injury for children aged 0-4.

Children are particularly at risk of scalds because their skin is thinner and more sensitive. A child’s skin can burn four times quicker and more deeply than an adult’s.

Some safety tips to decrease the number of burns and scalds to children are:

• Set your water heater to 49°C (120°F). Water heated to 60°C (140°F) can cause a third-degree burn on a child’s skin in just one second.
• Use a travel mug with a tight-fitting lid when drinking hot liquid like coffee or tea.
• Cook on the back burners of your stove and turn the handles of pots and pans inwards.
• Ensure cords from appliances like slow-cookers or kettles are not within a child’s reach.
• Place a safety gate around your fireplace. The gas fireplace’s glass barrier can heat up to over 200°C (400°F) in about six minutes and when switched off, take about 45 minutes to cool to a safe temperature. For young children just learning to walk this is a significant risk.
• Install a smoke detector and test it every month to protect your family and home from fire and smoke.

Burns and/or scalds often happen in a split second but the consequences are long term. A child’s natural curiosity and sensitive skin makes them vulnerable. We need to do what we can to make sure they stay safe.

NEW SATURDAY

4TH AVE S SB LANES CLOSED FROM 21ST ST E TO 20TH ST E
(Crane Lift)
Start: January 31, 7:00 a.m. End: January 31, 10:00 a.m.

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

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

City of Saskatoon road crews are now using a pre-wetting delivery technique to apply sand on high traffic streets to improve vehicle traction in icy conditions.

"This is the second anti-icing pilot program we are implementing this year as we identify the best mix of products for our broad range of winter driving conditions. It involves modifying our equipment to spray a liquid chemical de-icer onto the sand before it is placed onto the street," says Pat Hyde, Director of Public Works. "The wet heavy sand adheres better to the road and provides enhanced traction for vehicles."

This program is expected to be more effective in extreme temperatures as low as -65C, where salt is ineffective and dry sand would otherwise bounce off or be blown off the roadway by passing vehicles.

“We started using the new equipment this week on Circle Drive and bridge decks ahead of the forecasted cold snap,” says Hyde. “We will be monitoring the effectiveness and expect drivers will notice the results.”

Through December and January, the first pilot program we have been testing is the sand/salt and magnesium chloride blended mixture.  Salt on its own is only effective to a temperature of approximately -16C.  When temperatures have dipped below that, the sand/salt blended with the magnesium chloride mixture has been effective. 

Today, priority streets are in good winter driving condition with City crews continuing to work around the clock monitoring roadway conditions and utilizing the new processes for salting and sanding roads as required.

Winter Progress

• Approximately 4,000 tandem truckloads of snow have been hauled away from priority streets so far this winter, including centre median and parking lane windrows on many Priority 2 and 3 streets.
• So far this winter, 30 tons of cold mix asphalt has been used to temporarily repair potholes.
• Crews are also maintaining more than 500 utility cuts until they can be permanently repaired with hot asphalt this spring.

For the safety of operators and other drivers, priority street snow removal occurs throughout the evening when there are fewer vehicles on the road. The large machines used are equipped with flashing amber lights, move slowly in teams of two or more and can be found on the road at any time.  Drivers are advised to keep a safe distance from the equipment (15 metres), slow down when approaching, and pass only when safe, using extreme caution.

Crews continue to monitor residential streets and investigate reports of hazardous locations.  Residents are encouraged to report potholes and impassable or hazardous streets by calling Public Works Customer Service at 306-975-2476.

We’re Plowing Ahead and ready for whatever winter brings! Go to Saskatoon.ca and click on Better Winter Roads to learn more.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

The Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board (LRB) today ruled it will not be asking the City to undo the changes contained in the General Superannuation Bylaw No. 9224 adopted by City Council on September 22, 2014.  The bylaw approved by City Council will be left intact and the City will proceed with implementing the amendments with the exception of Transit union members for the four-month statutory freeze period.

“The LRB did not set aside the pension bylaw,” says City Solicitor Patricia Warwick.  “The board said it would not undo the pension amendments passed by City Council on September 22, 2014 and said it would read down those amendments for Transit union members for the statutory freeze period.”

“In other words, during the period of June 3 to October 3, 2014, Transit union members will be treated as if the pension amendments were not made,” Warwick says.  “The City will have to abide by previous pension guidelines for any Transit union members between June 3 and October 3, 2014.”

This also means there is no pension deficit, and the General Pension Plan is protected.  Prior to the September 2014 bylaw changes, the total general pension plan deficit was $68M and the Transit union’s portion of the deficit was $7M.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

NEW

CIRCLE DR E NB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM HIGHWAY 11 TO TAYLOR ST E
(Underground directional boring)
Start: January 30, 9:30 a.m. End: January 30, 3:30 p.m.

PRESTON AVE NB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM LOUISE ST TO ADELAIDE ST
(Underground directional boring)
Start: January 30, 9:30 a.m. End: January 30, 4:00 p.m.

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

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The City of Saskatoon and Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) are responding to growing concerns about speeding in residential neighbourhoods with the introduction of a Residential Speed Management Program.

“We have been hearing from citizens that residential speeding is increasingly becoming an issue,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “It is of particular concern, given these roadways are often shared with pedestrians and cyclists, and are in close proximity to community gathering points such as schools and parks.”

The Residential Speed Management Program involves the City working with the SPS to identify and then address neighbourhood speeding using a variety of tools including speed boards, road signage, targeted police enforcement and public education.

After a review of concerns brought to the attention of City Administration and Police, as well as consultation with members of City Council, an initial list of 24 neighbourhoods across the city where residential speeding is a significant issue has been developed. A speeding blitz will begin in those neighbourhoods in February. Other problem areas will be added to the list as they are identified.

“We will be paying close attention to residential speeding in the coming weeks and cracking down on offenders,” says Inspector, Mitch Yuzdepski. “The blitz will begin in the neighbourhoods of Willowgrove, Hampton Village, Sutherland, Willows and Silverwood Heights, before moving on to the other priority locations over six weeks.”

The speed limit on all city streets is 50 km/h unless posted otherwise. Speeding tickets start at $120 and go up $10 for every 10 km/h over the speed limit.

“In some cases residential speeding can be attributed to lack of awareness about the speed limit,” says Gardiner. “Part of what we hope to accomplish through this program is to raise the awareness of the speed limit and tools such as speed boards and public education materials will help us do that.”

Citizens can report a concern and request an investigation by phone or by completing a brief report on the City’s website at Saskatoon.ca. Search for ‘Report a Neighbourhood Traffic Concern’ or call Transportation Customer Service at 306-975-2454.

Initial neighbourhoods to be prioritized include;

Sutherland, City Park, Caswell Hill, Montgomery Place, Riversdale, Pacific Heights, Confederation Park, Hampton Village, Dundonald/Westview, Mount Royal, Silverwood Heights, Lawson Heights, Grosvenor Park, Varsity View, Nutana, Willows, Avalon, Stonebridge, College Park East, Greystone Heights, Brevoort Park, Lakeview, Lakeridge and Willowgrove.