News Releases
Saskatoon Fire - News Releases
Parks staff conducting prescribed fires in naturalized park areas today
October 18, 2023 - 11:00am
- Small areas of land are burned during a fire, so only portions of a park are blackened at any given time
- The surrounding area may experience some smoke
- Shrubs and trees are not burned and therefore are not negatively impacted
- Vigorous new growth occurs in the spring which is appreciated by wildlife
- The reduction in accumulated dead plant material provides protection against accidental wildfires
Parks staff in consultation with the Meewasin Valley Authority and the Saskatoon Fire Department, will be performing brief, small-scale prescribed fires in the naturalized areas within Hyde and Donna Birkmaier Parks. Weather permitting, prescribed fires will also be conducted in Gabriel Dumont and Heritage Parks in the coming weeks. This initiative is part of the City’s overall strategy to enhance and conserve the biodiversity of naturalized areas in Saskatoon parks.
A prescribed fire is the planned and controlled application of fire to a defined area of land. Prescribed fires replicate the natural renewal process of grasslands, reduce the risk of wildfire and enhance habitat for wildlife.
Prescribed fires are performed by trained Parks staff, and the Saskatoon Fire Department is either on-site or on call to help manage the fire if needed. Prescribed fires are a common, cost-effective park management practice in many cities across Canada and the United States and have been conducted safely for many years.
Timing of the prescribed fires will be determined by weather and wind conditions and residents will be notified via the City’s service alerts and social media channels. Signage will also be placed at the location of the fire to alert park visitors.
The City asks residents for their cooperation at the time of a prescribed fire by respecting work zones and ensuring dogs are leashed when walking through the parks.
The following can be expected during and after a prescribed fire:
For more information on the City’s Prescribed Fire Program, visit saskatoon.ca/prescribedfires.
Material Recovery Centre opens at Saskatoon Regional Waste Management Facility
October 18, 2023 - 10:00am
The opening of the Material Recovery Centre (MRC), formerly the Recovery Park Landfill Expansion, marks a major achievement for the City of Saskatoon as it works towards its 70% waste diversion goal.
The MRC, located on Valley Road at the entrance to the Saskatoon Regional Waste Management Facility (City Landfill) is now open to the public and offers residents free drop-off for many recyclable items as well as a new access point for scaled waste.
“We are thrilled to open the Material Recovery Centre and offer residents of Saskatoon a one-stop waste drop-off location,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water and Waste Operations. “With more items with free drop-off and reduced rates for other recyclable materials, we anticipate diverting up to 3,500 tonnes of waste annually that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill.”
The MRC will provide free drop-off at Sort & Go for recycling, small appliances, batteries, oil and anti-freeze, electronics, metals, rimless tires, bicycles and appliances, with a $20 fee for appliances with refrigerant.
Residents can continue to visit the MRC to drop off non-recyclable waste including garbage and elm wood, via Scale & Pay, and have a reduced disposal rate for concrete and brick, which will be diverted. The City is also pleased to offer free disposal of elm wood for the month of October.
For more information on the Material Recovery Centre, including hours of operation and a detailed list of acceptable items and rates, visit saskatoon.ca/mrc.
Possible odours from construction activities at the landfill
October 17, 2023 - 3:30pm
New landfill gas wells and piping are being installed at the Saskatoon Regional Waste Management Centre (Landfill) to expand the landfill gas well field and to collect more methane from decomposing waste.
This work may temporarily result in some noticeable odours in surrounding areas, depending on wind direction and speed.
Additionally, the work will have no impact on air quality and will not pose health risks to residents. Construction has begun this week and is expected to last until late November.
The Landfill Gas Collection & Power Generation System is currently responsible for reducing over 50,000 tonnes of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) per year; the equivalent of removing over 10,000 vehicles from the roads. When the expansion of the system is complete, the total annual destruction is expected to reach 80,000 tonnes of GHG per year. The system currently produces enough energy to power 1,200 homes each year and creates revenues of approximately $1.3 million for the City from the sale of power to SaskPower.
More information on our clean power generation initiatives can be found here.
Daily Road Report - October 18, 2023
October 17, 2023 - 3:00pm
*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.
NEW
CENTRAL AVE ROAD CLOSED FROM GRAY AVE TO 112TH ST W
(CPKC Rail repairs)
Start: October 18, 6:00 a.m. End: October 18, 5:00 p.m.
BROADWAY AVE ROAD CLOSED FROM 5TH ST E TO 7TH ST E
(Water main work)
Start: October 18, 7:00 a.m. End: October 27, 4:30 p.m.
33RD ST W WB CURB LANE CLOSED AT JUNOR AVE
(Pothole patching)
Start: October 18, 8:00 a.m. End: October 18, 11:00 a.m.
2ND AVE N SB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM 25TH ST E TO 24TH ST E
(Directional boring)
Start: October 18, 8:00 a.m. End: October 19, 4:30 p.m.
3RD AVE N SB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM 25TH ST E TO 24TH ST E
(Directional boring)
Start: October 18, 8:00 a.m. End: October 19, 4:30 p.m.
IDYLWYLD DR N SB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM 45TH ST W TO 44TH ST E
(Cable fault repair)
Start: October 18, 9:00 a.m. End: October 18, 2:00 p.m.
ONGOING
NELSON RD EB & WB TRAFFIC SQUEEZED OVER AT HEAL AVE
(Channelization)
Start: October 11, 7:00 a.m. End: October 18, 6:00 p.m.
MELVILLE ST WB LANES CLOSED FROM BRAND RD TO PORTAGE AVE
(SaskEnergy work)
Start: October 16, 7:00 a.m. End: October 19, 5:00 p.m.
4TH AVE S SB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED AT 19TH ST E
(SL&P manhole repair)
Start: September 18, 7:00 a.m. End: October 27, 5:00 p.m.
NEAULT RD ROAD CLOSED FROM 22ND ST W TO WHELAN RD
(Construction)
Start: July 24, 7:00 a.m. End: November 3, 4:00 p.m.
22ND ST E EB CURB & CENTER LANE CLOSED FROM AUDITORIUM AVE TO 1ST AVE S
(Vault repairs)
Start: September 11, 7:00 a.m. End: November 30, 4:00 p.m.
All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.
City installs pedestrian crossing lights at 22nd Street and Avenue V
October 17, 2023 - 2:00pm
The City of Saskatoon has installed a more visible pedestrian crossing at 22nd Street and Avenue V, including a pedestrian actuated signal as well as pavement markings and signage. The traffic safety measure was made possible through a grant from SGI’s Provincial Traffic Safety Fund.
With the pedestrian crossing improvements at 22nd Street and Avenue V, drivers will be required to stop on a red signal.
Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grants are awarded to communities twice a year. The City will continue submitting funding applications to improve safety at other intersections and school zones throughout Saskatoon.
Broadway Avenue closed from 5th to 7th streets starting Wednesday
October 17, 2023 - 7:00am
Broadway Avenue will be closed from 5th to 7th streets for water main work starting on Wednesday, October 18, at 7:00 a.m. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around the work zone. This project is expected to take ten days to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information are available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.
For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.
Central Avenue closed from Gray Avenue to 112th Street starting Wednesday
October 17, 2023 - 6:00am
Central Avenue will be closed from Gray Avenue to 112th Street for CPKC rail repairs starting on Wednesday, October 18, at 6:00 a.m. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around the work zone. This project is expected to take two days to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information are available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.
For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.
Daily Road Report - October 17, 2023
October 16, 2023 - 3:00pm
*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.
NEW
CIRCLE DR E NB TRAFFIC SQUEEZED OVER FROM 108TH ST W TO ATTRIDGE DR
(Pole repairs)
Start: October 17, 9:00 a.m. End: October 17, 1:00 p.m
ONGOING
MCORMOND DR SB LANES CLOSED FROM BRIGHTON CIRCLE TO BRIGHTON COMMON
(Jersey barrier relocation)
Start: October 4, 7:00 a.m. End: October 17, 7:00 a.m.
BRIGHTON COMMON EB LANES CLOSED FROM BRIGHTON CIRCLE TO MCORMOND DR
(Jersey barrier removal)
Start: October 16, 7:00 a.m. End: October 17, 7:00 a.m.
BROADWAY AVE ROAD CLOSED FROM 5TH ST E TO 8TH ST E
(Water main work)
Start: September 11, 7:00 a.m. End: October 17, 7:00 p.m.
NELSON RD EB & WB TRAFFIC SQUEEZED OVER AT HEAL AVE
(Channelization)
Start: October 11, 7:00 a.m. End: October 18, 6:00 p.m.
MELVILLE ST WB LANES CLOSED FROM BRAND RD TO PORTAGE AVE
(SaskEnergy work)
Start: October 16, 7:00 a.m. End: October 19, 5:00 p.m.
4TH AVE S SB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED AT 19TH ST E
(SL&P manhole repair)
Start: September 18, 7:00 a.m. End: October 20, 5:00 p.m.
NEAULT RD ROAD CLOSED FROM 22ND ST W TO WHELAN RD
(Construction)
Start: July 24, 7:00 a.m. End: November 3, 4:00 p.m.
22ND ST E EB CURB & CENTER LANE CLOSED FROM AUDITORIUM AVE TO 1ST AVE S
(Vault repairs)
Start: September 11, 7:00 a.m. End: November 30, 4:00 p.m.
All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.
City launches organics education campaign for businesses and organizations in Saskatoon
October 16, 2023 - 10:00am
- Have separate labelled containers for garbage, recycling, and organics.
- Educate employees and tenants annually about which materials are organic and how to sort them.
- Ensure organic waste is removed and taken to an appropriate facility.
New online education tools and in-person support are now available for Saskatoon businesses and organizations working to implement new organics diversion requirements within the Waste Bylaw that came into effect earlier this year. The education phase begins this October and enforcement will not occur until October 2024 to give businesses and organizations time to meet the new bylaw regulation.
All businesses and organizations that generate food or yard waste as part of their operations in Saskatoon are required to have separate bins to divert organics from the garbage. The organics regulation means all businesses and organizations are required to:
Establishments belonging under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes of industries that are known to generate organic waste are required to follow the bylaw regardless of establishment size or number of employees or tenants. An exemption process is available to address circumstances where materials may not be generated or there are other factors preventing compliance beyond an establishment’s control. Businesses who do not produce food or yard waste as part of their operations do not need an exemption.
“Businesses and organizations generate 68% of the garbage in our community. Approximately 25% is organic waste that could be rescued or composted,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “With the new residential green cart program, the City has already diverted over 11,000 tonnes of food and yard waste from the landfill. Through this program, businesses and organizations will be diverting the same waste as residents and bring us one step closer to achieving the City’s goal of 70% waste diversion.”
To help businesses and organizations meet these new requirements, the City of Saskatoon has launched a dedicated webpage that includes a variety of new tools and resources to access. Resources include a new Organics Guide for Businesses and Organizations and other print materials that can be printed and used on site for education. Businesses may also request in-person support to assist with setting up organics diversion and troubleshooting issues. The Business Waste Wizard remains a resource for businesses in helping sort their waste.
The Solid Waste Reduction and Diversion Plan, finalized in early 2021, includes organic waste diversion for all sectors to be phased in over the next few years. The new residential green cart program rolled out earlier this year and has already has participation rates similar to black cart garbage and blue cart recycling. A multi-unit organics program pilot is set to start later this year for residents that have their waste collected in large communal bins.
Businesses and organizations are encouraged to visit saskatoon.ca/businessorganics for more information and access to resources to get started with their organics programs.
Daily Road Report - October 16, 2023
October 13, 2023 - 3:00pm
*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.
NEW
BRIGHTON COMMON EB LANES CLOSED FROM BRIGHTON CIRCLE TO MCORMOND DR
(Jersey barrier removal)
Start: October 16, 7:00 a.m. End: October 17, 7:00 a.m.
MELVILLE ST WB LANES CLOSED FROM BRAND RD TO PORTAGE AVE
(SaskEnergy work)
Start: October 16, 7:00 a.m. End: October 19, 5:00 p.m.
MELVILLE ST ROAD CLOSED FROM JASPER AVE S TO PORTAGE AVE
(Manhole repair)
Start: October 16, 9:00 a.m. End: October 16, 12:00 p.m.
ONGOING
MCORMOND DR SB LANES CLOSED FROM BRIGHTON CIRCLE TO BRIGHTON COMMON
(Jersey barrier relocation)
Start: October 4, 7:00 a.m. End: October 17, 7:00 a.m.
BROADWAY AVE ROAD CLOSED FROM 5TH ST E TO 8TH ST E
(Water main work)
Start: September 11, 7:00 a.m. End: October 17, 7:00 p.m.
NELSON RD EB & WB TRAFFIC SQUEEZED OVER AT HEAL AVE
(Channelization)
Start: October 11, 7:00 a.m. End: October 18, 6:00 p.m.
4TH AVE S SB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED AT 19TH ST E
(SL&P manhole repair)
Start: September 18, 7:00 a.m. End: October 20, 5:00 p.m.
NEAULT RD ROAD CLOSED FROM 22ND ST W TO WHELAN RD
(Construction)
Start: July 24, 7:00 a.m. End: November 3, 4:00 p.m.
22ND ST E EB CURB & CENTER LANE CLOSED FROM AUDITORIUM AVE TO 1ST AVE S
(Vault repairs)
Start: September 11, 7:00 a.m. End: November 30, 4:00 p.m.
All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.