Saskatoon Minute: Archives Event, Music Awards, and a Secret Snow Schedule

Saskatoon Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Saskatoon politics

This Week In Saskatoon:

• The Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am. The Committee will review the current service delivery model for multi-unit residential waste services as well as the results of the pilot program for multi-unit residential organics collection. The Standing Policy Committee on Transportation will meet on Tuesday at 2:00 pm. The Committee will discuss a Notice of Motion requesting that Administration provide options and costs to include snow clearing on Neighbourhood Bikeways in the 2026/2027 Multi-Year Business Planning and Budget deliberations.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, the Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services will meet. The agenda includes the Heritage Conservation Program Strategy - Interim Options Report, as well as parking fees for food trucks. Also on Wednesday, at 2:00 pm, the Standing Policy Committee on Finance will meet. The agenda includes a potential application for funding under Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada’s Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund.
  
  
• The City of Saskatoon Archives is celebrating Archives Week with the grand opening of its new location at Civic Square East. The event on February 4th will begin with a guided tour from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, followed by a formal program from 7:15 pm to 9:30 pm at the Bassment. Highlights include a dedication by Mayor Cynthia Block, remarks from City Clerk Adam Tittemore, and a "Letters from History" presentation featuring speakers from the City and University of Saskatchewan Archives.

Last Week In Saskatoon:

• Council approved a bid to host a major five-day national music awards event in 2026 - but the details have not been revealed. Discover Saskatoon emphasized the event’s significance for the City’s national and international profile, estimating it could bring up to 9,000 visitors and generate between $9 million and $14 million in economic impact. Council unanimously approved $500,000 from reserve funds to support the bid, which requires a total of $1.6 million. Discover Saskatoon is contributing $100,000 and has requested $1 million from the provincial government.
  
  
• City officials decided not to release a public snow removal schedule due to the unpredictable nature of weather and equipment issues that can disrupt the process. The City said that a fixed schedule creates unrealistic expectations for residents, especially when unexpected delays occur. The City will instead provide information on snow removal only during significant snowfalls or when parking restrictions are needed. As of now, snow clearing on priority streets is progressing, with 70% of secondary and tertiary streets expected to be completed by mid-February, barring any further setbacks.
  
  
• Saskatoon's latest property assessments showed that residential property values have increased by an average of 13%, while commercial properties have generally declined. The neighbourhoods of Brighton and Stonebridge saw some of the highest increases, while Kelsey-Woodlawn experienced a decline. Overall, the City’s property values have risen by $4.1 billion, with multi-family properties seeing the largest gains. Property owners can appeal assessments before the March 28th deadline. Property tax notices will be mailed out in May 2025.