Saskatoon Minute: Election Results, New Mayor, and Library Job Action

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

This Week In Saskatoon:

• Election results are in, and there will be a mix of both new and returning faces to City Council. Cynthia Block will become Saskatoon's first female Mayor, securing 30,412 votes and placing well ahead of her competitors. Block, a former Councillor, will replace Charlie Clark, who did not seek re-election. Key issues she plans to address include homelessness, cost of living, and the Downtown Event and Entertainment District.
  
  
• Six new Councillors were also elected, along with several incumbents. Elections Saskatoon reported that 68,701 people participated in the election, for an overall voter turnout of 35.04% of eligible voters.
  
  
• Police are continuing their investigation into a bear spray incident at Midtown Mall, and are seeking information from the public. This incident comes amid new provincial regulations designed to curb bear spray-related crimes, including fines of up to $100,000 for certain offences. According to the Province, police in Saskatchewan have responded to over 3,000 bear spray incidents over the last five years.

Last Week In Saskatoon:

• Elections Saskatoon faced multiple issues during the municipal election, leading to significant delays in reporting results. Apparently, long lines at polling stations meant that additional time was required to ensure every voter in line had the opportunity to cast their ballot. Other delays stemmed from a high volume of mail-in ballots, as well as technical challenges with electronic vote tabulators and data uploads. The City eventually posted most results by 11:30 pm.
  
  
• As he prepares to leave office, Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark reflected on his 18 years in municipal politics, including his eight years as Mayor. He cited the transformation of the city, particularly projects like River Landing, Optimist Hill, and the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, as major accomplishments. However, he also highlighted the growing homelessness crisis as a challenge that remains unresolved, stressing the need for provincial government collaboration to tackle the issue. After stepping down, he plans to focus on spending time with his family and will take some time to relax before considering future public service roles.
  
  
• Employees from Saskatoon’s nine public libraries took part in a single-day strike as part of an ongoing labour dispute between CUPE 2669 and the Saskatoon Public Library. The strike followed the rejection of a tentative agreement by union members in October, with concerns primarily centered around inadequate wage increases and safety issues. Workers have cited rising violence in libraries, with 58 recorded incidents last year, as a major issue. Union representatives also criticized the library’s increasing investment in management positions rather than frontline workers. While library services resumed after one day of job action, union leaders hinted at the possibility of future job actions if their demands are not met.