Saskatoon Minute: Emergency Shelter, Bus Branding, and Transit System Disruptions

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

This Week In Saskatoon:

• The Downtown Event And Entertainment District Advisory Group will meet at 8:00 am on Wednesday. Most of the agenda will be held in-camera (in secret). No details are available.
  
  
• Residents are questioning the role of their City government. Despite rising property taxes, complaints about core services like snow removal, pothole repairs, and basic maintenance persist. That's why we started a petition calling for City Hall to prioritize essential services, such as water, sanitation, and roads, which form the backbone of a functional city. Resources should be focused on these necessities, and all non-essential projects that do not benefit the majority of residents should immediately cease. If you agree, sign the petition today demanding that City Hall accept that Saskatoon Must Get Back To Basics.
  
  
• An emergency shelter in Saskatoon is finalizing operational processes and training staff. Funded by the provincial government, this temporary shelter for those with complex needs is located at 1701 Idylwyld Drive N. Operated by EHN Prairies Inc., the shelter will have on-site health-care professionals and security, serving as a secure location for police to bring individuals who are intoxicated or posing a danger to themselves or others. Patients can stay for up to 24 hours, and discharge planning includes transport to support services. The shelter aims to open as soon as possible, with no specific date yet set.

Last Week In Saskatoon:

• The Governance and Priorities Committee discussed renaming Saskatoon's bus rapid transit (BRT) system to "Link" and expanding it across the city. They reviewed a report detailing the phased expansions and the new branding. With $250 million in funding secured, including $183,325,000 from other government sources, construction is set to begin in 2024 with 14 new stations. By 2025, 30 more stations are planned, followed by another 30 in 2026, and 14 additional stations in 2027, with completion expected in 2028. Contracts for the initial 2024 construction locations are being tendered in July.
  
  
• Speaking of transit, Saskatoon Transit and Access Transit faced disruptions due to a global technology outage, affecting phone lines, real-time bus updates, service alerts, and mobile ticketing. The City of Saskatoon reported high volumes of inquiries at the customer service center. The outage, caused by a faulty update deployed by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, also impacted flights, hospitals, and border crossings in Canada. CrowdStrike confirmed the issue was not a security incident and that a fix was being implemented.
  
  
• Operations have resumed at Royal University Hospital and Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatoon following a bomb threat. Saskatoon police responded to an incident involving a man in a vehicle believed to have an explosive device. The hospitals were on lockdown for over two hours, with emergency patients diverted to other facilities. The man was apprehended without incident after negotiations, and no explosives were found in his vehicle. The Saskatchewan Health Authority praised staff, physicians, and emergency responders for their swift action and cooperation during the event.