Saskatoon Minute: Issue 106

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• We're hosting a Pints & Politics event, in conjunction with our friends at the Saskatchewan Institute! We're going to keep things simple and just have some casual drinks, with no formal agenda, as an opportunity for everyone to get together with like-minded people, meet some of the team, and chat about politics. There's a lot going on, so there will be plenty of conversation topics. The event takes place on Tuesday, April 21st. It’s free, but you’ll need to RSVP here.
  
  
• The Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am. The Committee will hear about the City of Saskatoon’s 2025 Elm Wood Disposal Initiative. The City says the initiative successfully addressed the rising cases of Dutch Elm Disease (DED), which increased from 4 cases in 2023 to 41 in 2025. The initiative, which waived disposal fees for residential and commercial customers at the landfill, resulted in nearly 2,000 tonnes of elm wood being properly disposed of - more than double the amount in 2024. While residential visits remained steady at 2,544, commercial visits increased significantly, contributing to an overall cost overrun of $168,800 for the project. To cover this over-expenditure, Administration recommends reallocating $125,200 from Waste Reduction Initiatives and $43,600 from the Urban Forestry and Pest Management Capital Reserve. Survey results indicate growing public awareness of proper elm disposal, but gaps remain, particularly around pruning restrictions and transportation barriers. 
  
  
• The Standing Policy Committee on Transportation will meet on Tuesday at 2:00 pm. The City of Saskatoon is proposing updates to the 1st Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (Link) corridor between 19th Street and 25th Street, changing the dedicated centre-running transit lanes from contraflow to lanes that travel with adjacent traffic. The revised design includes two transit lanes, updated platforms at 21st and 23rd Streets, reduced on-street parking from 308 to 247 spaces, improved pedestrian crosswalks, and modified intersection movements with queue jumps and turn restrictions. A parking study found current demand is below capacity, with displaced spaces accommodated on nearby streets. Traffic analysis shows minor increases in travel time during peak hours, while levels of service for pedestrians, vehicles, and transit remain acceptable. Engagement with local businesses, residents, and stakeholders in 2025 and early 2026 indicated general support for the changes, including removing the median at 21st Street and 2nd Avenue. The design aims to improve safety, transit efficiency, and consistency with the College Drive Link corridor. If approved, detailed design, road safety audits, and tendering will proceed, with construction planned for 2027 and the Link launch in 2028. 
  
  
• Saskatoon commuters face major disruptions as the University Bridge is set to fully close to traffic, except for emergency vehicles, starting Monday until mid-June for Link transit upgrade work at College Drive, then reopen with one lane in each direction until the end of July for a $1.5-million concrete replacement project. Bus routes will continue for about three weeks before detours are implemented, while the pedestrian walkway will remain open. The bridge, carrying 35,800 vehicles daily, is a critical downtown route, and construction on College Drive for bus lanes will continue into next summer, representing the largest Link project at $50 million. Nearby water main rehabilitation along 25th Street will also affect traffic starting May 19th, though at least one lane each way will remain open. Local business owners are concerned about lost parking and continued summer disruptions, marking the third consecutive summer of major work on College Drive. City officials emphasize lessons learned from prior closures and stress communication, but uncertainty remains a challenge for residents and businesses.
  
  
• Saskatoon's Prairie Lily riverboat is set to resume tours this summer under new owner Stephanie Simonot after being unable to operate in 2025 due to low river levels and sandbars. Simonot, with family and friends, will take over operations while the previous owners, Mike and Joan Steckhan, remain to mentor the new crew. The riverboat offers scenic cruises along the South Saskatchewan River, including dining, wine-tasting, and themed events. Improved conditions this year, including a higher snowpack and potential water releases from the Gardiner Dam, are expected to allow safe navigation. The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency notes that snowmelt runoff into Lake Diefenbaker should be above normal, supporting river levels. The Prairie Lily is confident it will operate its normal summer schedule, continuing a beloved Saskatoon attraction.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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