Saskatoon Minute: Issue 118

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• Saskatoon is moving ahead with a new transit bylaw aimed at curbing fare evasion and disruptive behaviour, drawing questions about how it would be enforced. The proposed bylaw would require riders to pay their fare and would let officers remove people from transit property, issue temporary bans and hand out $50 tickets for offences such as distracting a driver or putting feet on seats. At present, drivers do not ask riders for payment in order to avoid confrontations. Some are questioning how the rules would work in practice, asking whether the City really expects to collect fines from people who are homeless. Ward 6 Councillor Jasmin Parker raised concerns about glitches with mobile tickets, and Saskatoon Transit director Mike Moellenbeck said there would be discretion so riders who inadvertently cannot pay are not removed from service, adding that the agency is working to provide receipts for cash fares. Council voted to direct the City Solicitor to draft the bylaw, which is expected to return to Council in July and, if approved, could take effect in September.
  
  
• The City is also weighing another change, as some Saskatoon residents raise concerns over a proposal to raise the cost of residential parking permits in some areas. The permit program limits how long non-residents can park on certain streets, while residents can buy a permit that exempts them. Residents now pay $25, a fee that has not increased since it was introduced in 1999, but the City says that amount does not cover costs and is reviewing an increase to $75 for a first permit and $120 for a second. The City says the program costs nearly $292,000 a year to operate while generating about $68,500 in permit revenue. Some call the proposed increase too steep, while others argue the review should also account for ticket revenue, which he said should help offset the program's costs. The City says it has been consulting residents on possible changes and will present its findings to Council this fall.
  
  
• The City is upgrading several neighbourhood parks this season under its Park Upgrade Program, which funds improvements to established parks and brings them up to current standards. The work can include new or improved pathways, lighting, upgraded irrigation and drainage systems, tree planting and naturalized landscaping, along with amenities such as benches, picnic tables and play structures. Forest Grove Linkage and Ernest Lindner Park are scheduled for upgrades in 2026, while playgrounds at Szumagalski Park, Lt GG Simmonds Park and Idylwyld Park are also slated for work. Drainage upgrades are planned at nine parks, including Parc Canada Park, John Duerkop Park, Hyde Park and Wallace Park. Funding from the Government of Canada, through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is supporting the upgrades to Ernest Lindner Park, and federal Natural Infrastructure Fund money is supporting most of the drainage projects. The City notes that portions of these parks and some amenities will be temporarily closed during construction and while newly planted areas become established.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan Health Authority is extending hours and adding Saturday service at Child Health Clinics in Saskatoon, beginning this week. The clinics give public health nurses a chance to offer screening, support and information to families, and the added hours are aimed at giving parents more flexibility to keep children's immunizations on schedule. 
  
  
• A new 36-unit housing project for seniors is opening in Saskatoon after receiving $11.5 million in funding from government and community partners. The development, known as Jubilee Terrace, is located on 31st Street West, is now complete, and residents are expected to begin moving in soon. The project was funded through a partnership between the federal government, the City of Saskatoon and Jubilee Residences Inc., with the opening announced on Thursday. It includes a mix of studio, one and two-bedroom units along with shared amenities such as recreation space, a garden, an outdoor patio and laundry facilities on each floor. Mayor Cynthia Block said the project helps residents age with dignity and independence while expanding affordable housing options in a growing city. Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development, said the homes are intended to help seniors remain connected to their community while meeting rising demand for housing.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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