Saskatoon Minute: Issue 58

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 2:00 pm, the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation will meet. The Committee will receive a report from the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), a non-profit organization that promotes innovation in public transportation, focusing on advancing clean, sustainable solutions. The report assesses the feasibility of converting Saskatoon Transit to a full fleet of zero-emission buses (ZEBs), concluding that it is not financially viable in the short or medium term. While the transition presents environmental benefits, particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the high costs associated with battery electric buses (BEBs) and hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), coupled with infrastructure upgrades, make the move financially unfeasible for Saskatoon Transit. The report includes three scenarios: 100% BEBs, 100% FCEBs, and a mixed BEB/FCEB fleet. The recommended plan suggests updating the fleet renewal strategy, monitoring technological advances, and revisiting the plan in five years. Additionally, the report urges seeking exemptions or adjustments to federal requirements for ZEBs, given the challenges in meeting the 2028-2029 deadline. Several other Canadian cities are also reconsidering their ZEB plans due to similar issues.
  
  
• The Transportation Committee will also discuss allowing the use of private e-scooters on public rights-of-way. City Administration is suggesting that private e-scooters should be permitted, and provincial regulations already exist which require helmets, a minimum age of 16, and a speed limit of 24 km/h. The scooters would be restricted from sidewalks, skate parks, and bus zones, and would be required to slow down to 15 km/h on the Meewasin Trail. Additionally, parking must not obstruct buildings, sidewalks, or bus terminals. While feedback from local groups showed no objections, concerns about safety, enforcement, and compliance remain. Other cities, including Vancouver and Ottawa, have already approved private e-scooters.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, the Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services will meet. The Committee will receive a report on the City's progress with the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). The report outlines a proposed approach for new incentives. It recommends reallocating $4 million from the Rebate Program to support additional affordable housing projects, aiming to increase the number of units in the short term. The report also proposes new incentives to encourage revitalization in priority growth areas, such as the City Centre and Corridor Growth Areas, and to support the implementation of the Brownfield Strategy with incentives for environmental studies and remediation. Additionally, the report includes funding allocations, such as $1 million for Transit Development Area grants and up to $500,000 for brownfield incentives. The HAF funding must be used by December 21st, 2027, and any future funding needs will be addressed in future budget requests. If approved, new proposals will be released soon, with further policy recommendations expected by Fall 2025.
  
  
• The Standing Policy Committee on Finance will meet on Wednesday at 2:00 pm. The Committee will receive a report on the estimated financial impact the Carbon Tax has had on the City of Saskatoon from 2020 to 2024. The report says that the City of Saskatoon incurred approximately $14.7 million in carbon pricing charges between 2019 and 2024, stemming from the federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA). This pricing, which applies to fuel consumption like gasoline, diesel, and natural gas, was a result of Saskatchewan not meeting the federal carbon pricing benchmark, triggering the federal backstop. From April 1st, 2025, the federal fuel charge will be eliminated, reducing costs for the City, although uncertainties remain around electricity pricing.
  
  
• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services will consider a report on Saskatoon’s strategy for rolling out a multi-unit organics program. The report compares four options, including bylaw-based approaches where buildings arrange their own service, but Administration is recommending a City-provided service funded by a user fee. This model was the most preferred during public engagement, has the lowest projected cost at $2.95 per household per month, and is expected to achieve the highest waste diversion. City-led service would standardize collection, ensure material goes to the City's future processing facility, and allow better control over education and contamination. If approved, a full implementation plan with funding details, timelines, and bylaw changes will be developed later this year, with city-wide rollout targeted by the end of 2028.
  
  
• Saskatoon’s Broadway Bridge will close for six months starting May 12th for major repairs. The $15.5 million project includes deck improvements, new barriers, pathway upgrades, and utility removals. Full closures will affect the bridge and nearby roads, with transit routes redirected. Meewasin Trail and Friendship Park will remain open. Business owners in the Broadway area are preparing for the impact, with events planned to maintain foot traffic.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

The federal election may be over, but there’s still important work to do here in Saskatoon. At Common Sense Saskatoon, we’re focused on holding City Hall accountable and pushing for real change in our city. If you care about priorities like increasing transparency, protecting the freedom of residents and businesses, and bringing common sense back to local government, now is the time to get involved.

Volunteer with us today and help build a better future for Saskatoon:

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