Saskatoon Minute: Issue 75

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• This is our 75th edition of Saskatoon Minute, marking 75 weeks of tracking City Council meetings and summarizing key details for residents! This newsletter was created to make local politics accessible, cutting through lengthy reports, jargon, and marathon meetings so more residents can stay informed and hold leaders accountable. We have covered debates on spending, taxes, and City priorities, highlighted good and bad decisions, exposed waste, and shown when core services are neglected. Funded entirely by readers, Common Sense Saskatoon relies on donations to continue its work, so if you appreciate our work to improve City Hall accountability and ensure citizens stay informed, please consider making a donation to keep this newsletter and our other important municipal work going!
  
  
• The Standing Policy Committee on Transportation will meet on Tuesday at 2:00 pm. The Committee will hear that, during the 2024-2025 winter season, Saskatoon experienced seven snow events and seven weather events, totalling 115 centimetres of snowfall, the highest in seven years. Snow and ice management focused on priority streets, sidewalks, pathways, and local streets to maintain safety and mobility, though some service level targets - especially for Priority 1 streets and sidewalks - were not met early in the season due to heavy snowfalls. Adjustments were later made, including extending the Priority 2 grading timeline from 36 to 48 hours. A pilot project improved snowplow truck lighting to enhance visibility and safety during operations, with plans to install the new configuration on all trucks over the next two seasons. Total Snow and Ice Management costs reached $22.4 million, $6.5 million over budget, largely due to the above-average snowfall and additional snow events. The Snow and Ice Management Contingency Reserve will offset unexpected costs, and the City will continue to monitor and report on winter maintenance performance.
  
  
• The Committee will also review the 2025 State of Saskatoon Transit Fleet and Infrastructure report. It provides an overview of the condition, service levels, risks, and investment needs of the City’s transit assets. As of the end of 2024, 43% of the fixed-route bus fleet and 51% of the Access Transit fleet were in Poor or Very Poor condition, creating a risk of service disruptions until new buses are delivered. The recently approved Fleet Renewal Plan, running through 2030, aims to modernize the fleet, align average bus ages with industry standards, and support the upcoming Link bus rapid transit system. New bus deliveries, including 40-foot, 60-foot, and para-transit buses, are expected through late 2025 and into 2026, which will bring fleet ages within target levels. Next steps include developing an asset management plan, conducting a Service Area Review, creating a risk registry, and providing updated fleet reports to City Council every two years to monitor progress and guide planning.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, the Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services will meet. Mayor Cynthia Block has submitted a Notice of Motion requesting a review of Saskatoon’s Smoking Control Bylaw, 2004. The motion notes that both the City and the Province of Saskatchewan have existing regulations on smoking and vaping in public places, and that municipalities may adopt stricter rules under provincial law. Administration is asked to report back on options to make the bylaw more restrictive, focusing on setback distances from doors, patios, playgrounds, and other public areas, smoking on sidewalks adjacent to smoke-free zones, and outdoor common areas of multi-unit residential buildings. The report should include a comparison of smoking regulations in other Canadian cities and consider potential unintended impacts on people with disabilities or residents of multi-unit buildings without outdoor common space.
  
  
• Also on Wednesday, at 2:00 pm, the Standing Policy Committee on Finance will meet. The City’s 2025 mid-year financial forecast projects a small net surplus of $1.3 million, or 0.2% above budget. Some revenue shortfalls are expected from parking, franchise fees, and Saskatoon Light and Power, but these are offset by savings on fuel, Transit operations, Recreation and Culture programs, and insurance costs. The City’s Utilities are forecasting an $11-million surplus, driven mainly by higher water and wastewater revenues, cost savings in Saskatoon Light and Power, and efficiencies in Waste Services and Storm Water Management. Future fluctuations in fuel prices, weather, or utility revenues could affect final results. Third-quarter projections will be reported in December.
  
  
• Council has confirmed that the City’s electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at Lawson and Lakewood Civic Centres cannot operate without subsidies. A recent report showed that charging fees above $5.35 per hour would reduce usage, requiring the City to subsidize between $4,000 and $8,000 annually to keep the stations running. The pilot program, which offered free charging for two years, helped reduce about 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide and involved infrastructure costs of roughly $135,000. Council debated whether the stations could be transferred to a private operator, but no third party is currently interested. Despite concerns about taxpayer costs, Council approved the $5.35 per hour rate. Additionally, a motion passed unanimously to continue exploring privatization options to reduce the net cost of operating the stations.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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