Saskatoon Minute: Issue 78

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• On Wednesday, at 9:00 am, there will be a meeting of City Council. The agenda includes a comprehensive review of curbside waste collection locations, which notes that about 25% of residences receive back lane service, which poses operational challenges including safety risks, obstructions, and bylaw issues. The review found that back lane collections have higher rates of safety incidents, property damage, and complaints compared to front street collections, while front street service is 20-25% more efficient. Despite these operational advantages, resident feedback, such as from the Eastview pilot project, shows a strong preference for maintaining back lane service. A report recommends adopting a structured framework for both operational and neighbourhood-wide reviews, with operational reviews addressing immediate hazards and neighbourhood reviews involving Council approval and extensive community engagement. Financially, neighbourhood-wide reviews can cost up to $25,000 and take three to five months, while operational reviews have minimal direct costs. The City plans to maintain front street collection for new neighbourhoods where feasible but will continue using the review framework to address safety or efficiency concerns in existing areas. 
  
  
• Council will also discuss the Fire Community Support (FCS) program. Having completed its first year of operation, the program focused on supporting safety on Saskatoon Transit and within Business Improvement Districts (BIDS). Launched on July 1st, 2024, the program employs 12 full-time staff working in rotating shifts to provide a visible, non-enforcement presence, addressing minor social disorder, mental health wellness checks, and assisting individuals in distress. FCS uses proactive engagement and community-based support to resolve issues early, reducing reliance on police intervention - in 2025, only 11% of Transit incidents and 10% of BIDS incidents were referred to Saskatoon Police Service. The program has seen a 51% increase in incidents handled compared to 2024, reflecting expanded staffing and Transit coverage. Stakeholder consultation helped develop a flexible framework guiding deployment and prioritization, aiming to ensure responsiveness to community needs. There are plans under consideration in the 2026-2027 Business Plan and Budget to potentially expand its presence. While staffing limitations currently restrict coverage during early morning and late-night transit hours, the City is evaluating ways to increase capacity and further support both transit and the Business Improvement Districts.
  
  
• Council will be asked to approve several funding applications under major federal and provincial programs this fall. Administration plans to apply to the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) for projects including water main expansions, wastewater and sanitary system upgrades, and a new water treatment plant - together supporting tens of thousands of new housing units. The City will also seek funding through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Adaptation in Action Program for stormwater infrastructure repairs at Pinehouse Drive and a feasibility study on using non-potable water for irrigation in a new neighbourhood. In addition, Saskatoon will apply for up to $300,000 annually from Public Safety Canada’s Cyber Security Cooperation Program to strengthen cyber event planning in partnership with police and emergency management. Council approval is also needed to sign the Canada Public Transit Fund baseline agreement, which would allocate more than $33 million in federal funding over 10 years, requiring $50 million in matching City funds. 
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 6:00 pm, there will be a Public Hearing to gather feedback on several land use and zoning matters. Council will consider a discretionary use application for a new car wash at 210 Orban Way, as well as approval for a small commercial school at 115 Radu Crescent focused on goaltending instruction. A major rezoning request is on the agenda for Brighton Traeger Common, shifting land from future development to residential zoning. The Willows neighbourhood has multiple items up for debate, including amendments to its concept plan, an Official Community Plan land use map change, and related rezoning bylaws.
  
  
• Saskatoon will receive $3 million from the provincial government to fund year-round drop-in services, including winter warming centres, as part of an expansion of the Province’s homelessness strategy. Mayor Cynthia Block said the funding provides stability and will prevent the last-minute scramble the City faced last winter when temporary warming centres opened late in the season. Premier Scott Moe said the funding is a top-up to its $40-million Provincial Approach to Homelessness (PATH) plan and will be incorporated into a new strategy when it expires. Officials are still determining how many centres will open and where they will be located, working with the City and service providers. A recent count found 1,499 people experiencing homelessness in Saskatoon, nearly triple the 2022 total. Moe said the Province is also opening permanent complex needs shelters and emergency shelters to offer more support options across several cities.

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