Saskatoon Minute: Issue 81

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• The Governance and Priorities Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:30 am. On the agenda are the results of the Community Navigation Hub Feasibility Study. The study was intended to explore a new model for addressing homelessness through coordinated, low-barrier services. The Hub would integrate supports such as housing placement, income assistance, health and addictions referrals, and culturally appropriate Indigenous programming, aiming to reduce service gaps and chronic homelessness. The study also proposes a network approach with a central hub complemented by smaller “mini-hubs” in existing community facilities, increasing accessibility and scalability. Three implementation scenarios were considered: constructing a new building, renovating an existing facility, or integrating a mini-hub within a civic building. Site selection will prioritize accessibility, proximity to services, neighbourhood fit, and adequate space, with two potential areas identified: downtown to St. Paul’s Hospital corridor and the east side of the river. Funding models would likely rely on multiple levels of government, with potential support from community fundraising initiatives, following examples from Calgary and Edmonton. The report identifies opportunities to expedite development but notes that further engagement, site analysis, and Council direction will be required for next steps. Completion of the study fulfills a federal funding requirement under the Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative.
  
  
• Also on the agenda is a summary of cost recovery targets for the City's major user fees, which apply to over 70 services ranging from utilities to recreation and public transit. Services are categorized along a continuum from “private goods,” like water and waste collection, which are fully cost-recovered through user fees, to “public goods,” such as police, fire, and local parks, which are funded primarily through property taxes. Services with both public and private benefits, or “merit goods,” like recreation facilities and transit, are partially subsidized, with cost recovery rates influenced by factors such as societal benefits, demand elasticity, market conditions, municipal comparisons, and strategic objectives. For example, Recreation Facilities have targeted recovery rates of 70% for indoor leisure centres and 100% for indoor rinks and sportsfields, with flexibility to adjust fees based on market fairness and demand. Saskatoon Transit is heavily subsidized, and a comprehensive fare review is underway to inform future recovery targets. While other Canadian municipalities like Calgary and Medicine Hat have guiding user fee policies, Saskatoon currently lacks an overarching policy for all services, though one may be proposed for Council consideration in late 2026.
  
  
• The City has introduced a five-year housing strategy called HOUSING Saskatoon, aimed at reducing homelessness and improving housing affordability. The plan targets about 11,000 households currently facing housing insecurity, with low-income families, seniors, Indigenous residents, and single mothers most affected. The strategy focuses on five main goals: diversifying housing types, expanding affordable supply, strengthening partnerships, increasing public awareness, and promoting equitable access. City officials say stable municipal funding is needed to leverage federal and provincial grants and maintain competitiveness with other cities. Three budget options, ranging from $2.5 million to $8.6 million for 2026-27, will be considered during upcoming Council budget discussions. The City also proposes dedicating 15% of profits from the Neighbourhood Land Development Fund to support housing initiatives. 
  
  
• The College Drive corridor is undergoing changes as part of the City’s Link bus rapid transit project and broader corridor planning efforts. The plan, which will go to City Council for approval in November, includes zoning updates to encourage mixed-use residential development, with buildings ranging from three to seven storeys along College Drive and corridor residential areas allowing up to four storeys. Driveway access from College Drive will be limited for new developments to improve pedestrian and transit accessibility, though existing driveways can remain. Transit officials expect more people to use buses, potentially reducing car traffic, though the exact impact is unclear. The plan also introduces wider sidewalks, new pedestrian crossings, and safety-focused street adjustments, such as removing long medians on University Drive. Landscaping with trees and plants will be added to separate sidewalks from streets, enhancing safety and public space appeal.
  
  
• The City of Saskatoon is considering an agreement with the YMCA to operate the Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre once renovations are complete, with the facility expected to reopen in 2026. The YMCA sees this as an opportunity to support its mission of community health and recreation, noting that it already manages similar facilities in over 100 municipalities across Canada. CUPE Local 59 has raised concerns about how the partnership could affect the roughly 50 employees currently assigned to the aquatic centre, as well as the quality of services the YMCA would provide. Employees have been temporarily reassigned during renovations, and the City has indicated that no positions would be lost if the YMCA takes over. The YMCA envisions potential programs like an aquatic leadership academy and future partnerships at other leisure facilities. A final decision on the agreement will be made at a later date.

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