Saskatoon Minute: Issue 82

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• Council and Administration have identified different priorities for the 2026-27 budget, though both agree on funding the homelessness response program and Meewasin Trail upgrades. Administration’s top six priorities also include addressing radio system communication gaps, a U of S research partnership, partial maintenance for City yard buildings, and the Vic Rempel Greenhouse revitalization, with projected costs of $2.2 million in 2026 and $2.06 million in 2027. Council members additionally prioritized the customer care relationship management program, reconciliation action plan, food action plan, and affordable housing incentives, totalling $2.12 million in 2026 and $1.92 million in 2027. 
  
  
• Saskatoon remains opposed to the proposed Solair community, even though the project has been moved entirely outside City limits into the Rural Municipality of Corman Park. The City’s objections have delayed approval of amendments needed for the development to proceed, leaving Arbutus Properties, the project’s developer, frustrated by the lack of clarity on the City’s concerns. Originally proposed as a $1-billion solar-powered neighbourhood straddling Saskatoon’s southeast edge, Solair has been downsized to 1,700 homes on 158 acres with optional solar panels instead of mandatory installations. City Administration argues the plan violates regional planning principles of efficiency and coordination, particularly due to its reliance on an English River First Nation sewage facility. Corman Park officials have suggested the City’s opposition may be tied to its own future expansion plans eastward. Former Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison has endorsed the project, calling it a defining moment for Corman Park’s growth potential.
  
  
• The federal government has announced a $43.7-million low-interest loan to support construction of a 162-unit apartment complex in Saskatoon’s Forest Grove neighbourhood. The project, called The Hadley and located on Webster Street, is funded through Ottawa’s Apartment Construction Loan Program, which offers fully repayable loans to encourage new rental housing development. Mayor Cynthia Block praised the project’s location and design, saying it will provide residents with access to public transit, shops, and recreation while promoting sustainable, connected communities. Construction continues at the site.
  
  
• Council has approved $450,000 in funding to support a new 60-bed provincial shelter at 170 31st Street West, covering costs for sidewalk construction, fencing, and information sessions. Residents and nearby business owners expressed concern the shelter could lead to overflow into the surrounding neighbourhood, with safety and cleanliness issues already present in nearby areas. Councillors noted that funding and infrastructure responsibilities are typically provincial, raising questions about the City’s financial role in the project. City officials said the $450,000 is expected to be the City’s only contribution. This comes after a previous temporary 35-bed shelter required the City to cover a funding gap of $360,000 in 2024 when provincial funds fell short.
  
  
• Council is exploring a community navigation hub to consolidate services for people experiencing homelessness, including showers, laundry, washrooms, housing supports, and income assistance. Councillor Holly Kelleher’s motion to pursue the idea passed unanimously, with City Administration expected to report back in the second quarter of 2026. The hub could be a single central facility, a renovated building, or a network of smaller “mini hubs” integrated with existing community organizations, with costs estimated between $8.7 million and $32 million depending on the model. Potential locations include a site between St. Paul’s Hospital and downtown, or the east side of the city, where such services are currently lacking. Funding would likely rely on provincial support - similar to Calgary and Edmonton - and possibly fundraising, though community consultation has not yet occurred. City officials caution that the timeline is ambitious and progress depends on cooperation with provincial and community partners.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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