Saskatoon Minute: Issue 84

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 1:30 pm, there will be a Special Regular Business Meeting of City Council to consider a resolution to end train whistling at the new pedestrian rail crossing near Warman Road and Assiniboine Drive. The crossing, which connects the River Heights and North Industrial neighbourhoods, is nearly complete, with final construction items expected to finish in early November. Once approved, the resolution will be sent to Canadian National Railway (CN) and Transport Canada’s Rail Safety Directorate to issue an official whistle cessation order. City officials say the move will improve quality of life for nearby residents by reducing noise while maintaining safety standards. CN is expected to confirm cessation within 30 days of receiving the resolution.
  
  
• Also on Tuesday, at 2:00 pm, there will be a meeting of the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation. The Committee will the addition of Indigenous-led Peacekeepers to support safety on Saskatoon Transit and in Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). Indigenous Peacekeepers would use an approach that focuses on building trust, connecting individuals to services, and addressing root causes of conflict, in contrast to traditional security or law enforcement. The City currently uses a tiered security system including transit supervisors, private security, police, and fire staff, with only a small portion of incidents requiring police involvement. Five options will be considered, ranging from contracting Indigenous organizations or social enterprises, creating a City-run program, piloting a one-year partnership, or maintaining the status quo. Administration recommends Option 4, a one-year pilot in a single BID with two Indigenous-led teams operating full-time, at a one-time capital cost of $300,000. This pilot would allow the City to evaluate effectiveness and refine the program before considering permanent implementation. If adopted, Indigenous Peacekeepers would be integrated into the City’s existing tiered response framework to provide a holistic, culturally informed approach to community safety.
  
  
• The Transportation Committee will also review how to handle school bus parking requests in paid parking zones, prompted by a request from the Saskatoon Misbah School on 20th Street East. The school, which serves about 200 K-9 students, has limited off-street parking and needs curbside space for buses and drop-offs. Current bylaws and policies restrict over-length vehicles, such as school buses, from parking in pay zones, and existing loading zones are too small to accommodate them. While the Temporary Reserved Parking Program could technically allow this use, it would cost roughly $115,000 annually for six stalls - making it impractical for long-term school needs. City staff generally avoid granting one-off parking exemptions and instead aim to update policies through broader reviews. A new curbside management strategy planned for 2026 will assess how curbside space is allocated, including potential school bus accommodations in non-residential areas. No financial changes are being proposed at this stage, but any future policy adjustments could affect parking revenue allocations.
  
  
• Council has voted to purchase a former Riversdale restaurant for $805,000 to serve as a winter warm-up centre, despite opposition from residents and local businesses who warned that adding another social service facility to the neighbourhood could worsen safety issues and deter investment. City officials admitted the location was not ideal but said it was the only viable site found after a two-year search. Ward 2 Councillor Senos Timon cast the lone vote against the decision, arguing that social services should be decentralized rather than concentrated in one area. Other Councillors countered that placing facilities close to where people already access support is more effective. Renovations of roughly $200,000 are expected, with a third-party operator to be chosen by the province. The facility is slated to open by late November, ahead of the winter cold.
  
  
• Council decided to delay its decision on the DEED partnership proposal until early 2026 following a series of questions and concerns from Councillors. The proposed partnership involves OVG360, a US-based company from Colorado, taking over operations of the city’s downtown arena and convention centre as part of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District (DEED) project. Councillors requested more information on the financial implications, management structure, and potential long-term impacts of partnering with an international operator. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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