Saskatoon Minute: Issue 86

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• On Thursday, at 1:00 pm, the Board of Police Commissioners will meet. The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) is seeking approval to provide a 2.5% salary increase in 2026 for its 43 out-of-scope employees, including directors, managers, and professional staff. This increase would mirror the raise already negotiated for the City of Saskatoon’s Exempt Staff Association (ESA) employees. SPS has historically aligned out-of-scope employee benefits and salary increases with ESA agreements. A market review of salaries across Saskatchewan police services and similar industries, contracted to White & Gale Consulting, began in September 2025 but will not be completed in time to inform the 2026 increase. Recommendations for 2027 salary adjustments will be based on the results of the market review.
  
  
• The Board will also hear that the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) has established a Warrant Enforcement Unit (WEU) to proactively identify and apprehend high-risk offenders. The Unit, led by a sergeant and four experienced officers, focuses on reducing outstanding warrants and enhancing accountability in the justice system while prioritizing public safety. WEU operations involve both uniform and plain-clothes investigations, intelligence sharing, threat assessments, and collaboration with other police services, parole officers, and correctional partners. Offenders are prioritized based on risk, violent history, and community impact. A one-year program review will evaluate the Unit’s outcomes and operational lessons.
  
  
• On Friday, at 11:30 am, the Saskatoon Environmental Advisory Committee will meet. The agenda includes a review of the City’s Sign Regulations to address environmental considerations for digital signs, which have become increasingly popular over the past five years. Concerns raised include excessive brightness, impacts on nearby residences and ecologically sensitive areas, and light pollution that conflicts with dark sky principles. Public engagement, including a survey of 360 respondents, revealed strong support for stricter regulations: 83% were concerned about brightness, 88% supported greater separation from residential areas, and 84% favoured setbacks from natural areas. Further stakeholder engagement will occur before the proposed regulatory changes are presented to City Council in early 2026.
  
  
• Saskatoon is increasing its snow removal budget, with over $19 million allocated for 2026 and more than $20 million for 2027, up from nearly $16 million in 2024. Changes to the snow removal plan include extending the target completion time for Priority 2 streets from 36 to 48 hours, while Priority 1 and 3 timelines remain at 12 and 72 hours, respectively. The budget increase includes $1 million to support up to six fully funded snow events, $100,000 for a contingency reserve, $77,500 for contract management, and additional funding for network growth and staffing, including new full-time equivalent positions. Collective agreement costs, inflation, and vehicle maintenance add another $163,900 to the budget. Starting in 2026, windrows in school and business districts will be cleared within 72 hours of a snow event or if they exceed 60 centimetres. These budget changes will be discussed by Council during budget deliberations.
  
  
• Saskatoon is exploring whether residents would support additional fees or a levy to address homelessness and housing issues, an idea initially raised by Mayor Cynthia Block on a local radio show. While Block framed the question to gauge public interest, she later clarified that no official motion would be brought forward at this time, noting that homelessness remains a provincial responsibility but has local impacts. The City’s 2025 Civic Satisfaction and Performance Survey found that 73% of respondents want more resources allocated to homelessness, and 63% said they would be willing to contribute financially, with suggested amounts ranging from under $5 to $15 or more per month. Ward 3 Councillor Robert Pearce conducted his own informal survey, finding strong opposition among his constituents, who already experience significant costs from homelessness-related crime and damage. Pearce expressed concern that a fee could blur responsibilities between different levels of government and questioned how revenue would be distributed. No formal proposal for a levy or additional fees has been made by Council or Administration.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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