Saskatoon Minute: Issue 95

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

📅 This Week In Saskatoon: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, the Governance and Priorities Committee will meet. The Committee is reviewing funding for Discover Saskatoon (DS), its tourism agency, whose current Fee-for-Service Agreement provides $619,100 for 2025. DS has requested nearly double that amount for 2026, citing the need to maintain competitiveness in attracting visitors, events, and conventions. Administration analyzed the request, noting that Saskatoon’s contribution is similar to other Canadian cities as a share of total revenue, and that much higher funding elsewhere is supported by legislated accommodation taxes, which Saskatchewan does not permit. Four funding options are being considered, ranging from status quo with a 3% annual increase to full funding of DS’s request phased in over three years. The recommended approach (Option 3) is a 3% annual core increase with a $125,000 annual bonus tied to performance metrics, with further exploration of governance reforms. This structure aims to incentivize DS to attract tourism and events while balancing municipal budget impacts and performance accountability. A future report will formalize performance metrics and any governance changes.
  
  
• Also on the agenda are plans to amalgamate SaskTel Centre and TCU Place into a single organization by early 2027. The proposed merger aims to streamline operations, reduce duplication, and improve Saskatoon’s ability to attract major events, with estimated annual savings and revenue growth of $470,000 by Year 3. Consolidation would unify Administration, HR, IT, finance, and facility operations, while also creating a single brand identity and guest experience. The amalgamation supports the future Downtown Event and Entertainment District project by simplifying governance, whether the City chooses a private partner or a controlled corporation model. Both corporations, as non-profits wholly owned by the City, can legally amalgamate under The Non-Profit Corporations Act, 2022, with City Council approval. An implementation team, including representatives from the City and both corporations, will manage the process and address contracts, Board transitions, and administrative structures. City Council retains ultimate authority if any impasses arise during the amalgamation process.
  
  
• Saskatoon’s proposed changes to housing incentives have developers concerned that infill projects in established neighbourhoods could be jeopardized. The new program shifts focus to properties along Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes, offering tax abatements for vacant, derelict, or adaptively reused sites, including some currently occupied homes. Developers note that infill construction is significantly more expensive than suburban development, and even with abatements, costs remain higher. Concerns also exist over the phased-out five-year abatement versus the previous flat-rate system. City officials argue the changes provide predictability for growth along transit corridors while keeping incentives available for eligible sites. Councillors are requesting reports on expanding incentives to secondary corridors, business districts, and neighbourhoods left out of the new program. The goal is to balance encouraging development along priority routes with supporting broader city-centre infill.
  
  
• Saskatoon has announced it will not meet its 2026 deadline to replace all lead service lines, with City Administration now proposing to extend the target to 2028. About 675 lead lines remain, mostly in older neighbourhoods like Montgomery, Nutana, Caswell Hill, North Park, and Sutherland, and the City typically replaces around 300 lines per year. Delays are attributed to postponed pandemic work, higher construction costs, and industry capacity limits. Residents share 40% of replacement costs, while the City covers 60%, and notices about upcoming construction are sent early in the year. The City advises flushing taps, running showers, and using NSF-certified filters to reduce lead exposure. 
  
  
• Business owners in Saskatoon’s Confederation Urban Centre are pushing to have the area officially designated as a Business Improvement District (BID), aiming to unify local businesses, improve communication, and strengthen their voice at City Hall. The proposed BID would include Confederation Mall, nearby stores like the Superstore, and stretch from Fairhaven Bowl to 11th Street, with few residential homes within its boundaries. Supporters say BID status would allow businesses to collaborate on shared concerns, particularly community safety, and ensure they are included in important civic discussions. The initiative gained momentum after 2024 municipal boundary changes brought a new group of businesses together. Ward 2 Councillor Senos Timon highlighted that the proposal fills a long-standing gap in business representation. Organizers hope the BID will be approved within a year and begin operations in 2027, crediting years of planning and community coordination for the effort.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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