Saskatoon Minute: Security Measures, Arena Deal, and Amended Utility Fees

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. The Committee will discuss the new event center (more on that below!) and security renovations to the Mayor’s Office Support Area. The Committee will also discuss a letter from the National Police Federation that asks City Council to join an initiative calling on the Province to halt the creation of the Saskatchewan Marshals Service. The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners will meet on Thursday at 1:00 pm. They will discuss a report on the latest Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Audit, as well as the 2024 Mid-Year Business Plan Update.
  
  
• The City is close to finalizing a deal with OVG360, a Denver-based facility management company, to fund a new downtown arena and convention center. OVG360 is set to invest $170 million over 25 years and manage the new facilities, while receiving a share of the profits. Council must still approve the deal, and the remaining funding sources are yet to be determined. Public funding methods, including possible surcharges and taxes, will be outlined in a report later this month.
  
  
• Businesses in Saskatoon are increasingly investing in security measures due to rising crime and social issues. Many are hiring security services for the first time or enhancing existing measures to address vandalism and other crime-related problems. The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce has noted that businesses are spending more on security and dealing with increased cleanup costs. Some are adding security cameras or hiring staff to patrol sites too.

Last Week In Saskatoon:

• The Utilities Committee endorsed changes to Saskatoon Light and Power’s (SL&P) fee schedule. The amendments include significant increases in fees for services like disconnections and reconnections, meter dispute tests, and the introduction of a tamper fee. The fee review was initiated by Council during budget discussions for 2024-2025 after it was found that the fees hadn't been updated for several years, resulting in SL&P not fully covering its operational costs. If approved by the full Council later this month, the changes could generate up to $185,000 annually for the company. While some fees will rise significantly, application fees for emergency or same-day service would be reduced by $50, but would no longer be offered outside of regular business hours.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan Health Authority has opened the Cozy Nest Care Home near Saskatoon to address overcrowding in the city’s hospitals. The new facility offers 83 long-term care beds as part of a capacity pressure action plan. This initiative was developed after Saskatoon’s St. Paul’s Hospital failed a fire inspection due to overcrowded emergency rooms. Cozy Nest will help transition patients from hospital care back to the community, easing the burden on acute care facilities.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan government will provide $1 million to help cover the costs of searching a Saskatoon landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier. Saskatoon police spent 93 days sifting through 5,000 tonnes of garbage, ultimately finding her remains, with the search costing $1.5 million. Police Chief Cameron McBride expressed gratitude for the funding, which was requested from both the provincial and federal governments. This news comes as plans are progressing to search a landfill in Manitoba for human remains - and the team doing the work in Manitoba is looking to learn from the search in Saskatoon.