1. Environmental Initiatives
  2. Climate Change
  3. Climate Change in Saskatoon

Climate Change in Saskatoon

What are the effects of climate change? 

Over the next 80 years, global climate models project that Saskatoon can expect: 

  • warmer overall temperatures
  • more hot days
  • changes in precipitation timing
  • increasingly variable seasons
  • more intense storms 

To learn about projected climate changes for Saskatoon and their possible effects, see Climate Change Projections, Hazards, and Impact Report (January 2025). 

The effects of climate change are largely experienced at the community level and include public health implications, water supply and storm water issues, transportation system disruptions, power disruptions, impacts to public and private properties and landscapes, and increased and/or urgent demand for social and emergency services. 

Consider Canadian disasters like the Calgary, AB flood in 2013, the western north American heat dome in 2021 that caused 1:1000-year record high temperatures and forest fires and led to the destruction of Lytton BC, and multiple forest fires and evacuations across Canada over spring and summer 2023; these kinds of events are likely to occur more often due to climate change.  

 

How is the City preparing for climate change? 

In September 2026, Saskatoon City Council approved an updated Climate Action Strategy. The Climate Action Strategy presents a comprehensive approach for climate readiness that combines measures that reduce carbon pollution with efforts to prepare the City of Saskatoon and community to address the impacts of a changing climate. Through the Net-Zero Transformation Playbook, the Climate Resilience Playbook, and Thrive - A Guide for a Just Transition, the Strategy aims to cultivate a community where all residents and businesses thrive and the benefits of climate action are shared by all. The Climate Action Strategy will guide the City’s approach to climate action over the next twenty-five years, through an iterative process guided by our vision.


Our Vision: Saskatoon is a net-zero and climate-resilient community where all residents and businesses can thrive. Guided by a commitment to equity, reconciliation, prosperity, and miyo-pimâtisiwin (the good life), we will transform our infrastructure, conserve our natural areas, and ensure the benefits of climate action are shared by all.

 

The climate is already changing 

People in Saskatoon are already experiencing the impacts of climate change. According to Climate West and the Prairie Climate Centre, the Prairies are warming faster than in the rest of Canada and the rest of the world. As Saskatoon's climate continues to change, according to Climate West and Prairie Climate Centre we can expect: 

  • More severe and more frequent storms
  • Unpredictable rainfall: increased drought in the summer and increased flooding as more of our rain falls in heavy storms
  • More days with poor air quality as wildfires increase across Canada
  • “Weather whiplash” – increased sudden changes between hot and cold days, such as a rainy February day followed by extreme cold
  • More very hot days in summer. Saskatoon is projected to move from 7 days above 30°C every year (historically) to 21 days above 30°C by 2050 and 45 days by 2080.

 

Climate change will affect our day-to-day lives and increase costs for people living in Saskatoon. Some of the impacts include: 

  • Damage to roads and buildings from floods, storms, and temperature swings
  • Increased demand for water and power systems could result in water restrictions or power outages
  • Increased costs to cool homes and businesses in the summer
  • Increased costs of insurance as storm and flood damage become more common
  • Loss of trees from increased pests and droughts
  • Changes to our outdoor recreation. This might mean longer summers for outdoor recreation, but also more days in the summer with extreme heat or poor air quality limiting how we spend time outdoors
  • Increased heat-related illness, respiratory problems from wildfire smoke, and new diseases moving north as the climate warms 

 

There are some potential benefits if we adapt and prepare for climate change, but those benefits could be outweighed by new challenges: 

  • Longer growing seasons, but the benefits may be outweighed increased drought and storms
  • Longer warm season for outdoor recreation, but the number of summer days with smoke and extreme heat will also increase, so we may have fewer days enjoying the outdoors
  • Fewer winter days below -30, but with an increase in rain on snow, icy conditions, and winter storms
  • The farming sector could see benefits from being able to grow different, potentially more valuable, crops but will also face increased pests and diseases, increased drought, and more frequent and severe storms (including high winds and hail) 

 

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