Archives
Exciting News! City Archives is relocating to central, downtown location
We have an exciting announcement!
The City of Saskatoon Archives is on the move to new centralized location downtown!
We have moved from our previous location at 224 Cardinal Crescent near the Saskatoon Airport - into our new permanent quarters at the old Post Office Building located at 202 - 4th Avenue North, right across the street from City Hall and the downtown Saskatoon Public Library. The new permanent locations for City Archives is also known as Civic Square East (CSE).
Our big move started April 8, 2024. City Archives will be closed for public inquiries until we fully re-open in September 2024.
We apologize in advance for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding as we undertake this large and exciting move!
At the City of Saskatoon Archives, we work to preserve and provide access to the historical records of the City of Saskatoon, as well as to those of historically significant individuals, organizations and groups in Saskatoon.
Due to on-going construction, access to the City Archives is currently by appointment only. Archives staff will also provide research assistance by post, by email, or over the telephone.
Archives Holdings
The City Archives contain records from the City of Saskatoon and its predecessor bodies dating back to 1902, and includes maps, plans, letters, reports, agreements, contracts, minutes, and directories documenting the history and growth of our city and the decisions made by the civic government and administration.
Our holdings database is available in-house only. Digital versions of our holdings are not available online. Finding aids for selected collections and series can be searched through the MemorySask database, hosted by the Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists.
Records available for research include:
- City Council and committee minutes (1902 - 1990)
- City bylaws (1903-1985)
- Engineering reports
- Fire Insurance Maps (1907-1963)
- Reports to Council
- Town of Sutherland records (1910-1956)
- Tax Assessment Rolls (selected, from 1906-1955)
- Aerial photographs (1927-1987)
- City maps, street and subdivision plans
- Building plans
- Burial records
- Voters lists (1909-1988)
- Henderson directories and telephone books (1908-2000)
- Municipal Manuals and annual reports
Private collections at the City Archives include the Saskatoon Star Phoenix photograph collection (400,000 images dating from 1946-1999), the Meewasin Valley Authority, Jeux Canada Games, the papers of several mayors and many more. For more information, contact the Archives.
Donating Records to the Archives
The City Archives accepts donations of historical records relating to Saskatoon and its people, for example:
- Photographs and documents relating to city staff, departments and officials, civic structures and facilities, and civic-related events
- Records of businesses, families and individuals with strong ties to Saskatoon
- Photographs of Saskatoon and its people
- Letters, diaries, and other material relevant to the history of Saskatoon and its people
- Photographs and records relating to the Town of Sutherland before 1956
- Photographs and records relating to the RM of Cory and to the early history of Montgomery Place
- Maps and aerial photographs of Saskatoon and area
- Other related material
For more information about how you can help to improve the documentary heritage of our city, please contact us.
Moving the Archives: Backgrounder
In the spring of 2024, staff at the City Archives began the arduous process of moving the collection from its previous location, a leased office building near the airport, to a new, permanent home in the City-owned Civic Square East (CSE) building, previously the Saskatoon Post Office, at 202 – 4th Avenue North.
Preparations began in January 2024, with the Archives closing to the public in early April. The actual move took place over three days in mid-May as more than 90 pallets loaded with boxes, books, shelving and supplies were loaded onto trucks and moved to the new space.
But that was only the beginning. The job of reassembling the Archives and getting ready to resume normal operations has been ongoing since then. As of June 26, 2024, Archives is close to being settled into its new home, and staff are able to resume limited reference services, with an official opening expected to be held in September 2024.
News Release April 3, 2024: Out with the old, into the new: City Archives on the move