News Releases

The City of Saskatoon is pleased to announce a new, convenient way for residents to dispose of their Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) safely and responsibly. Starting June 5, 2024, residents can drop off their HHW every Wednesday at the Material Recovery Centre.

The new weekly collection program is designed to make it easier for residents to dispose of items that should not be thrown in regular garbage or recycling bins due to their potential harm to the environment and public health. Accepted items include aerosols, automotive fluids, cleaners, cylinders, light bulbs, yard chemicals, and more. Complete lists of acceptable and unacceptable items are available at saskatoon.ca/hazardouswaste.

HHW will be accepted every Wednesday from 8 am to 4:45 pm at the Material Recovery Centre, located at 42 Valley Road.

The City encourages residents to take advantage of this free service to ensure these materials are handled in an environmentally responsible manner.

Reminders: 

• The program is open to residents with household products only – no commercial loads will be accepted.
• Containers used for transporting HHW may not be returned to the participants.
• Please ensure all containers are safely sealed and contents are clearly marked. 
• To avoid potentially long line-ups and wait times, ask the Waste Wizard at saskatoon.ca/wastewizard to find other means of recycling and safe disposal. 
• There are no public washrooms available at the Material Recovery Centre.

Thank you for helping us put waste in the right place!

Direct service from the Special Events Stop (23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) to see the Saskatchewan Rattlers take on the Vancouver Bandits at SaskTel Centre on Thursday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m., is available at the following times:

• 6:15 p.m.
• 6:55 p.m.

Post-event drop-off is at the downtown terminal and regular fares apply ($3.00 per trip). Fare can be purchased on your mobile phone using either the TGo or transit app, transfers and passes are also accepted. Typically, buses arrive onsite 30 minutes prior to the end of the event.

Plan your trip to events at SaskTel Centre on Route 333 using the Transit app up to two weeks in advance. Check out the Transit+ feature to help make connections that combine Transit with OnDemand Transit, riide, and Uber. Download the Transit app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Transit service times for special events at SaskTel Centre and other popular destinations can always be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/plan-my-trip/popular-destinations. Experience the convenience of using Saskatoon Transit to attend all your favourite events.

The City of Saskatoon is proud to announce the successful completion of the first year of its city-wide curbside organics program. Since its launch in May 2023, the Green Cart program has contributed to a notable increase in the City’s waste diversion rate, which has risen from 23.5 per cent to 33.3 per cent. This is the first significant increase in a decade, highlighting the program’s impact on the City’s waste diversion efforts.

“We are incredibly pleased with the community's response to the Green Cart program and the substantial increase in our diversion rates,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water & Waste Operations. “Moving forward, we will continue to refine and improve the program, which includes a proposal to adjust collection frequencies to better meet seasonal needs and address the remaining diversion potential in black carts.”

On Tuesday, June 4, Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services (EU&CS) will hear details of the Green Cart program's performance.

The Solid Waste Reduction and Diversion Plan projected that the annual diversion from green carts would be between 15,000 and 22,000 tonnes per year. Since program launch, more than 20,452 tonnes of organic waste have successfully been diverted from the landfill.  Diverting organics from landfill reduces Greenhouse Gas emissions. The Green Cart program avoided 13,374 tonnes of CO2e that would have been released as methane gas if the same materials were landfilled. This is the equivalent of removing 2,972 passenger cars from the roadway. 

There is still opportunity to increase the City’s diversion rates; however. Recent waste characterization audits reveal that the average black cart still contains approximately 33 per cent organic material. The City will continue its education campaigns to improve green cart use, ensuring residents are well-informed about the benefits and proper practices of organic waste diversion.

There were also noted seasonal variations in the program's performance. During winter months, set-out rates and the amount of collected organic waste were significantly lower.

To optimize efficiency and service delivery, Administration is recommending a reduction in the winter collection frequency to once every four weeks between December 1 and March 31 each year. This option is expected to provide savings of $162,000 annually and the adjustment in service could begin December 2024. No change in collection frequency during the spring/summer/fall season is being recommended at this time.

To learn more about the Green Cart program, visit saskatoon.ca/greencart.

Following a discussion of several options, City Council today approved the purchase of a used washroom trailer to provide a staffed, all-day service for the Riversdale and Pleasant Hill neighbourhoods. Council also approved funding to provide staffing at a riverbank washroom location and for extra public access to drinking water.  

“Like many other communities in Canada, Saskatoon is being impacted by an increase in residents who are experiencing homelessness,” says Pamela Goulden-McLeod, Director of Emergency Management. “We’re encouraged with Council’s decision because there’s been a widening gap in services and resources -- including access to public washrooms and drinking water -- for residents in need.” 

The options are expected to cost approximately $700,000, with the money coming from the Reserve for Capital Expenditures. Administration will be diligently looking for cost-saving options. Two community partners have expressed an interest in working with the City on this project. These partnerships are expected to impact some of the planned resources and will lower the project's cost. 

Council heard the City already provides public washroom options in neighbourhoods throughout Saskatoon. The approved options would help increase access to washrooms in neighbourhoods that do not have this service and, in turn, would minimize the overall impact on one single washroom location. The overnight winter warming location that operated at St. Mary’s Hall provided a washroom facility. With the seasonal closure of the warming centre, Pleasant Hill and Riversdale do not have an all-day service – which was in great demand. 

“There is significant need for washroom resources and one location could be overwhelmed quickly,” says Goulden-McLeod. “This was learned from the post-action debrief regarding the St. Mary’s overnight warming location this winter.” 

Goulden-McLeod says there is a cost saving with a used trailer, and if needed, the purchased washroom trailer could then be used for many other functions within the community. 

The washroom trailer is expected to be available in about a week’s time. The Riverbank location, once confirmed, could be staffed in June.  

Council also committed to fund a continuation of misting tents to help prevent heat-stroke and heat-related illnesses, critical to the City’s Extreme Heat Emergency Response Plan. A pilot project for a water-bottle filling station last year at the Westside Clinic was successful; Council now supports three new water bottle filling stations on top of the established distribution of bottled water for those in need. 

*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.

NEW

8TH ST E VARIOUS SINGLE LANE CLOSURES AT ACADIA DR
(Environmental monitoring)
Start: May 30, 9:00 a.m. End: May 31, 2:00 p.m.

BOYCHUK DR NB & SB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED AT NEMEIBEN RD
(Pole replacement)
Start: May 30, 1:00 p.m. End: May 30, 3:00 p.m.

ONGOING

AVE H S NB LANES CLOSED FROM 12TH ST W TO 16TH ST W
(Resurfacing)
Start: May 23, 7:00 a.m. End: May 30, 5:00 p.m.

MCORMOND DR EB & WB VARIOUS LANE CLOSURES FROM KENASCHUK CRES TO WANUSKEWIN RD
(Crack Sealing)
Mobile closures in the area from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays only. There will always be one lane open for traffic in each direction.
Start: May 22, 9:00 a.m. End: May 31, 3:00 p.m.

COLLEGE DR WB LANES SPEED REDUCTION FROM MCORMOND DR TO MCKERCHER DR
(Guardrail repair)
Start: May 10, 7:00 a.m. End: May 31, 5:00 p.m.

MCORMOND DR NB & SB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED AT KALRA ST
(Streetscaping)
Start: May 29, 7:00 a.m. End: May 31, 5:00 p.m.

SPADINA CRES E ROAD CLOSED FROM 20TH ST E TO 3RD AVE S
(Traffic calming & sidewalk improvements)
Start: May 27, 7:00 a.m. End: May 31, 6:00 p.m.

MELVILLE ST WB LANES CLOSED FROM BRAND RD TO JASPER AVE
(Ditching & culvert work)
Start: April 24, 7:00 a.m. End: June 7, 5:00 p.m.

20TH ST E EB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM IDYLWYLD DR S TO 1ST AVE S
(Streetscaping)
Start: May 13, 7:00 a.m. End: June 20, 5:00 p.m.

NEAULT RD ROAD CLOSED FROM 22ND ST W TO WHELAN RD
(Road construction)
Start: May 2, 9:00 a.m. End: June 28, 5:00 p.m.

PRESTON AVE S NB LANES CLOSED FROM TAYLOR ST E TO 5TH ST E
(Storm system construction)
Start: May 21, 7:00 a.m. End: June 30, 5:00 p.m.

COLLEGE DR EB MEDIAN & NEXT LANE CLOSED FROM CLARENCE AVE N TO UNIVERSITY DR
(Water main maintenance)
Start: April 29, 7:00 a.m. End: July 15, 5:00 p.m.

COLLEGE DR EB MEDIAN & NEXT LANES AND WB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED FROM UNIVERSITY DR TO CUMBERLAND AVE N
(Water main maintenance)
Start: April 29, 7:00 a.m. End: July 15, 5:00 p.m.

BRIGHTON BLVD ROAD CLOSED FROM TASKAMANWA ST TO 8TH ST E 
(Construction) 
Use McOrmond Dr 
Start: November 20, 2023, 7:00 a.m. End: November 18, 2024, 5:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.