News Releases

City Council at its August 29, 2022, meeting approved the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services recommendation to match SaskPower’s approved electrical rate increases. The new rates will be effective starting today, September 1, 2022; as approved, a second rate will take effect on April 1, 2023. The Federal Carbon Charge is anticipated to increase on January 1, 2023.

The City of Saskatoon, and thereby Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P) as a reseller of electricity matches its power rates to those established by SaskPower. This is to ensure equality between utility customers regardless of where they live in Saskatoon - within SL&P’s service provider area or SaskPower's.

The most recent general increase in electricity rates occurred on March 1, 2018, when a system-wide average increase of 3.5% came into effect. Since then, the Federal Carbon Charge has been implemented with annual adjustments. The Government of Saskatchewan also provided the Saskatchewan Economic Recovery Rebate in the amount of a 10% reduction in rates from December 1, 2020, to November 30, 2021.

SaskPower indicated in their current rate application that the main drivers of the requested rate increase were due to increases in the cost of fuel, purchased power expenses and modest increases in operating, maintenance, and administration expenses.

Starting September 1, 2022, an average residential customer using 625 kWh of electricity each month will incur an additional $7.00/month (3.4% electrical rate increase). Effective April 1, 2023, an additional $5.50/month (4.1% electrical rate increase). For commercial customers, there are several different rate categories depending on how much electricity they consume.

Please visit saskatoon.ca/utilityrates for full details on the electrical rates effective September 1, 2022.

For the City’s utility customers who have created an online My Utility Account, you'll be able to access SmartUtil our newest web tool to help you monitor your electrical consumption, view trends and also set handy budget notifications if you wish. 

If you're uncertain of your electrical service provider, review your monthly utility bill or call Saskatoon Light & Power at 306-975-2414 during regular business hours.

City of Saskatoon electrical utility (SL&P) customers, check out the helpful new interactive power outage map.

Visit saskatoon.ca for more information about City services and programs.

The City of Saskatoon has released its 2021 Annual Report to the public having received the opinion of the external auditor. Per The Cities Act, the 2021 Audited Financial Statements and Reports were presented to City Council for information on Monday, August 29, 2022. The Annual Report containing the consolidated financial statements is the legally required public report of the City's finances.

“The 2021 Annual Report highlights the City’s progress on major projects and initiatives by business line, our achievements and ongoing priorities as set out in the Multi-Year Business Plan and Budget, and the City's financial position at the end of 2021,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. 

“Against the ongoing challenges and the uncertainty of COVID-19 in 2021, we continued to find creative ways to be resilient and responsive in the delivery of our key civic services to the community,” says Hack. “We remain committed to ensuring residents receive value from the services and programs provided by local government, and from the investments made through their tax dollars.”

Financial highlights from 2021 show the City had:

• consolidated operating revenues of $1.08 billion and operating expenses of $892.3 million resulting in a net surplus of $186.7 million
• a strengthened accumulated surplus from $4.6 billion to $4.8 billion, an increase of 4.0% over 2020’s figures
• a 2.95% increase in overall Reserves from $208.7 million to $270.4 million
• a year-end deficit for tax-based operations before the transfer from the fiscal stabilization Reserve of $1.1 million, the same operating deficit that was reported to City Council at its meeting on April 25, 2022

Award-Winning Financial Reporting

For the 14^th consecutive year, the City of Saskatoon received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Canadian Award for Financial Reporting (2020). The 2021 Annual Report will be submitted to the GFOA for consideration for this year's award.

The City also had its S & P Global ‘AAA/ Stable’ credit rating reconfirmed for 2021 (and again in January for 2022 ), supported by the City’s cautious financial decision-making and willingness to explore innovative and alternative ways to fund, finance, deliver and make progress on important infrastructure projects.

Intending to be one of the best-managed cities in Canada, the 2021 Annual Report reflects the City’s ongoing dedication to continuous improvement, accountability to the public we serve, transparency and clarity in financial reporting.  

Visit saskatoon.ca/finance to view the 2021 Annual Report. Citizens may request an individually printed copy by emailing finance@saskatoon.ca.

A pair of size options to collect residential garbage at single family households will be presented to the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities & Corporate Services (EUCS) at its meeting Tuesday, September 6. The options are part of a report preparing the City’s move to a variable garbage cart utility in January 2024.

A variable black cart utility is a rate-based program where residents pay fees for the volume of waste they dispose and the services they receive based on the size of their garbage cart.

“While people are free to choose whatever they want, the volume-based rate structure is designed to encourage residents to divert as much waste as possible away from the landfill,” says Brendan Lemke, Director of Water and Waste Operations. “Residents with the largest garbage carts pay more and those with the smallest pay less.”  

The decision to fund both the garbage and organics services through payments on utility bills was approved October 18, 2021 by the Governance and Priorities Committee of City Council, at which time the Committee asked the Administration to evaluate the funding model and present options on timing, phase-in and affordability.

The two options up for discussion are:

• Option 1 (Recommended by Administration):
  
  • Three different garbage cart sizes would be available to residents upon request.
  • Residents would have a choice of cart sizes ranging from a 180 litre, 240 litre and the current 360 litre for year-round bi-weekly pick-up service.
  • This illustration compares the volume of the three black cart sizes. 

• Option 2:
  
  • Two different garbage cart sizes would be available to residents upon request -- the current large 360 litre and new medium 240 litre black cart for year-round bi-weekly pick-up service.

“Moving to a volume-based cart program will give residents choice based on their waste needs and it’s one of many components under the City’s Waste Reduction and Diversion Strategy to meet our waste diversion goals,” Lemke says. “We recommend Option 1 to City Council because it increases the customer’s control over their costs and provides financial incentives for waste diversion at a lower overall investment.”

The full report and attachments (appendix 1; appendix 2) can be found here.

For more information on waste and recycling, visit saskatoon.ca/wastediversion.

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

NEW

RUTH ST E EB LANES CLOSED FROM BROADWAY AVE TO LANSDOWNE AVE
(Sidewalk repair)
Two-way traffic will be maintained in WB lanes
Start: September 1, 7:00 a.m. End: September 8, 5:00 p.m.

NELSON RD EB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM HEATH AVE TO HEAL AVE
(Material laydown)
Start: September 1, 7:00 a.m. End: September 30, 5:00 p.m.

1ST AVE N ROAD CLOSED FROM 3RD AVE N TO PRINCESS ST
(Water main replacement)
Start: September 1, 7:30 a.m. End: September 20, 4:30 p.m.

22ND ST W EB & WB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED FROM AVE I N TO AVE J S
(Streetlight replacements)
Start: September 1, 9:00 a.m. End: September 1, 3:00 p.m.

SPADINA CRES E ROAD FROM 3RD AVE S TO 20TH ST E
(Nutrien Fireworks Festival)
Access to Boat Launch will be closed during this time
Start: September 1, 5:00 p.m. End: September 5, 12:30 p.m.

NIGHTWORK

CIRCLE DR W ROAD CLOSED AT 33RD ST W
(Bridge washing)
Start: August 31, 7:00 p.m. End: September 1, 6:00 a.m.

ONGOING

7TH AVE N ROAD CLOSED FROM 33RD ST E TO EMPRESS ST
(Valve repairs)
Start: August 31, 8:00 a.m. End: September 1, 5:00 p.m.

CIRCLE DR E WB CURB LANE & LEFT TURN LANE CLOSED AT QUEBEC AVE
(Hydro Vac)
Start: August 30, 9:00 a.m. End: September 1, 5:00 p.m.

33RD ST E EB LEFT TURN & WB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED AT WARMAN RD
(Construction)
Start: August 20, 7:00 a.m. End: September 2, 5:00 p.m.

1ST AVE N SB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM 25TH ST E TO 24TH ST E
(Concrete work)
Start: August 29, 7:30 a.m. End: September 4, 5:00 p.m.

AVE H N ROAD CLOSED AT 31ST ST W
(Water main work)
Start: August 30, 8:00 a.m. End: September 5, 4:30 p.m.

MCORMOND DR ROAD CLOSED AT BRIGHTON BLVD
(New road construction)
Start: June 6, 7:00 a.m. End: September 9, 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.

As part of the City's Extreme Heat Response, all spray pads hours have been extended to 10:00 p.m. until Monday, September 5.  Spray pads are open daily at 10:00 a.m. Visit saskatoon.ca/spraypads for a list of spray pad locations.

There are over 70 locations across Saskatoon to cool off and take a break from the heat. View the Heat Response Map to find a cooling location near you. Note: All paddling pools are closed for the season.