News Releases

The warming location at St. Mary’s on Avenue O South will be open as of December 2, 2024. St. Mary’s will be operated by the Salvation Army and will be open overnight from 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. every day of the week. This new location is in addition to the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre (SIMFC), which is open every day from 11:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

On November 27, 2024, City Council approved a contribution of $200,000 in City funds to support the $1.2M Winter Navigation and Warming Centres capital project. The remaining $1M in funding was received from other levels of government, local community organizations and private contributions. The acquired funding will support:

• Evening warming centre operated by The Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre located on Wall Street
• Overnight warming location for women operated by the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre located on Wall Street
• Overnight warming location for men at St. Mary’s Parish on 20th Street operated by the Salvation Army
• Additional overnight outreach services operated by Sawēyihtotān

“We are truly thankful to all our partners who have been actively engaged in a collaborative process and who have been instrumental in getting these two overnight warming locations operational,” says Pamela Goulden-McLeod, Director of Emergency Management Organization. “As temperatures drop, our priority is to provide a warm safe location for all residents during the winter. We recognize homelessness is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive community response and we remain committed to looking out for our most vulnerable residents and relatives.”

Additionally, there are many daytime warm-up locations available for those needing to find somewhere to get out of the cold weather. Posters with this information are printed and available through key partners in the community and an informational graphic is available on the Saskatoon Fire Department and City of Saskatoon social media channels for sharing.

For more information about the warming locations and the Saskatoon Winter Emergency Response Plan, visit saskatoon.ca/cold.

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

NEW

29TH ST W ROAD CLOSED FROM AVE B N TO AVE C N
(Service line replacement)
Start: December 3, 7:00 a.m. End: December 4, 6:00 p.m.

19TH ST E EB LANES & WB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED FROM 2ND AVE S TO 3RD AVE S
(Crane hoist)
Start: December 3, 7:00 a.m. End: December 7, 5:00 p.m.

CONFEDERATION DR NB & SB VARIOUS LANES FROM GALT CRT TO 33RD ST W
(Environmental monitoring)
Start: December 3, 9:00 a.m. End: December 3, 12:00 p.m.

ASSINIBOINE DR WB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED AT WARMAN RD
(Construction)
Start: December 3, 9:00 a.m. End: December 3, 3:00 p.m.

8TH ST E WB CURB LANE & LEFT TURN LANE & EB CURB LANE CLOSED AT TO EMERSON AVE
(Groundwater monitoring)
Start: December 3, 9:00 a.m. End: December 3, 3:00 p.m.

CIRCLE DR E WB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED AT PRESTON AVE S
(Guardrail improvements)
Start: December 3, 7:00 p.m. End: December 4, 6:00 a.m.

ONGOING

24TH ST E WB LANES CLOSED FROM 6TH AVE N TO 5TH AVE N
(SL&P)
Start: August 7, 8:00 a.m. End: December 6, 5:00 p.m.

19TH ST E EB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM 2ND AVE S TO 3RD AVE S
(Construction)
Start: November 19, 7:00 a.m. End: December 11, 5:00 p.m.

4TH AVE N NB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM 22ND ST E TO 23RD ST E
(Vault repairs)
Start: September 16, 7:00 a.m. End: December 13, 4:00 p.m.

8TH ST E ROAD CLOSED FROM MCORMOND DR TO ZIMMERMAN RD
(Road construction)
No access to Zimmerman Rd from 8th St
Start: June 10, 7:00 a.m. End: December 20, 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: September 26, 2025, 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 we approach the holiday season, the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) wants to remind everyone about fire safety. The festive season is often a time for greater use of electric lights, candles, space heaters, fireplaces, stoves and live trees.  

Following a few simple tips will help make sure you and your family can prevent a fire from ruining your holidays: 

• Pick a tree with fresh green needles and make sure to water it daily. A dry tree can catch fire easily. 
• Have an emergency escape plan and make sure your Christmas tree and other decorations are not blocking exits such as windows or doors. 
• Check your holiday lights for frayed wires, damaged sockets, or loose bulb connections. 
• Give your heater a metre. Clothes, curtains, furniture and other combustible objects that are too close to a heat source can catch fire. 
• Watch what you heat. Unattended cooking can lead to a fire. 
• Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Replace the batteries every year and replace the alarm every 10 years. 
• Avoid overloading circuits and electrical outlets. Too many plugs and extension cords can cause overheating and lead to a fire. 
• Consider using flameless candles when decorating your home. 
• Blow out a burning candle before you leave the room or before you go to bed. Never leave burning candles unattended. 
• Make sure all electrical cords are tucked away and kept neat and tidy. When cords are exposed, pets can be tempted to chew on them, or people could trip and fall. 
• Keep flammable objects away from the stove. Objects too close to the burner can catch fire. 
• Turn off all holiday lights before going to bed or leaving your home. Many electrical fires are started when outlets or wires overheat. 

SFD encourages you to take extra safety precautions this holiday season to make sure your time with family and friends remains free of unwanted fires. 

SFD wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season! 

Beginning this month, Saskatoon’s Green Cart collection will transition to a monthly schedule for winter (December, January, February, and March). This change was approved by City Council on June 4, 2024 and reflects feedback from residents and data from the first year of the city-wide Green Cart program.

Residents are advised to check their collection dates online at saskatoon.ca/collectioncalendar or by downloading the Saskatoon Waste Wizard app. Green cart collections will occur on the same day of the week as previous, but once every four weeks. Calendars for all curbside collection types are now available online. 

Saskatoon received eight centimetres of snow between Saturday night and Sunday morning. City and contractor snow crews are focused on getting high speed and high traffic streets, and intersections clear. Drivers are urged to use an abundance of caution on the roads this morning – due to the snow and extreme cold temperatures, ice treatments such as salt and sand can be less effective and roads may be slippery.

The snow event response follows the Priority Street system:

Priority 1 – Freeways and major arterials. This includes Circle Dr. and streets with three+ lanes each way like Idylwyld Dr., 22nd St and College Dr. In a typical snow event, these roads are graded or plowed within 12 hours of the snowfall.  

Priority 2 - Arterials with double-lanes and bus routes. Double-lane streets like Clarence Ave, McKercher Dr. and Millar Ave. These roads are graded in about 36 hours.

Priority 3 - Collector streets, remaining Business Improvement District streets and school zones. These streets take you through your neighbourhood like Louise Ave, Howell Ave., and Main St. These roads are graded within 72 hours of the end of the snowfall.

Drivers should be aware of changing weather that can affect road and sidewalk conditions and adjust their driving or walking for the conditions. Leave extra room and watch for blue and yellow flashing lights on road equipment.

Learn more about winter road maintenance at saskatoon.ca/snow and stay in the snow at http://www.saskatoon.ca/snowreport.