News Releases
Saskatoon Fire - News Releases
City Council to review options for school and playground zones
November 1, 2021 - 11:08am
-
New playground zones with reduced speed limit of 30 km/h;
-
Year-round lower speed limits in both school and playground zones 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
-
Adjustments to posted signs and length of current school zones; and
-
Removal of lower speed school zones from high schools, designating them a “school area” where U-turn are still restricted.
Year-round school zones and the introduction of playground zones with reduced speed limits were endorsed at City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Transportation today. City Council will debate the merits of the recommended options for these zones and vote at its November 22 meeting.
The recommendation would align the City’s school zone policy with national guidelines and implement other best practices for pedestrian safety, including:
There is no recommendation to develop a lower speed limit in areas with more seniors. Other measures such as traffic calming or pedestrian crossing devices will continue to be used to ensure pedestrian safety at important crossings near these facilities.
Project information is available at saskatoon.ca/engage/speed-limit-review.
City Council defeats The COVID-19 Gathering Bylaw, 2021 No.9782
October 29, 2021 - 10:53am
- Red: 16% reduction in gathering size but no decrease in proportion of people mixing in the community.
- Olive: 43% reduction in gathering sizes but no decrease in proportion of people mixing in the community.
- Green: modest reduction in people mixing in community.
- Blue: greater reduction in people mixing in community (half of pre-pandemic mixing).
- Magenta: greater reduction in people mixing in community (half of pre-pandemic mixing).
- Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or negative test within 72 hours are mandatory for ages 12 and over within all Leisure Centre areas and indoor arenas as per a Public Health Order and subsequent Council direction.
- A Public Health Order requires masks to be worn in all indoor public spaces including all City facilities.
New map highlights areas affected by SL&P power outages
October 28, 2021 - 2:00pm
Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P) has launched a new interactive power outage map, making it easier than ever for customers to access and view outage information.
“While our crews are troubleshooting and repairing an outage, we’re committed to keeping customers informed in the easiest, most helpful way,” says Trevor Bell, Director of SL&P. “Service alerts issued on Twitter and on the City website are the primary form of communication for outages, but now the map will also be included with the alerts making it easier to see the area impacted, cause, and estimated time of repair.”
Outages are either identified from data notification from the electrical system (i.e. smart meters) or through calls from customers. Crews are then dispatched to determine the cause of the outage, and then isolate the issue and complete the repair. Outages may involve minor work, such as trimming trees away from power lines, or much larger tasks such as replacing broken poles, faulty cables, or damaged transformers. Repair work can take minutes or up to several hours.
“Prior to the power outage map, the impacted outage area was written in a service alert, but since the outage area usually does not follow neighbourhood boundaries it can be difficult to describe the affected area accurately,” says Bell. “While the written information will still be provided, the new map will be a better visual representation of the outage area and will be especially helpful in the event of planned outages.”
Bell adds that Saskatoon Light & Power’s index of reliability in 2020 was 0.9998, which means that power was delivered to the average customer 99.98% of the time.
Saskatoon Light & Power provides power to over 60,000 properties within its service area. All customers outside of the service area should refer to the SaskPower website for any outage related information.
Visit saskatoon.ca/outages for more information on the new power outage map and for power outage tips.
City invites feedback on draft Strategic Plan 2022-2025
October 27, 2021 - 5:13am
- Advance City Council's Priorities
- Deliver Excellence in Core Services and Operational Priorities
- Drive Corporate Transformational Change
The City is seeking public input on its draft Strategic Plan for 2022-2025. The current Strategic Plan for 2018-2021 will be retired at year’s end.
The City has been working to develop the new strategic plan over the course of the past year. The document is intended to capture the priorities and direction for the City over the next four years. The draft plan includes three pillars that underline how the City will achieve the goals set out in its plan:
Why do we need a Strategic Plan?
The Strategic Plan is a guiding document that sets out the City’s big picture. It outlines the specific outcomes that City Council and Administration will work together to achieve over the next four years. Strategy does not cover all the important work a City does. Strategy speaks specifically to the changes and improvements that are planned over a period to ensure Saskatoon remains a city that residents are proud to call home.
Public Input
The City is gathering feedback on the draft plan and content of the three pillars. This feedback will be presented alongside the plan at the Nov. 22nd meeting of City Council. The Strategic Plan presentation and the discussion that follows will be available via livestream at saskatoon.ca and residents are welcome to tune in.
The 2022-2025 draft Strategic Plan and the accompanying survey are available now at saskatoon.ca/engage. If you or someone you know cannot complete the online survey, please contact the City's Customer Care Centre at 306-975-2476 to request a paper copy. The survey is open until 5 p.m. on Nov. 10, 2021.
City proclaims November 1 to 8 Health Care Worker Appreciation Week: 40% discount offered at City Indoor Leisure Centres
October 25, 2021 - 4:30pm
City Council today proclaimed November 1 to 8, 2021, Health Care Worker Appreciation Week in Saskatoon.
“On behalf of the City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon City Council extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to all health care workers who continue to show heroic efforts in protecting our community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.
In appreciation for all the physicians, nurses, health care aides, home care providers, pharmacists, paramedics, emergency management teams and all others working in health care, the City is offering a 40% discount on a family, adult or youth Leisure Centre general admission during Health Care Worker Appreciation Week -- November 1 to 8, 2021.
In addition to the required vaccination or negative test proof, health care workers will be asked to provide proof of employment in order to receive the discount. The offer is valid at all City Leisure Centres including Cosmo Civic Centre, Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre, Lakewood Civic Centre, Lawson Civic Centre, Saskatoon Field House and Shaw Centre.
For more information, visit saskatoon.ca/leisurecentres.
City to present utility funding options for curbside residential garbage and upcoming organics program
October 13, 2021 - 10:52am
- Option 1: January 2023 implementation of fixed monthly rates for both black cart garbage and curbside organics utilities.
- Option 2 (Recommendation): January 2023 implementation of fixed monthly rate for curbside organics utility and January 2024 implementation of variable rates for the black cart garbage.
On Monday, October 18, the Administration will present a decision report to the Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) detailing two options for the implementation of a utility for curbside residential garbage and the upcoming curbside residential organics program. The decision to rescind the November 19, 2018 resolution to fund both with property taxes came during the August 30, 2021 GPC meeting, where the Administration was asked to re-evaluate the funding model and present options on timing, phase-in options, and affordability options.
The two options are as follows:
This illustration provides a detailed comparison of both options, including the estimated financial impact on single-family households, condominiums, and non-residential properties.
“Funding these services through a utility is a step in the right direction, as it provides additional transparency of program costs and accountability to customers through a fair and justifiable rate.” says Angela Gardiner, General Manager, Utilities and Environment. “We have done a thorough comparison of both options and we feel that the variable aspect of Option 2 is most favourable as it increases the customer’s control over their costs and encourages lower usage of residential garbage services by providing financial incentives for waste diversion.”
The full report and attachments can be found here.
Progress updates and a decision history can be found at saskatoon.ca/curbsideorganics.
COVID-19 self-testing kits are not available for pickup at Saskatoon Fire Halls
October 18, 2021 - 3:48am
The Government of Saskatchewan recently announced that COVID-19 ‘at home’ self-testing kits would be distributed to the general public this week and available for pickup at participating fire halls, local chambers of commerce, and SHA testing and assessment centres.
The Saskatoon Fire Department Fire Halls are not a participating pickup location. For safety reasons, Saskatoon’s Fire Halls have not been open to the public since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. The public is asked to not go to or call a Fire Hall seeking testing kits.
A list of participating pickup locations will soon be available at Saskatchewan.ca/covid-19. The Government of Saskatchewan has indicated this list will be updated as kits are delivered and available, and as new sites participate.
For the latest updates, visit saskatoon.ca/covid-19.
2022/2023 Multi-Year Business Plan & Budget: Special Meeting Friday, October 15
October 14, 2021 - 5:25am
- Strategic Options to Reduce Expenditures 2022/2023 - information on strategic options to reduce expenditures for 2022 and 2023 to bring expenditures more in line with current revenue increases. This report provides service level reports that have been previously presented to City Council for consideration on whether there are service levels that could be adjusted to reduce expenditures in 2022 and 2023.
- User Fee Guidelines and Cost Recovery - information on user fees policies and cost recovery for optimal revenue budget to address this question: is the City of Saskatoon’s user fees and cost recoveries set at an appropriate level to reduce the mill-rate impact of programs and services as much as possible?
- 2021 Previously Approved Budgetary Items - throughout the year, City Council approved various initiatives that may have budgetary financial implications that extend into 2022 or later years. What is the effect on future budgets from the decisions City Council has made to date in 2021?
- Comparative Analysis of Recent Budget Adjustments in Selected Canadian Cities - comparative data for 2020, 2021, 2022 for tax increases and/or forecast tax increases in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina and Winnipeg with comment on significant initiatives in each municipality to reduce or hold tax increases.
- October 18, 2021: A list of prioritized Business Plan Options will be presented to the Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC).
- November 2021: The 2022/2023 Multi-Year Business Plan & Budget document will be released.
- November 29, 30 & December 1, 2021: City Council 2022/2023 Multi-Year Business Plan & Budget Review (deliberations) will take place.
A Special Budget Review Meeting will be held tomorrow, Friday, October 15, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. The City’s Standing Policy Committee on Finance will consider four information reports.
At the Standing Policy Committee on Finance last Special Meeting on August 31, 2021, when considering the 2022 and 2023 Indicative Budget, it resolved that the Administration provide additional reports on:
Budget Process Timeline – Next Steps
Any decisions made at the October 18 meeting or the November GPC meeting that impact the property tax rate will be forwarded to the Business Plan and Budget Review meeting in November to be debated but will not be reflected in the preliminary 2022/2023 Multi-Year Business Plan & Budget document.
For more information on the City’s multi-year budget process visit saskatoon.ca/budget.
Surveys show most Saskatoon residents satisfied with City life, services & performance
October 14, 2021 - 8:30am
- reliability of electrical services
- quality of drinking water
- speed of water main break repairs
- fire protection
- maintenance of city parks
- police services
- garbage collection
- recycling collection
- landfill services
- indoor leisure centres
- outdoor sports fields
- paddling pools & spray parks
- snow & ice road maintenance
- major road and freeway maintenance
- traffic management
- neighbourhood street maintenance
- accessibility of infrastructure for people with disabilities
- planning for growth and development
- affordable housing
- road maintenance
- snow and ice management
Saskatoon residents report high levels of satisfaction with City services and their quality of life, two separate public surveys show.
“We’re glad to see that even in light of the pandemic, a healthy majority of those surveyed told us they continue to enjoy a good quality of life and are satisfied with the services the City provides for the community,” says Carla Blumers, Director of Communications and Public Engagement.
Results of the 2021 Citizen Satisfaction & Performance Survey and the 2021 Performance, Priorities & Preferences Survey will be presented to the Governance and Priorities Committee at its meeting Monday, October 18. The surveys were conducted by Forum Research Inc. this past spring and summer, respectively, and each included a telephone survey, an online panel and an open survey link available to the public on the city website. The results of the telephone and online panel for both surveys are reliable and representative of the population due to the random selection process. When compared to the 2016 Canadian Census, this sample is reflective of the Saskatoon population, based on age and gender.
“After all that we’ve been through in the last few years, it’s encouraging to see that while we know that there are still areas to improve upon, overall, Saskatoon citizens continue to be satisfied with their quality of life, services, and the handling of and communications throughout the pandemic,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “This speaks not only to City of Saskatoon staff, but to the community as a whole for their contributions in making Saskatoon a great place to live. The results of these surveys are a testament to the ability of our staff and City to adapt in an increasingly changing world.”
Results
Citizen Satisfaction & Performance
Telephone and online panel respondents of the Citizen Satisfaction & Performance Survey identify COVID-19 as the single most important issue facing the City of Saskatoon. This is followed by public safety/crime/policing, road maintenance, and taxes. Of note over the last several years, the mention of road construction has steadily diminished as a most important issue.
While half of respondents indicate COVID-19 has affected satisfaction with the quality of services the City of Saskatoon offers, 88% of telephone and 87% of online panel respondents express overall satisfaction with the quality of services provided by the City of Saskatoon.
City communications receive a strong endorsement with 85% of telephone and 71% of online panel respondents reporting the City provides timely and helpful information on impacts to civic services during the pandemic. And three-quarters of respondents (78% telephone and 73% online panel respondents) indicate the City provides a safe environment to access City facilities and services as the pandemic has allowed. When asked about the quality of City communications, 80% of telephone and 87% of online respondents indicate they are satisfied with them.
Turning to public engagement, 76% of telephone and 77% of online panel respondents say the City provides meaningful opportunities to participate in public engagement opportunities. Evaluations related to five areas of customer service improved significantly from 2018, particularly when it comes to providing consistent and reliable information.
Respondents overwhelmingly agree (91% telephone and 90% online panel) the City is effectively providing online services. Approximately one in three respondents (36% of telephone respondents and 32% of online panel respondents) feel that a combination of property tax and user fee increases is the best approach to balancing the budget.
Civic Services, Priorities & Preferences
Overall satisfaction remains the same or higher since 2018 for many of the 29 civic services included in the survey. Survey participants note their highest level of satisfaction with the City’s performance in each of the below areas of service as follows:
Transportation & Utilities:
Community & Public Services:
Waste Management:
Recreation & Culture:
Telephone and online panel respondents note they would like to see the City’s existing performance improve in the areas of:
The top three areas that telephone and online panel respondents indicate they would like to see the City provide more services for are:
“City of Saskatoon employees deserve great credit for the increased approval in communications and customer service,” Mayor Clark says. “We’ve seen employees become more adaptable than ever imagined in the last two years. This has allowed them to engage with residents in new ways as well as create more efficient ways to provide services. Participation from residents in these surveys is critical to highlight areas of strength, but also areas where improvement is still needed to deliver the results our residents come to expect. The lessons learned will allow the City of Saskatoon to better meet the expectations of residents now and in the years to come.”
The City of Saskatoon will use the results to inform decisions related to strategic priorities, budgeting, and service delivery, as well as to highlight opportunities for continuous improvement.
Previously scheduled to be conducted in 2020, both surveys were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moving forward, each survey will be conducted separately every year on a rotating basis. In 2022, the Civic Satisfaction & Performance survey will be conducted. In 2023, the Civic Services Service: Performance, Priorities & Preferences will be conducted.
Full summaries and the detailed results of both the Civic Satisfaction & Performance Survey and the Civic Services Performance, Priorities & Preferences Survey can be found on the City of Saskatoon website at https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/2021-civic-surveys.
Council approves mandatory proof of full vaccination or negative test within all City Leisure Centre areas & indoor rinks
October 8, 2021 - 5:08am
- Wallet cards received at time of immunization
- A printed copy of your MySaskHealthRecord vaccine certificate (with or without a QR code) or a ‘screenshot’ of your vaccine certificate (with or without a QR code) saved to your device
- A COVID-19 vaccine printout from Saskatchewan Health Authority Public Health
- A QR code/MySaskHealthRecord vaccine certificate uploaded to SK Vax Wallet app which will is available free from Google Play or Apple App stores
- Official proof of vaccine documents from other governments