News Releases

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

NEW

CUMBERLAND AVE S ROAD CLOSED FROM CASCADE ST TO BUTE ST
(Hydrant replacement)
Start: February 7, 8:00 a.m. End: February 7, 5:00 p.m.

ATTRIDGE DR WB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM CENTRAL AVE TO CIRCLE DR E
(Transmission line install)
Start: February 7, 9:30 a.m. End: February 7, 2:30 p.m.

ATTRIDGE DR WB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM FORESTRY FARM PARK DR TO REVER RD
(Equipment offloading)
Start: February 7, 10:00 a.m. End: February 7, 12:00 p.m.

CENTRAL AVE NB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM ATTRIDGE DR TO BEEF RESEARCH RD
(Material unload)
Start: February 7, 12:00 p.m. End: February 7, 3:00 p.m.

ONGOING

No projects are ongoing on Priority 1 streets as of this date.

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.

More than 70% of the Priority 1 street snow piles have already been hauled away, including Idylwyld Drive, College Drive, 8th Street and 22nd Street. Due to the unusual delay in snow pile removal, contractors are being hired to help haul away more snow beginning next week.

“Snow stored in the medians of Priority 1 streets must be removed and hauled away first because they present the highest risk to public safety if there is no place for new snow to be stored,” says Director of Roadways, Fleet & Support Goran Saric. “With all the extra snow this year, we’re adding contractor assistance to the job so we can get to the next priority streets quickly.”

Snow removal on Priority 2 streets in all areas of the city will begin over the next couple of weeks. Watch for “No Parking” signs posted on snow piles with the scheduled date for removal, and encourage your neighbours to move their vehicles off the street to help the work go smoothly.

“I can empathize with residents who are frustrated with the size and height of these snow piles,” says Saric. “Our roadways staff are doing their best and giving their all this winter to get that snow out of the way to improve visibility and safety.”

Snow piles along the busiest streets in Saskatoon, called priority streets, remain after a snowfall so the network can be graded quickly. Removing them requires different equipment and is best done at night when traffic and pedestrian activity is lighter for the safety of workers and the public.

The snow piles are unusually large this year because of the above average number of snowfalls and frequency. Each time it snows, snow removal is halted as City staff attend to the priority streets to clean up.

You can find more answers to frequently asked questions about snow removal and priority street grading at saskatoon.ca/snow.

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

NEW

20TH ST W ROAD CLOSED FROM IDYLWYLD DR S TO AVE B S
(Sanitary connection repair)
Start: February 6, 7:00 a.m. End: February 6, 5:00 p.m.

ONGOING

No projects are ongoing on Priority 1 streets as of this date.

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.

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

NEW

No projects are scheduled to start on Priority 1 streets as of this date.

ONGOING

No projects are ongoing on Priority 1 streets as of this date.

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.

Many people in our community do not have the same opportunities to access online services. To address growing barriers and risks for those residents, the City of Saskatoon is launching a pilot project to provide free public Wi-Fi internet service to residents in a segment of Saskatoon’s core neighborhood area. The project status is outlined in a report for the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services on Monday, February 7.

“This is an exciting project that can have immediate quality of life impacts for residents in the area,” says Celene Anger, Chief Officer of Strategy and Transformation. “Through the COVID pandemic, the City, other orders of government and community organizations, have moved services online. While this has improved service offerings for many, it has created a service gap for many people in Saskatoon.”

Commonly referred to as the ‘digital divide,’ the pilot project aims to help people currently without or with limited Internet access gain better access to online services and participate in today’s growing digital society. In December 2016, the federal government declared Internet access a basic right of all Canadian citizens. Cities across Canada are moving forward with initiatives to address this situation.

The pilot project explores a cost-effective City-delivered solution for approximately 1500 residents to access the Internet from or near their homes and in public areas at no cost. This project will be launched in an area of Saskatoon with a high percentage of residents as measured across five population groups:

• youth
• seniors
• immigrants
• Indigenous peoples
• low-income

With access to the Internet, residents will be able to access key tools like telehealth and learning applications as well as important information about housing, food, pandemic restrictions, and government services.

Moving ahead with project implementation, the City will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) next week for a vendor to supply products to deliver wireless internet access points throughout the proposed area. The City will deliver high speed internet via fibre to the Saskatoon Fire Development Centre, a City-owned building located at 116 Avenue W South to serve as the connection point (hub) for these Wi-Fi devices. As the primary hub, a wireless signal will then be broadcast to the pilot area through the solution identified through the vendor’s RFP submission. The City is intending to install the wireless internet access points on City-owned streetlamps and power poles in the designated area.

“Through the RFP, we’re looking for a vendor to partner with us to determine the best tools to reach our goals of a strong Wi-Fi signal to the door of, and hopefully inside, the homes of residents in the pilot area,” says Anger. “We’re hoping to identify opportunities, problem-solve the challenges and evaluate the success of providing public Wi-Fi through this project.”

The pilot project valued at $250,000 is expected to become operational late summer/fall 2022 and run for one year. Financial support was made possible through City Council’s approval of a reallocation of funds as a result of Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP) 2020 funding. The project will be evaluated throughout the pilot phase, and the results of the evaluation will be used to guide City Wi-Fi strategies and any plans for future continuation or expansion of the program.

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

NEW

8TH ST E EB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM MCKERCHER DR TO BOYCHUK DR
(Pole replacement)
Start: February 3, 9:00 a.m. End: February 3, 12:00 p.m.

ONGOING

No projects are ongoing on Priority 1 streets as of this date.

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.

The City has opened the 2022 Call for Submissions for its annual Living in Harmony Awards. These awards recognize outstanding achievements in contributing to the elimination of racial discrimination in our community. They are presented annually in March, which the City of Saskatoon has proclaimed Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Month since 1990.

Any Saskatoon resident or organization that is contributing to the elimination of racism in Saskatoon is eligible for nomination. Saskatoon schools are also invited to have their students send in submissions in any expressive form (photos, art, written, video).

Nominations are being accepted until March 4, 2022 and the nomination form is available now at saskatoon.ca/LivingInHarmony.

The Living in Harmony Awards are part of the City’s commitment to foster an inclusive community where ethnocultural diversity is welcomed and valued, and where everyone can live with dignity and pursue their full potential without facing racism or discrimination. The winners are selected by the City of Saskatoon's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. They’ll be announced on March 21, 2022 which is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.