News Releases
Saskatoon Fire - News Releases
City’s first Flood Control Strategy project substantially complete
November 9, 2021 - 8:07am
In 2018, City Council approved a Flood Control Strategy (FCS) aimed at reducing flooding in Saskatoon’s most flood-prone areas during intense rainfalls. The dry storm pond at W.W. Ashley District Park, which took approximately ten months to build, is now substantially complete and will catch overflow but also serve as a sports field and park space when dry.
“The landscaping turned out beautifully with trees, a surrounding pathway, and spectator seating built into the slopes,” says Russ Munro, Director of Saskatoon Water. “We are very pleased with the end result and, while none of us want to experience excessive amounts of rain within very short periods of time, that is when we will see the new pond and underground drainage systems in action.”
Substantial completion means there’s still some finishing touches to be done before the site can open, like installing stair railings and park benches. The site will remain closed until approximately fall 2022 to give the newly installed sod and seed time to establish. In the meantime, Saskatoon Water is gearing up for the second of nine FCS projects: constructing a dry storm pond in Churchill Park.
“Consultations have taken place and we have received great feedback from the community. We have moved forward with design plans and will proceed with construction in early 2022.”
Dry storm ponds are designed to hold water that would otherwise cause nearby flooding during intense rainfalls. The water flows from properties and roads into the dry storm pond, then slowly drains into the storm sewer. Prior to the establishment of the FCS, Saskatoon already had nine dry storm ponds, mostly in neighbourhoods built after 1989 when enhanced storm water infrastructure standards were established. The FCS focuses on neighbourhoods that were established prior to then.
The Government of Canada is contributing 40% of the eligible construction costs up to a maximum of $21.6 million toward nine FCS projects. The City is funding the remaining construction costs through the Storm Water Utility Capital Program and revenue generated from Storm Water Utility charges.
For more information about the FCS, and to subscribe to Flood Protection Plan updates, visit saskatoon.ca/floodplan.
Civic Services & Holiday Hours for Remembrance Day, Thursday, November 11
November 9, 2021 - 2:54am
- All Administrative Offices are closed on Thursday, November 11. City Hall will reopen Friday, November 12, at 8:00 a.m.
- Remai Modern is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Garbage (Black Cart) – Collections as scheduled
- Recycling (Blue Cart) – Collections as scheduled
- Organics (Subscription Green Cart) – The 2021 collections season has ended. Registration for next season will open in January 2022.
- The Landfill will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Both compost depots are closed for the season and will re-open in April 2022.
- Fixed route transit will run on holiday hours and there will be no On-Demand Transit. Please consult the mobile app transit to plan your trip.
- Access Transit will operate on holiday hours (8:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.) and the Transit Customer Service Centre will be closed for walk-in customers but phone line will be open from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (closed from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.).
- Parking payment is not required on Remembrance Day.
- Motorists are reminded that all other parking requirements remain in effect, including parking time limits.
- Impound Lot will be closed to the public.
- Zoo 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Forestry Farm Park 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Cosmo Civic Centre
CLOSED - Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre
OPEN - 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Lakewood Civic Centre
OPEN – 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Lawson Civic Centre
OPEN - 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Saskatoon Field House
OPEN – 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Shaw Centre
OPEN - 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Terry Fox Track
CLOSED
The City of Saskatoon will have a number of adjusted civic services and hours of operation on Remembrance Day, as follows:
CITY HALL
REMAI MODERN
WASTE COLLECTIONS
LANDFILL
COMPOST DEPOTS
SASKATOON TRANSIT
PAY PARKING
MUNICIPAL IMPOUND LOT
SASKATOON FORESTRY FARM PARK & ZOO
Regular Hours of Operation:
LEISURE CENTRES
Search for drop-in program information including fitness and weight room hours, public swim sessions and fitness programs on Leisure Online at saskatoon.ca/leisureonline
INDOOR ARENAS
Open at 12:00 pm.
Parent & Tot Skating at ACT 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Public Skating at Cosmo 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
NOTIFYNOW
Residents are encouraged to sign-up to notifynow for timely and targeted public safety messages. Notifynow is a free service. Tell us how to best reach you on your preferred communication device. Visit saskatoon.ca/notifynow for more information.
YXE Service Alerts
For information and updates on service disruptions such as power or water check saskatoon.ca/servicealerts or follow @yxeservicealert on Twitter
Ruth Street closed between Jarvis and Louise avenues on Wednesday
November 9, 2021 - 8:00am
Ruth Street will be closed between Jarvis and Louise avenues on Wednesday, November 10, at 8:00 a.m. for connection repair work. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around the work zone. This project is expected to take one day to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information is available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.
For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.
Inland Steel secures deal in Marquis Industrial: Avenue P yards to close
November 8, 2021 - 3:30pm
Saskatoon Land and Inland Steel Products have reached an agreement on a parcel in the Marquis Industrial area which will lead to the relocation of the company’s current operations at Avenue P and 17th Street West.
“Reaching this land agreement with Saskatoon Land creates the opportunity for our company to build a new headquarters and state-of-art metal recycling facility in Saskatoon, where our family business was formed 55 years ago,” says Matt Ditlove, President of Inland Steel Products. “This investment demonstrates our company’s continued commitment to serving the people of Saskatoon and surrounding area, and to the creation of additional jobs for our community.”
The new expanded metal recycling facility on the Marquis lands will ensure a fast and stress-free experience for recycling scrap metal in Saskatoon, for both industrial vendors and individuals. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art processing equipment will increase the company’s ability to recycle more volume and continue to grow the company’s ability to service clients throughout Saskatchewan.
Mayor Charlie Clark says Inland’s decision demonstrates confidence in Saskatoon’s future, which is especially welcome as we come through the pandemic.
“This project is a big win-win for the community and for Inland Steel. It is a great commitment by Inland Steel to continue to grow this company and create good jobs right here in Saskatoon, as they expand their activities across the continent. Moving their activities from Avenue P to the North Industrial will also reduce heavy industrial activity close to the homes and schools in that area, which has been a long term goal for the city.”
The City had three parcels that total nearly 12.4 hectares (30.6 acres including a 10.7 ha or 26.4 acre industrial site) which had been held back from the market with the strategy that it would attract a heavy industrial buyer such as Inland Steel Products to foster expansion, relocation and job creation in the region.
“These parcels are shovel-ready,” says Frank Long, Director of Saskatoon Land. “All are fully serviced and immediately available for construction.”
The land deal will set in motion the opportunity to have the current Inland Steel site rezoned for light industrial uses.
“We’ve wanted to move away from heavy industrial uses in this area for many years,” says Director of Planning and Development, Lesley Anderson. “With Inland’s eventual departure, future land use on the site as a light industrial use will be a better fit with the surrounding residential neighbourhoods.”
Daily Road Report - November 9, 2021
November 8, 2021 - 3:00pm
*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.
NEW
TAYLOR ST E EB & WB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED FROM CIRCLE DR E TO MCKERCHER DR
(Sewer inspection)
Start: November 9, 8:00 a.m. End: November 9, 4:00 p.m.
20TH ST W EB PARKING & CURB LANES CLOSED FROM AVE B S TO IDYLWYLD DR S
(Billboard work)
Start: November 9, 9:00 a.m. End: November 9, 1:00 p.m.
33RD ST W EB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM AVE W N TO CIRCLE DR W
(Traffic pole install)
Start: November 9, 10:30 a.m. End: November 9, 4:30 p.m.
ONGOING
NEAULT RD NB & SB SPEED REDUCTION FROM 22ND ST W TO 33RD ST W
(Water Main installation)
Start: October 29, 7:00 a.m. End: November 10, 5:00 p.m.
CIRCLE DR WB SPEED REDUCTION FROM LORNE AVE TO GORDIE HOWE BRIDGE
(Construction)
Start: November 8, 7:00 a.m. End: November 10, 5:00 p.m.
20TH ST E EB & WB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED FROM 2ND AVE S TO 4TH AVE S
(Roadwork)
Start: November 3, 7:00 a.m. End: November 12, 4:00 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.
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City recognizes National Indigenous Veterans Day
November 8, 2021 - 8:39am
November 8th is National Indigenous Veterans Day; a day to recognize the historic and present-day military service contributions of Indigenous people.
It has been estimated that as many as 12,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people served in the great conflicts of the 20th century and at least 500 lost their lives. Indigenous people have had to overcome many challenges to serve in uniform—from learning a new language and adapting to cultural differences, to travelling great distances from their remote communities just to enlist.
Indigenous men and women have continued to serve in uniform in the post-war years as well. For example, by fulfilling North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) duties in Europe during the Cold War and serving with United Nations and other multinational peace support operations around the world. In more recent years, many Indigenous Canadian Armed Forces members saw hazardous duty in Afghanistan.
Closer to home, Indigenous military personnel have filled a wide variety of roles, including serving with the Canadian Rangers. This group of army reservists is active predominantly in the North, as well as on remote stretches of our east and west coasts. The Rangers use their intimate knowledge of the land there to help maintain a national military presence in these difficult-to-reach areas, monitoring the coastlines and assisting in local rescue operations.
Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark says: “Today we recognize the service and sacrifice of Indigenous veterans in our country. Despite facing the harms from government policy that we continue to come to terms with, thousands of Indigenous men and women have signed up to serve shoulder to shoulder with their non-Indigenous neighbours. They have done this across the country and through the generations. We thank them for this service to our shared nation.”
The City’s Indigenous Initiatives Director, Melissa Cote, says: “Indigenous people have a long and proud tradition of serving in Canada’s military. Unfortunately, their contributions are often overlooked and underappreciated. I encourage people to take some time today to learn about the stories and contributions of Indigenous veterans and those individuals currently serving. They have demonstrated - and continue to demonstrate - bravery, courage, and leadership.”
City announces several public artwork installations in Saskatoon
November 8, 2021 - 10:00am
The City is pleased to announce several recent public artwork installations at various locations throughout the Downtown, Riversdale and Broadway areas:
“Make a Wish” by Kyle Thornley. Steel sculpture that captures the essence of resilience, growth and optimism expressed through a mature dandelion stalk and seeds, held by vibrant, colourful fingers. Located Downtown at the corner of 2nd Avenue N and 23rd Street E.
“Inner City” by Josh Jacobson. Mural highlighting an urban female jackrabbit bounding towards Saskatoon city centre. “Inner City” is 1,675 square feet in size, making it one of the largest murals in the city. Located in River Landing beneath the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge.
“Resurgence” by Ruth Cuthand and Henry Lau, painted by Steven Paul. 3D aluminum sculpture of a buffalo cow and calf in an intimate position, representing the relationship between Indigenous people and the buffalo. Located in the Riversdale Business Improvement District (BID) at the corner of 20th Street and Avenue B.
“Carousal” by Karen Ho Fatt Lee. Two aluminum carousel-type horses coated in brightly coloured paints (orange, yellow and blue) and attached with a center pole. “Carousal” is a play on words, a merry-go-round of fun and boisterous (carousing) merrymaking. Located in the Broadway BID at the corner of Broadway Avenue and 10th Street.
“Saadat Qalbi/Miyawâtam 1” by Ruth Cuthand and Suada Jailan, curated by Dr. Jen Budney. Hand-painted aluminum sculpture composed of floral motives inspired by both Cree/Michif beadwork and traditional East African henna design. Located in the Broadway BID at the corner of Broadway Avenue and Main Street.
For more information on public art in Saskatoon, visit saskatoon.ca/publicart.
Seasonal decorations going up on city bridges on Tuesday
November 8, 2021 - 9:00am
Saskatoon Light & Power will be putting up seasonal decorations on city bridges starting tomorrow. Work will impact traffic on the following bridges:
University Bridge – Tuesday, November 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Broadway Bridge – Tuesday, November 9 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Due to the time it takes to install seasonal decorations, work needs to start early. Decorations will not be turned on until after November 11.
These will be moving work zones and will impact traffic in both directions. Road users are reminded to slow down in work zones and be respectful of workers.
Free transit for past & present military on Remembrance Day
November 8, 2021 - 8:00am
Saskatoon Transit is recognizing veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces with free transit service on Remembrance Day.
The free bus service will be offered to armed forces veterans and current serving personnel, including cadets and reservists. Free bus service will also be provided to their one companion.
Eligible transit users can identify themselves by wearing a military uniform or presenting military ID or a CF1 card when they board.
Providing free transit to veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces is a way to recognize the tremendous commitment they have made, and continue to make, to the community and country.
Saskatoon Transit buses will also display a “Lest We Forget” message on November 11.
Daily Road Report - November 8, 2021
November 5, 2021 - 3:00pm
*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only.
NEW
CIRCLE DR WB SPEED REDUCTION FROM LORNE AVE TO GORDIE HOWE BRIDGE
(Construction)
Start: November 8, 7:00 a.m. End: November 10, 5:00 p.m.
COLLEGE DR VARIOUS EB & WB LANE CLOSURES FROM CUMBERLAND AVE N TO PRESTON AVE N
(Streetlight bulb replacement)
Start: November 8, 9:00 a.m. End: November 8, 3:00 p.m.
ATTRIDGE DR WB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED FROM FORESTRY FARM PARK DR TO REVER RD
(Road resurfacing)
Start: November 8, 11:00 a.m. End: November 8, 2:00 p.m.
ONGOING
NEAULT RD NB & SB SPEED REDUCTION FROM 22ND ST W TO 33RD ST W
(Water Main installation)
Start: October 29, 7:00 a.m. End: November 10, 5:00 p.m.
20TH ST E EB & WB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED FROM 2ND AVE S TO 4TH AVE S
(Roadwork)
Start: November 3, 7:00 a.m. End: November 12, 4:00 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.