News Releases

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

NEW

No new projects are scheduled to start on this date.

ONGOING

BERINI DR SB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM ATTRIDGE DR TO WEBSTER ST
(Construction)
Start: March 17, 7:00 a.m. End: May 19, 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.

The City’s second annual Round Dance and Feast is taking place this Friday, March 28 at the Cosmo Civic Centre.

A Round Dance is a traditional event in First Nations culture that celebrates community unity through the coming together of the community and its people. The theme for this event is miyo-pimatisiwin (MEE-oh pim-MOT-tis-oo-win), which means “the good life for all” in the Plains Cree language.

“We had such an incredible response from our staff and community last year when we held our very first Round Dance and Feast, and we are experiencing that same level of enthusiasm for this year’s event,” says Melissa Cote, Director of Indigenous Initiatives.

Community members and City of Saskatoon employees have volunteered their time to ensure everything from set up to take down runs smoothly.

The City has also benefitted from having a few external partners help with the cost of hosting the Round Dance and Feast. “We’re grateful for the generous financial support from The Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Nutrien and the Saskatoon Public Library. We thank these organizations for contributing and helping us create an event that brings our community together,” says Cote.

Everyone is welcome to attend this family-friendly, alcohol-free event. The community feast takes place from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and the round dance begins at 6:00 p.m.

The City’s second annual Round Dance and Feast is taking place this Friday, March 28 at the Cosmo Civic Centre.

A Round Dance is a traditional event in First Nations culture that celebrates community unity through the coming together of the community and its people. The theme for this event is miyo-pimatisiwin (MEE-oh pim-MOT-tis-oo-win), which means “the good life for all” in the Plains Cree language.

“We had such an incredible response from our staff and community last year when we held our very first Round Dance and Feast, and we are experiencing that same level of enthusiasm for this year’s event,” says Melissa Cote, Director of Indigenous Initiatives.

Community members and City of Saskatoon employees have volunteered their time to ensure everything from set up to take down runs smoothly.

The City has also benefitted from having a few external partners help with the cost of hosting the Round Dance and Feast. “We’re grateful for the generous financial support from The Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Nutrien and the Saskatoon Public Library. We thank these organizations for contributing and helping us create an event that brings our community together,” says Cote.

Everyone is welcome to attend this family-friendly, alcohol-free event. The community feast takes place from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and the round dance begins at 6:00 p.m.

Media please note: Videography or photography of the feast is not permitted out of respect for ceremonial practices. Videography and photography of the round dance is permitted except when smudging and praying is happening during the giveaway ceremony and during the first dance. We request that any interviews with City of Saskatoon spokespeople take place on Friday morning, as we will not be able to accommodate interviews at the event.

Saskatoon Transit continues to concentrate on improving safety for employees and customers on the buses and at terminals. It has addressed all the initiatives in the Saskatoon Transit Frontline Employee Safety Plan, announced in June 2024, and will present a progress report on Tuesday, April 1, at City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Transportation meeting.

In response to challenges with violence and aggression on buses and at terminals at the beginning of 2024, Saskatoon Transit management and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 committed to prioritizing 17 initiatives to improve workplace safety and foster a culture of safety within Saskatoon Transit.

The plan involves security measures, new processes for reporting incidents and protocols to maintain order on the bus, reduce negative interactions and prepare employees with the skills and resources they need to de-escalate situations. Transit will continue to focus on these initiatives, as many are new, and it can take time for noticeable differences.

Repeated customer surveys throughout 2024 in the Transit app support a correlation between the perception of safety and the number of negative interactions occurring. Saskatoon Transit will use employee feedback about what’s working or not to improve the programs and processes in the plan and continue to support the City’s Community Safety and Well-Being initiatives.

Renovations made to the former Saskatchewan Transportation Company parcel depot for use as a temporary enhanced emergency shelter are complete. The City has turned the renovated building over and The Mustard Seed is preparing for shelter operations, with an anticipated opening in April.

In September 2024, City Council approved an 18-month permit for temporary operation of a 30 to 40 bed enhanced emergency residential shelter at 210 Pacific Avenue. Council also approved a request to lease the City-owned building to the Government of Saskatchewan at a below market rate. 

After hearing feedback from nearby residents and businesses, the City committed to implement changes to the site plan of the temporary shelter as detailed here. Measures include:

• Fencing to create a sense of space for those using the shelter, and delineation between the shelter and surrounding businesses. There will be no walk-in access off Pacific Avenue. Facility access for shelter guests will only be from Ontario Avenue.
• Fencing will feature artwork, created by local Indigenous artists and youth, to connect the shelter to the community and add vibrancy to the neighbourhood. This will include a series of original hand painted banners depicting Indigenous stories by local artists, Josh Wāpiskisiw and Honey Constant-Inglis, and a group of young multi-cultural artists from W.P. Bate School. Indigenous storytelling during the winter season is a cherished Indigenous tradition for passing on knowledge from generation to generation, sharing culture, history, teachings, spirituality and language. Interpretive plaques will be placed onsite to explain the stories.
• 7-day-per-week, extended-hour security/support dedicated to the downtown with a proactive priority focus on the vicinity around the proposed shelter.

Representatives from the City, Saskatoon Fire Department, Saskatoon Police Service, Government of Saskatchewan and The Mustard Seed are also meeting with neighbours in the immediate vicinity ahead of the opening to discuss the operating and safety plan. More information on the integrated operating and safety plan can be read here.

City Administration, in collaboration with the Government of Saskatchewan, is in the final stages of identifying a permanent site for the enhanced emergency shelter. An update will be provided when available.