News Releases

Environment & Climate Change Canada is forecasting heavy snowfall for southern Saskatchewan, including in Saskatoon, beginning Saturday and continuing throughout the day on Sunday. 

Approximately 20 cm of snow is expected in Saskatoon between Saturday noon and Sunday night, and City crews and contractors are fully prepared to respond to the anticipated snowstorm. 

Road conditions can deteriorate when heavy snow accumulation combines with gusty winds. Because of the possible amounts that will bring low visibility and drifting, city streets will be difficult to get around on. To allow maintenance crews to clear priority streets for emergency vehicles, the City would advise residents to stay off the roads as much as possible Saturday evening and Sunday. If you have errands to run such as grocery shopping or picking up medication, please consider these activities Friday night or first thing Saturday morning. 

If you do need to go out, adjust your driving for the road conditions, leave extra room in case you need to stop suddenly and watch for blue and yellow flashing lights on road equipment. Please stay back at least 15 m from winter maintenance equipment.   

During the snowfall, City crews will plow Circle Drive, expressways and accesses to Fire Stations and Hospitals, to minimize accumulation and maintain mobility and safety for motorists. City and contractor graders will grade city priority streets and sanders will be applying de-icing material as required, beginning with Circle Drive and other high speed and high traffic streets, bridges and intersections.  

Find out what the priority streets are on the Priority Street Snow Grading map. The map is regularly updated to provide the status of snow grading operations. 

When a snow event (5+ cm accumulation of snow) is declared after the snow stops, Priority 1 streets with three or more lanes like Circle Drive, Idylwyld, 22nd street and College Drive will be plowed within 12 hours after the snowfall ends, while Priority 2 streets with double-lanes like Clarence Avenue, McKercher Drive and Millar Avenue, as well as Saskatoon Transit routes will be graded within 36 hours. 

Priority 3 streets including school zones, Business Improvement District streets that don’t meet Priority 2 requirements and collector streets, as well as streets that take you through your neighbourhood like Louise Avenue, Howell Avenue and Main Street, will be graded within 72 hours. 

Residential streets are not included in the City’s regular winter maintenance strategy but impacts on neighbourhoods will be assessed after priority streets are cleared.  

We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we navigate through these weather conditions. 

The City of Saskatoon Leisure Guide is the community’s go-to source for sport, culture and recreation information in Saskatoon.  

The Spring/Summer Leisure Guide will be available online at saskatoon.ca/leisureguide and on display at pick-up locations throughout Saskatoon beginning Friday, March 1. Pick up the guide from any City leisure facility, Saskatoon public library or anywhere the StarPhoenix is sold. Visit saskatoon.ca/leisureguide for a complete list of pick-up locations.

Highlights of the Spring / Summer Leisure Guide (April 1 to August 31, 2024) include information on:

• Saskatoon’s civic Leisure Centres (Cosmo, Lakewood, and Lawson Civic Centres; Saskatoon Field House; and Shaw Centre);
• Lifesaving Society swim lessons at the Leisure Centres and outdoor pools; 
• drop-in and registered programs for children and youth, including free School Break Camps, Summer Play Programs and Youth Centres, featuring various sports and activities;
• the return of the discounted Summer Indoor LeisureCard and other seasonal admission products such as Bulk Tickets (10 pack) for outdoor pools;
• opening dates for spray pads, paddling pools and outdoor pools;
• lifeguard certification training opportunities;
• rates for Holiday Park, Wildwood and Silverwood golf courses;
• Saskatoon’s best summer attractions: Nutrien Playland at Kinsmen Park and the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo.

For more information on the Spring/Summer Leisure Guide, visit saskatoon.ca/leisureguide.

Mark your calendars! Registration for Spring / Summer programs begins Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. by logging into to your account on leisureonline.saskatoon.ca or by calling 306-975-2800. 

Private and semi-private swim lessons registrations will open on Monday, March 18.  Registrations are accepted by phone only. Call the Leisure Centre you are interested in taking lessons at to register.

Leisure program registrations processed through Leisure Online are now charged an additional $1.00 (+GST) convenience fee on each program registration. This fee was introduced March 1, 2024 after City Council approved the fee during the 2024-25 budget process in November of 2023.  The revenue from the convenience fee will help support the City’s operating budget.

For more information on how to be prepared for registration, visit saskatoon.ca/leisure-online

Direct bus service from the Special Events Stop (23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) to experience the Saskatoon Blades take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes at SaskTel Centre on Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m., is available at the following times:

• 5:45 p.m. 
• 6:25 p.m.

Post-event drop-off is at the downtown terminal and regular fares apply ($3.00 per trip). Fare can be purchased on your mobile phone using either the TGo or transit app, transfers and passes are also accepted. Typically, buses arrive onsite 30 minutes prior to the end of the event.

Plan your trip to events at SaskTel Centre on Route 333 using the Transit app up to two weeks in advance. Check out the Transit+ feature to help make connections that combine Transit with OnDemand Transit, riide, and Uber. Download the Transit app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Transit service times for special events at SaskTel Centre and other popular destinations can always be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/plan-my-trip/popular-destinations. Experience the convenience of using Saskatoon Transit to attend all your favourite events.

*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

ATTRIDGE DR S EB CURB, CENTRE & NEXT LANE CLOSED AT KENDERDINE RD
(Emergency water main repair)
Start: February 29, 8:00 a.m. End: TBD

CIRCLE DR E WB CURB LANE CLOSED AT WARMAN RD
(Directional boring)
Closure will be set up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Start: February 29, 9:00 a.m. End: March 1, 3:00 p.m.

CENTRAL AVE NB CURB LANE CLOSED AT GRAY AVE
(Directional boring)
Start: February 27, 10:00 a.m. End: March 1, 6:00 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: November 18, 2024, 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.

Increased ridership leading to higher Transit revenues and lower than anticipated spending for snow clearing have, in part, contributed to a nearly $10 million 2023 civic operating budget surplus.

“I am pleased to report the City’s Civic Operating Preliminary 2023 Year-End Financial Results indicate a $9.9 million (1.68%) surplus,” says Clae Hack, Chief Financial Officer. “The City’s stabilization reserves, designed to deal with unforeseen circumstances such as higher than normal amounts of snow and fuel volatility, have been significantly relied upon in recent years because of the financial impacts from the pandemic. This surplus is recommended to replenish these reserves, so the City is well-prepared to respond to future financial challenges in a sustainable and proactive manner.”

The City of Saskatoon will present the Preliminary 2023 Year-End Financial Results and forecast for the year ending December 31, 2023, to the Standing Policy Committee on Finance on March 6, 2024.

It is important to recall that the 2023 Budget included an ambitious target of $5.7 million in savings in addition to structural budget and other post-pandemic revenue challenges.

“Administration took these targeted savings measures and budget challenges seriously in 2023. We adopted strict discretionary spending and hiring restrictions early in 2023 and continued it for the year. This resulted in approximately $5.5 million in savings,” says Hack.

In addition to the Administration’s savings efforts, favourable external factors experienced in 2023 contributed to the surplus of $9.9 million in 2023 which included:

• Fewer, smaller scale snow events in 2023 compared with typical years resulted in a $5.7 million surplus in the City’s snow and ice management program;
• A higher than anticipated interest rate environment resulted in $1.2 million in additional investment income;
• Temporary closure of Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre for renovations contributed to an overall surplus for Leisure Centres of $1.0 million; and 
• Notably, Saskatoon’s population grew by 14,000 in 2023; this helped contribute to significant increases in Transit and Access Transit revenues which, in turn, supported a quicker return to pre-pandemic ridership with $3.5 million in higher than budgeted revenues.

“While the Preliminary 2023 Financial results are certainly welcome based on the need to replenish the City’s stabilization reserves, it is important to note that this surplus has minimal impact on the 2024 Budget recently approved by City Council. We cannot budget for a future with no snow events, nor can we continue to budget for the $10 million in pandemic relief funding that was fully used in 2023. These items, along with unprecedented inflationary pressures and their impact on City services levels were the focus of extensive budget discussions. These realities have not changed because of this surplus,” adds Hack.

The City Administration recommends using the surplus of $9.9 million, as follows:

• The $5.7 million surplus related to Snow and Ice Operations be added into the Snow and Ice Management Contingency Reserve. This will bring the reserve to a balance of approximately $6.2 million to provide funding in future years for higher-than-normal snowfall; and
• The remaining $4.2 million civic surplus be allocated to the Fiscal Stabilization Reserve, bringing the balance to approximately $5.8 million which will then be available to offset future operating budget deficits or challenges.

“The recommendations presented in this report provide City Council and the public with assurance that the City’s stabilization reserve funds will be replenished and available for future unforeseen financial challenges,” Hack adds. “The City’s approach to stabilization reserves has been a key tool for the City to utilize in addressing unforeseen financial challenges, without impacting service levels. This approach is a proven Municipal Government Financial best practice.”

In addition to the City’s Property Tax Supported or Civic Operating Budget, the City Utilities, funded by Utility charges including Saskatoon Light & Power, Storm Water, Saskatoon Water/Wastewater and Waste Services also posted a surplus of $10.96 million (2.75%).This surplus was largely due to a longer and warmer than normal summer which resulted in higher electricity and water usage. Cost savings were realized as the City’s Utilities also put in place discretionary hiring and spending restrictions for the majority of 2023 in alignment with Civic operations.

For additional context, the Water/Wastewater Utilities experienced three deficits and three surpluses in the past six years (including 2023). The City’s operating budget, including Utilities, is always based on a variety of assumptions including weather fluctuations which impact the financial performance of the utilities significantly. Over the past six years (2018 – 2023), Saskatoon Water/Wastewater has realized an approximate 1.36% positive budget variance, and this has been used to help pay for infrastructure maintenance and required expansion which can help keep future rates lower and reduces the need to borrow money.

The recommendations for City Council on the allocation of the surplus funds in 2023 are subject to the confirmation of the City’s year-end financial status, conducted annually via the external accountant’s audit process. The City’s 2023 Annual Report will be released this summer.

Visit saskatoon.ca/budget.