News Releases

City crews and contractors have worked through the night after 18 cm of snow fell since Sunday evening, plowing, grading and sanding/salting the driving lanes of Circle Drive, expressways, ramps and major arterial roads, with the primary objective of maintaining safety and mobility on Saskatoon's priority streets despite the harsh conditions.

Heavy winds caused snow drifts on some streets and sidewalks that had already been cleared, necessitating return visits from crews. Dropping temperatures are also posing challenges, as it causes the snow to bond more strongly with the road surface, making it tougher to cut through.

Nevertheless, Crews are in the process of finishing work on Priority 1 Streets with the goal of completing them before the end of the day and have also begun work along Priority 2 streets, which will continue into Tuesday night.

Sanding will continue on all priority streets. Find out what the priority streets are and what’s been cleared on the Priority Street Snow Grading map.

When a snow event (5+ cm accumulation of snow) is declared, 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.

When planning your travel route, we recommend utilizing major roads whenever feasible and allowing additional time for your commute.

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

The Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval will be wrapping up for the season on Sunday, March 3, 2024.

Public skating hours for the final week of operation are Monday to Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  and 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The City of Saskatoon and Gordie Howe Sports Complex thank citizens for their patronage. Public skating at the indoor municipal rinks will continue to be available in March. Visit saskatoon.ca/leisureonline for the public skating schedule.

Saskatoon received about 18 centimetres of snowfall since Sunday. Strong winds and dropping temperatures created challenging road conditions all throughout the city. The storm ended in the early evening and the fourth snow event of our season was declared.

City snow crews will continue to focus on grading snow on priority streets and applying de-icing materials to improve traction. Snow clearing from bridge walkways and city-maintained sidewalks and pathways is also underway. Additional pieces of equipment were mobilized yesterday to address spot drifting impacting mobility. Dedicated work will continue today to address any remaining problem areas throughout the city.

The City has 26 graders, 10 sanders, six plows and five sidewalk plows moving around the city to get Saskatoon moving. 

The snow event response follows the Priority Street system: 

Priority 1 – Freeways and major arterials. This includes Circle Dr. and streets with three+ lanes each way like Idylwyld Dr., 22nd St and College Dr. 

Priority 2 - Arterials with double-lanes and bus routes. Double-lane streets like Clarence Ave, McKercher Dr. and Millar Ave. 

Priority 3 - Collector streets, remaining Business Improvement District streets and school zones. These streets take you through your neighbourhood like Louise Ave, Howell Ave., and Main St. 

Today’s extreme cold will contribute to icy conditions and de-icing products used to improve traction do not work as well in these temperatures. Sanders will continue to apply de-icing materials and will focus on high speed and high traffic streets, bridge decks and intersections as they have the highest potential for serious collisions.  

Drivers, be aware of changing weather that can affect road and sidewalk conditions and adjust your driving for the conditions. Leave extra room and watch for blue and yellow flashing lights on road equipment. Take extra care to watch for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Learn more about winter road maintenance at saskatoon.ca/snow and stay in the snow at saskatoon.ca/snowreport. 

Direct bus service from the Special Events Stop (23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) to experience the Saskatoon Blades take on the Red Deer Rebels at SaskTel Centre on Tuesday, February 27, 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.

City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting to be held this Wednesday, February 28, 2024, will have a delayed start time.

Due to several Councillors concurrently attending a key funding announcement, quorum cannot be met at Council’s regular start time of 9:30 a.m., therefore the meeting will commence at 10:15 a.m.

The revised Agenda reflects the delayed start time and anyone requesting to speak at this meeting has been notified.

Watch the Live Feed of City Council’s meeting.

Questions for City Clerks? Contact 306-975-3240.

To learn more about getting involved with your local government by interacting with City Council and its Committees, visit saskatoon.ca/council.