News Releases

Over 2,500 participants have registered for the virtual 2021 Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference on October 5-7. The event will provide registrants with important teachings to assist them on their paths to reconciliation.

“With registration closing tonight at 11:59 p.m., we can announce that this year will be our largest group of attendees to date,” says Brad Bird, Co-Chair of the Wîcihitowin Organizing Committee and Director of Reconciliation, Saskatoon Public Library. “We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of people virtually to learn from our speakers—including Residential School Survivors and Knowledge Keepers—about the Seven Sacred Teachings that guide Indigenous Peoples’ ways of knowing.”

Established in 2014, the Wîcihitowin Conference was created to provide Residential School Survivors and Sixties Scoop Survivors with a platform to share their voices and teachings, to inspire respectful engagement and meaningful inclusion of Indigenous peoples within the community, and to share resources and tools to form and maintain culturally respectful organizations. “Wîcihitowin”, a Cree/Saulteaux term meaning “to help each other/to work together”, is the driving force for the now annual event.

“The Wîcihitowin conference provides an opportunity for community members to learn from survivors and for survivors to share their experiences, resilience and strength,” says Gilbert Kewistep, a Residential School Survivor and advisor to the conference organizing committee. “I want to thank everyone who chooses to virtually attend the conference, because fully committing your time and attention to learning matters. And, these conversations matter.”

“The City makes a point to contribute financial and human resource support to this conference every year,” says Melissa Cote, Director of Indigenous Initiatives for the City of Saskatoon. “The feedback we get from this event is always incredible – how it influenced individuals and organizations to change their thinking as well as their practices. Past participants feel that this conference has contributed to progress on Indigenous engagement and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.”

The theme of this year’s conference is The Seven Sacred Teachings: love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility and truth. These inherent beliefs and values guide Indigenous Peoples’ ways of knowing and are shared by generations through oral traditions of storytelling and ceremony. The conference presentations will demonstrate how the Seven Sacred Teachings can guide people through their personal journeys; help community members, organizations, governments, and businesses respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action; and ensure respectful Indigenous engagement and inclusion within communities.

2021 conference presenters include:

• Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cowessess First Nation
• Dr. Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society
• Dr. Dave Courchene - Nii Gaani Aki Innini (Leading Earth Man), Elder and Knowledge Keeper, Anishinaabe Nation
• Richard Van Camp, Storyteller and Author, Dene Nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
• Stephanie Harpe, Residential School Survivor, International Advocate for Murdered, Missing and Exploited Indigenous Peoples, Singer/Songwriter
• Representatives from the Saskatoon Survivors Circle

“It’s important that we acknowledge there are so many different ways of learning,” says Bird. “This conference provides many Indigenous and non-Indigenous people with a connection to traditional teachings—I promise that the content will be eye-opening and thought-provoking whether you’re attending for the first time or the seventh.”

Registration is available free of charge at wicihitowin.ca, closing on September 27 at 11:59 p.m. (CST). For conference updates, you can also follow Wîcihitowin YXE on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

The Wîcihitowin Indigenous Engagement Conference is made possible through contributions from the City of Saskatoon, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatoon Public Library, United Way & Area, Saskatoon Community Foundation, and Nutrien (premier investor).

Residents are reminded that payment will be required in City-managed pay parking areas on National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, Thursday, September 30, 2021.

Public parking in the Downtown, Broadway, Riversdale, River Landing and Sutherland areas, as well as streets adjacent to St. Paul’s and Saskatoon City Hospitals, are metered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Payment is not required outside these hours, on Sundays or on statutory holidays (New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Saskatchewan Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day and Christmas Day). The National Day for Truth & Reconciliation is not a statutory holiday in Saskatchewan.

Public Pay Parking reminders:

• Customers are encouraged to use the WayToPark app as a no-touch way to pay for parking. If you must use a FlexParking station for payment, please ensure you follow public health guidelines when touching shared surfaces in public, such as using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or washing your hands as soon as you are able.
• Customers are responsible for entering the correct licence plate information when paying for parking at a FlexParking station or when using the WayToPark app.
• Parking time limits vary by location. Watch for signs wherever you are parking. 
• If you have reached the posted time limit but need more time in the area, move your vehicle around the corner or across the street. 
• Balances on a parking purchase can be carried forward to another parking space in a new location.
• Additional parking time can be purchased, but only up to the maximum allowable time posted.

For more information on Public Pay Parking, visit saskatoon.ca/payparking.

*This report includes road restrictions on Priority 1 (high traffic, high speed) streets only. 
 
NEW 
 
33RD ST W WB CURB LANE; SB RIGHT TURN LANE; & NB LEFT TURN LANE CLOSED AT CONFEDERATION DR 
(Intersection improvements) 
Start: September 27, 7:00 a.m. End: September 30, 7:00 a.m. 
 
AVE H N ROAD CLOSED FROM 30TH ST W TO 33RD ST W 
(Water main work) 
Start: September 27, 7:00 a.m. End: October 8, 4:30 p.m. 
 
CIRCLE DR E NB & SB SHOULDERS CONED OFF & SPEED REDUTIONS IN PLACE FROM 8TH ST E TO 14TH ST E 
(Shoulder clean up) 
Start: September 27, 9:00 a.m. End: September 27, 3:00 p.m. 
 
ATTRIDGE DR EB & WB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED FROM CIRCLE DR E TO CENTRAL AVE 
(Barrier installation) 
Start: September 27, 9:00 a.m. End: September 28, 3:00 p.m. 
 
51ST ST E WB CURB LANE CLOSED AT MINERS AVE 
(Pole installations) 
Start: September 27, 9:00 a.m. End: September 28, 5:00 p.m. 
 
IDYLWYLD DR N SB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM 29TH ST W TO 27TH ST W 
(Water main work) 
Start: September 27, 9:00 a.m. End: September 30, 5:00 p.m. 
 
14TH ST E EXIT RAMP; & WB PARKING & CURB LANES CLOSED FROM CIRCLE DR E TO CARLETON DR 
(PWM repair) 
Start: September 27, 9:30 a.m. End: October 17, 4:00 p.m. 
 
OVERNIGHT 
 
CIRCLE DR E EB CURB & CENTER LANES CLOSED FROM VENTURE CRES TO WARMAN RD 
(Sewer flushing) 
Start: September 27, 8:00 p.m. End: September 28, 6:00 a.m. 
 
ONGOING 
 
TRAFFIC BRIDGE CLOSED FROM SPADINA CRES E TO 11TH ST E 
(Bridge Cleaning) 
Start: September 26, 4:00 p.m. End: September 27, 3:00 a.m. 
 
AVE H N ROAD CLOSED FROM 31ST ST W TO 32ND ST W 
(Connection replacement) 
Start: September 23, 7:00 a.m. End: September 27, 7:00 a.m. 
 
CIRCLE DR E WB MEDIAN & CENTRE LANE CLOSED FROM FAITHFULL AVE TO NORTHRIDGE DR 
(Sewer flushing) 
Start: September 26, 8:00 p.m. End: September 27, 7:00 a.m. 
 
CIRCLE DR E EB MEDIAN & CENTRE LANES CLOSED FROM ALBERTA AVE TO 1ST AVE N 
(Sewer flushing) 
Start: September 26, 8:00 p.m. End: September 27, 7:00 a.m. 
 
AVE H N ROAD CLOSED FROM 30TH ST W TO 32ND ST W 
(Water main work) 
Start: September 21, 7:00 a.m. End: September 27, 7:00 a.m. 
 
3RD AVE S NB & SB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED FROM 21ST ST E TO 22ND ST E 
(Median repair) 
Start: September 26, 7:00 a.m. End: September 27, 5:00 p.m. 
 
RUTH ST W WB CURB LANE CLOSED FROM LORNE AVE TO ST GEORGE AVE 
(Water main lining) 
Start: September 13, 7:00 a.m. End: October 1, 5:00 p.m. 
 
8TH ST E INTERSECTION CLOSED NEW MCORMOND DR 
(Construction) 
Start: April 26, 7:00 a.m. End: September 30, 7:00 a.m. 
 
BROADWAY AVE SB LANES CLOSED FROM ISABELLA ST E TO HILLIARD ST E 
(Sidewalk repair) 
Start: September 22, 7:00 a.m. End: October 1, 6:00 p.m. 
 
RUTH ST E ROAD CLOSED FROM MCPHERSON AVE TO ROYAL AVE 
(Water main work) 
Start: August 16, 7:00 a.m. End: October 3, 4:00 p.m. 
 
CENTRAL AVE SB LANES CLOSED FROM 109TH ST W TO 107TH ST W     
(Streetscaping)         
Two-way traffic maintained in NB lanes         
Start: September 7, 7:00 a.m. End: October 5, 4:00 p.m. 
 
IDYLWYLD DR S NB & SB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED FROM 8TH ST E TO SASKATCHEWAN CRES W 
(Median Barrier Replacements) 
Start: September 13, 7:00 a.m. End: October 6, 3:00 p.m. 
 
BRIGHTON BLVD CLOSED FROM 8TH ST TO BRIGHTON COMMON          
(Storm sewer work)          
Start: August 30, 9:00 a.m. End: October 4, 7:00 a.m. 
 
NELSON RD SOUTH SIDEWALK CLOSED FROM HEATH AVE TO HEAL AVE 
(Sidewalk closed) 
Start: September 16, 6:00 a.m. End: October 16, 6:00 p.m. 
 
NEAULT RD NB LANES CLOSED FROM 22ND ST W TO 33RD ST W 
(Water main construction) 
Start: September 20, 10:00 a.m. End: October 25, 5:00 p.m. 
 
KENSINGTON GATE W ROAD CLOSED FROM NEAULT RD TO KENSINGTON LANE N 
(Water main work) 
Start: September 13, 7:00 a.m. End: October 25, 6:00 p.m. 
 
NEAULT RD NB & SB SPEED REDUCTION FROM 22ND ST W TO KENSINGTON GATE W    
(Water main work)    
Start: September 15, 9:00 a.m. End: October 26, 4:00 p.m. 

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.