At a Special Meeting of City Council this morning, Council approved a number of resolutions to guide the City’s response to COVID-19 in the community and continue to protect the health and safety of residents, customers and employees once provincial Public Health Orders are lifted later this month.  

Council approved the removal of Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination or Negative Test Requirements for City of Saskatoon facilities when the Government of Saskatchewan rescinds the “Public Health Order Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination or Negative Test”, effective Monday, February 14.

Council unanimously recommitted to keeping in place the requirement that all residents and visitors accessing all City facilities, including when travelling on Saskatoon Transit, wear a mask upon the rescission of the existing “Public Health Order Mandatory Isolation and Face Covering” by the provincial government, which is anticipated to occur at the end of February.

Council also directed that Administration continue to provide masks for patrons of Saskatoon Transit, and report back on ways to increase enforcement or conflict resolution support on Transit in regards to the use of masks before the end of the month.  

Further, Council has requested that the Administration provide a report to Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) on a monthly basis, starting in March 2022, providing a written COVID update that includes a recommendation on whether to continue the requirement of masking for all persons accessing all City facilities.

For the latest updates, visit saskatoon.ca/covid-19. 

Many people in our community do not have the same opportunities to access online services. To address growing barriers and risks for those residents, the City of Saskatoon is launching a pilot project to provide free public Wi-Fi internet service to residents in a segment of Saskatoon’s core neighborhood area. The project status is outlined in a report for the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services on Monday, February 7.

“This is an exciting project that can have immediate quality of life impacts for residents in the area,” says Celene Anger, Chief Officer of Strategy and Transformation. “Through the COVID pandemic, the City, other orders of government and community organizations, have moved services online. While this has improved service offerings for many, it has created a service gap for many people in Saskatoon.”

Commonly referred to as the ‘digital divide,’ the pilot project aims to help people currently without or with limited Internet access gain better access to online services and participate in today’s growing digital society. In December 2016, the federal government declared Internet access a basic right of all Canadian citizens. Cities across Canada are moving forward with initiatives to address this situation.

The pilot project explores a cost-effective City-delivered solution for approximately 1500 residents to access the Internet from or near their homes and in public areas at no cost. This project will be launched in an area of Saskatoon with a high percentage of residents as measured across five population groups:

• youth
• seniors
• immigrants
• Indigenous peoples
• low-income

With access to the Internet, residents will be able to access key tools like telehealth and learning applications as well as important information about housing, food, pandemic restrictions, and government services.

Moving ahead with project implementation, the City will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) next week for a vendor to supply products to deliver wireless internet access points throughout the proposed area. The City will deliver high speed internet via fibre to the Saskatoon Fire Development Centre, a City-owned building located at 116 Avenue W South to serve as the connection point (hub) for these Wi-Fi devices. As the primary hub, a wireless signal will then be broadcast to the pilot area through the solution identified through the vendor’s RFP submission. The City is intending to install the wireless internet access points on City-owned streetlamps and power poles in the designated area.

“Through the RFP, we’re looking for a vendor to partner with us to determine the best tools to reach our goals of a strong Wi-Fi signal to the door of, and hopefully inside, the homes of residents in the pilot area,” says Anger. “We’re hoping to identify opportunities, problem-solve the challenges and evaluate the success of providing public Wi-Fi through this project.”

The pilot project valued at $250,000 is expected to become operational late summer/fall 2022 and run for one year. Financial support was made possible through City Council’s approval of a reallocation of funds as a result of Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP) 2020 funding. The project will be evaluated throughout the pilot phase, and the results of the evaluation will be used to guide City Wi-Fi strategies and any plans for future continuation or expansion of the program.

Direct service from the Special Events Stop (outside the 2nd Avenue Lofts at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) to see the Saskatchewan Rush take on the Panther City Lacrosse Club at SaskTel Centre on Saturday, January 29, is available at the following times: 

• 5:45 p.m. 
• 6:05 p.m.  
• 6:25 p.m.  
• 6:45 p.m. 
• 7:05 p.m. 

Post event drop-off is 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.  
 
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 that helps make connections that combine Transit with ridehail providers like riide and Uber. Transit does the work so you can travel with ease! Download the Transit app from the Apple Store or Google Play.  
 
To protect the health and safety of residents, customers and employees, masks are required when traveling on Saskatoon Transit and when accessing indoor City-operated facilities and services as an added safety measure to address the increasing spread of COVID-19 in our community. 
 
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.  

Saskatoon Transit continues to experience delays or cancellations because of cold temperatures affecting buses and lack of spare parts or delays in the shipment of parts due to the Omicron variant, which in turn causes bus shortages.  

Saskatoon Transit does all they can to make service and it’s difficult to know in advance which routes will be affected or cancelled. As soon as decisions are made, service alerts are issued to ensure riders have the information they need. On-Demand customers may also experience longer wait times than normal. Please expect delays in your booked ride and continue to check your pick-up time on your app.  

Before leaving to catch the bus check for service alerts and real-time bus information on the Transit app or Google Maps Transit on desktop or mobile device. Receive push notifications of these alerts when your routes are marked as “favourite” in the app. Service alerts can also be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/service-alerts or on Twitter @stoontransit or by calling our Customer Service Centre at 306-975-3100.  

Winter reminders:

• At temperatures of -20C and below, buses do not kneel, however the ramp at the front can still be deployed. Ask for it to be deployed should it be required.  
• Stay up to date on weather conditions, weather conditions change quickly, and you need to be prepared. 
• Dress for the weather, wear comfortable, loose-fitting layers to trap body heat and allow you to add and remove layers depending on the weather conditions. 

Saskatoon Transit thanks riders for their patience and understanding as we work through this challenging time.  

Direct service from the Special Events Stop (outside the 2nd Avenue Lofts at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) to see the Saskatchewan Rush take on the San Diego Seals at SaskTel Centre on Friday, January 14, is available at the following times: 

• 5:45 p.m. 
• 6:05 p.m.  
• 6:25 p.m.  
• 6:45 p.m. 
• 7:05 p.m. 

Post event drop-off is 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.  
 
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 that helps make connections that combine Transit with ridehail providers like riide and Uber. Transit does the work so you can travel with ease! Download the Transit app from the Apple Store or Google Play.  
 
To protect the health and safety of residents, customers and employees, masks are required when traveling on Saskatoon Transit and when accessing indoor City-operated facilities and services as an added safety measure to address the increasing spread of COVID-19 in our community. 
 
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.  

The extended cold temperatures continue to cause shortages of buses and delays.  

Cold temperatures can cause the ‘check engine’ light to turn on and cause condensation in the air system which may freeze valves leading to suspension issues or frozen brakes. In either situation, to ensure buses are safe to operate, a mechanic must verify the condition of the bus or complete any repairs before it can return to the road.  

Before leaving to catch the bus, riders are encouraged to check for service alerts on the Transit app or Google Maps Transit on desktop. “Favourite” the routes taken most often in the Transit app to receive push notifications about service disruptions. Service alert information can also be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca on Twitter @stoontransit or by calling 306.975.3100. 

Saskatoon Transit thanks riders for their patience and understanding as we work through this period of cold weather.  

Saskatoon Transit runs every day, no matter the weather; however, the extended cold temperatures are causing shortages of buses and delays.

Cold temperatures can cause the ‘check engine’ light to turn on and cause condensation in the air system which may freeze valves leading to suspension issues or frozen brakes. In either situation, to ensure buses are safe to operate a mechanic must verify the condition of the bus or complete any repairs before it can return to the road.

Before leaving to catch the bus riders should check the for service alerts and the real-time bus information on the Transit  app or Google Maps Transit on desktop.  Riders are also encouraged to "favourite" the routes they take most often in the Transit app to receive push notifications about service disruptions.

At temperatures of -20C and below, buses do not kneel, however the ramp at the front can still be deployed. Riders should ask for it to be deployed should it be required.

Saskatoon Transit thanks riders for their patience and understanding as we work through this period of cold weather.

Once again, SGI and Saskatoon Transit have partnered to offer free late-night transit service on New Year’s Eve.

“Having free Transit service on New Year’s Eve removes any financial barrier to planning a safe ride home after a night out,” says Jim McDonald, Director, Saskatoon Transit. “We encourage everyone to plan their route before heading out using the real-time mobile app Transit.”   

Residents are encouraged to think about using a variety of transportation modes on busy nights like New Year’s Eve. Multi-modal options are available on the Transit app. You can plan your trip taking the bus out of the downtown or busy areas and book your ride share for the short distance home all from inside the app. Transit+ seamlessly integrates a Riide vehicle with a transit connection, hailing a Riide to connect your bus journey with a vehicle for hire.

By combining modes of transportation residents can minimize wait times and costs.

Free bus service will be available on Friday, December 31, from 7:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. on January 1 (times may vary slightly by route).

Masks are required on Transit. Click here for more information on current health and safety measures in place on Saskatoon Transit.

For a transit schedule go to SaskatoonTranist.ca/route-and-schedules, use the transit app or call 306.975.3100 for help with trip planning.

“I can’t stress this enough: plan for a safe ride home. There is no reason for impaired driving, especially on New Year’s Eve,” McDonald says. “We are thankful to have SGI as a partner in providing free transit service on New Year’s Eve.”

Access Transit is free for registered customers as well but must be reserved.

The City of Saskatoon will have a number of adjusted civic services and hours of operation over the holidays. Wondering what’s open or closed? See full details on the City’s website.

Effective Sunday, January 2, 2022, adjustments will be made to Saskatoon Transit routes 6 and 83.  

Transit customers are encouraged to learn about the route changes by going to the website, calling the Transit Customer Service Centre at 306-975-3100 or using the transit app to plan their trip. Details will also be available on postcards at the Customer Service Centre in the downtown terminal. 

Please note, bus signs will be changed in advance. 

Riders are encouraged to plan their trip in advance and review the updated schedules before travelling. Also, riders are encouraged to mark the routes they use the most as a favourite in the transit app to get push notifications of service alerts.