I hope you’re enjoying all that our beautiful neighbourhoods have to offer in this Fall season. The leaves are changing colours, community events are being organized to bring us together, and students have returned to school with fresh energy. If you haven't reconnected with your neighbourhood community association, now is the time - they're all organizing their annual general meetings which is a great time to get involved! 

It's also time to establish the membership for Civic Boards and Committees for the upcoming year. The deadline to submit your application is next Friday September 29th at 5pm. Numerous boards and committees will have vacancies. Check out the portal to see which one might be a fit for you, and get your application in asap! Our community is stronger when our diversity is represented at these decision-making and advisory tables. Get involved in what matters to you! 
www.saskatoon.ca/boards

And coming up at the end of the month is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sep 30th). Learn more about the day and the Rock Your Roots Walk taking place here. I hope you'll wear orange, join the walk, and take some time to reflect on and learn about the history and legacy of residential schools in our community and how we can all be a part of working toward reconciliation. 

As is typical in fall, it's been busier than ever around here. Unfortunately, my household has also finally been caught with COVID so I'm working at quite limited capacity and a bit behind. I will be playing catch up once I'm back on my feet so I thank you for your patience if you find yourself waiting for me to respond.

Meetings & Upcoming Decisions

On Wednesday Sept 27th City Council meets - first in the morning for the Regular Business Meeting and then again in the evening for the Public Hearing meeting. Full agenda outlines are at the bottom of this email. 

A few items that have been of interest: 

Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Residential Buildings
- Now that Provincial Regulations are in place, the Saskatoon Fire Department is seeking Council guidance on how to enforce new Carbon Monoxide Alarm regulations. A balanced approach that includes both education and enforcement.

Curbside Garbage - Utility Implementation & Rates
- this report provides an update on the implementation plan for the curbside garbage utility in 2024. A flat utility fee ($9.92) is proposed for the first six months followed by variable rates (ranging from $3.37 - $10.58) based on requested cart sizes in the Spring of 2024. This model is designed to fully fund the program, while providing some cost control to users of the curbside utility (utility customers in single-family dwellings).

A few Ward 2 area items: 

Redevelopment Incentive for 1011-1015 Idylwyld Dr. N 
- A local developer has purchased three properties on Idylwyld Dr. N, two of which were previously derelict, then closed, and then demolished. An apartment dwelling is planned and the project is eligible for a city tax abatement incentive considered in this report. No rezoning is required for this project to proceed.

Lease of parking lot - South Caswell - for SHA Park'n'Ride
- The City has negotiated a potential lease agreement with the Saskatchewan Health Authority for a park'n'ride use in the parking lot East of the vacant Bus Barns Site. As noted in the engagement section below, redevelopment plans are being brought forward for the North half of the Bus Barns site, but this phase does not include the lot. The lot will be included in future phases, so the lease agreement is considered temporary and has been drafted to permit termination with six months notice. I requested that City administration meet with the Neighbourhood Community Association and an additional report since committee outlines the further considerations that are proposed for this lease/use as a result. 

Discretionary Use - 501 Ave H South - Multi-unit dwelling
- An application has been received and reviewed for a discretionary use approval at this site that would allow a 4-unit development. The site previously had 4 units prior to a structure fire under a previous discretionary approval. An engagement page is here

Budget Update

As you know, City Council has been busy working to address a forecasted gap in the 2024/2025 budgets. We’ve made some good progress, but the process is far from over. There are lots of options that remain in front of us when we sit down to engage in the full debate in late November. Nothing is finalized until then. More on the process can be found at saskatoon.ca/budget. I welcome ideas and feedback anytime. 

I was recently asked at a Neighbourhood Community Association about how we ensure that property taxes are equitably distributed. While there are limited levers in the municipal toolkit, one way that City Council adjusts how municipal taxes are distributed is between commercial and residential property classes. Council has asked to have a report on this brought forward during the budget deliberations so that we can compare our approach to other Cities. I will be studying this closely as my understanding is that our balance favours commercial ratepayers as compared to other cities, meaning residential ratepayers pay more. Again, many ideas remain up for discussion and I expect more ideas will be brought forward. Thanks to all who have reached out with feedback and ideas to date. 

Engagement 

To see all projects open for engagement visit www.saskatoon.ca/engage

Caswell Hill Bus Barns
The City is working with a lead developer for the redevelopment of the north half of the bus barns site in line with the South Caswell Concept Plan. The public engagement on the proposed development and required rezoning will be launching soon and a meeting date will be available very shortly. To follow along on progress and ensure you don’t miss the engagement opportunities, please visit the City’s engage page for the project.

Community Updates

Last weekend I was proud to be involved in a civic engagement event at City Hall, which I co-hosted with the other women elected to City Council. We hosted dozens of women with immigrant and refugee experience to talk about leadership and community. It was an honour and so much fun too. The event was supported by all of Council through strategic priority funding and I'm excited to report back about what we heard and what we learned later in the year.

Construction season
City roadwork is continuing through the month, with some big projects scheduled to wrap up shortly such as the 33^rd Street Water main replacement project, and the Circle Drive North Bridge. 

City Council | Sept 27th (Wednesday)

City Council meets on Wednesday. Brief highlights are outlined below. Click here to find the full agenda. Council continues to meet virtually. Correspondence on Council items can be made in writing or as a request to speak (accommodated by phone or in person). Meetings will continue to be live streamed.

Regular Business Meeting  |  9:30 AM
  - Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Residential Buildings
  - Funding for Saskatoon Light & Power Fleet EV Charging
  - Natural Resource Canada Project Applications
  - 2024 Curbside Garbage Utility Implementation & proposed rates
  - Shaheed Minar Commemorative Monument
  - Geophysics Research at Nutana Pioneer Cemetery
  - Vacant Lot and Adaptive Reuse Incentive - 1011-1015 Idylwyld Dr N
  - Temporary Lease - Parking Lot to SHA for Park'n'Ride - South Caswell Hill
  - Governance Review - Appeal Boards
  - 2024 Appointments - Deputy Mayor & Standing Committees
  - 2024 Meeting Schedule - City Council & Committees
  - Appointment - Municipal Planning Commission
  - Bylaw - Street name change from John A MacDonald Road to miyo-wâhkôhtowin Road
  - Bylaw - Capital reserve amendment bylaw 
  - Bylaw - Traffic Amendment bylaw
  - Bylaw - Fire & Protective Services Amendment Bylaw
  Motion:
  - Donauer - Capital Budget Funding Sources

Public Hearing Meeting |  6:00 PM
  - Day Care - 1509 Early Drive
  - 501 Ave H South - Discretionary Use (Ward 2)
  - Private School - 96 33rd Street East
  - Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw Review - Amendment 7
  - Intent to borrow - Waste Utility Program
  - Proclamation and Flag Raisings