In brief, here are four items of public interest that were discussed during the January 2021 City Council meeting. The the full agenda for January 25, 2020 can be accessed here.
Please note that in line with the City of Saskatoon’s request for citizens to assist with controlling the spread of COVID-19 we encourage you to email a letter at saskatoon.ca providing comments or requesting to speak as an alternative to attending the meeting. This meeting of City Council took place through teleconference and was recorded, as per any other City Council meeting.
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Carbon Monoxide Detectors
At this months City Council meeting, I put forward a motion that Mayor Clark and I had been working on to get further reporting back on options for including carbon monoxide detectors in all buildings. Reporting back will include the following items:
- Information on the current approach and requirements on carbon monoxide alarms in properties in the City of Saskatoon
- What options are available to require carbon monoxide detectors in buildings older than 2009
- A review of best practices of how other Cities have addressed this challenge
For further information and resources regarding carbon monoxide poisoning, please see this earlier post.
Solid Waste Reduction and Diversion Plan
Saskatoon’s Solid Waste Reduction & Diversion Plan was presented to City Council this month. This plan provides a detailed picture of the City’s progress on waste diversion and lays out a roadmap for actions needed to achieve the 70% waste diversion target from the Saskatoon Landfill set by City Council in 2015.
Saskatoon currently sits at 24% waste diversion, while approved programs such as curbside organics (2023), Recovery Park (2023), and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) recycling and organics (2022-2024) are expected to increase the diversion rate to 41–54%. The Plan, however, looks not only at waste diversion but also to waste reduction. Multi-unit organics, construction & demolition waste diversion, diversion from civic facilities, landfill disposal bans, and single-use items and food waste reduction programs, just to name a few, could position Saskatoon to achieve a 51 – 79% diversion rate. Implementation of the Plan would bring waste management in Saskatoon in line with comparable Canadian municipalities and make Saskatoon a leader in the Prairie Provinces.
The complete Plan, administrative report, and future updates can be found at saskatoon.ca/wastediversion.
Prohibited Businesses Bylaw
In follow-up to direction from April 2020, the draft Prohibited Businesses Bylaw was presented to City Council to prohibit conversion therapy.
City Council voted in support of writing the bylaw, as presented to Council, with the exception of section (d) in the definition.
Land Use Matters - Public Engagement
A motion was put forward by Councillors Loewen and Davies regarding land use issues. This motion was approved unanimously and reads as follows:
Whereas City Council is regularly presented with land use issues where residents have concerns about the adequacy of our public engagement and information sharing practices; and
Whereas challenges persist in communicating clearly about land matters, re-zonings, etc.;
That the Administration report back about:
Work currently underway in this area, including any recent/related changes, and potential options for future improvements in public engagement practices on land use matters, including but not limited to the application of plain language principles, increasing the scope of potential public engagement practices, an assessment of best practices from other communities; and
Options for partnering with stakeholders to ensure prospective homeowners and/or residents understand the potential for changes in Saskatoon neighbourhoods.