The city wants your input on its new four-year plan

The City of Saskatoon wants feedback from residents before setting course on a new four-year plan.

With the city’s current strategic plan set to expire at the end of the year, the city is renewing its priorities for 2026 to 2029. But before finalizing the strategic direction, residents are encouraged to participate in a survey to guide the plan.

“The main point to me of a city that works for everyone is that when people review this plan, that they will see themselves in it,” Mayor Cynthia Block said.

Residents can participate in the survey for the 2026-2029 draft strategic plan online and at City Hall until Sept. 19, which could help change city council’s focus.

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The new strategic plan, which largely builds upon previous strategies, is centered around 10 priorities for city council and three areas of focus for staff and administration.

Housing and homelessness, community safety and core services are the top three priorities listed in the draft.

“We heard on the doorstep loud and clear that it is the single greatest issue our city faces,” Block said of homelessness and housing.

Last week, the city announced a new location for a proposed 60-bed shelter the city and province has been looking to open since October 2023.

The most recent point-in-time homelessness count shows Saskatoon’s homeless population is larger than it’s ever been with 1,499 people recorded, nearly triple the number recorded in 2022.

Although it’s a top priority for city council, homelessness and social welfare is the jurisdiction of the province. The city now spends millions of dollars on homelessness every year between staffing, encampment cleanups or policy and program creation.

Many councillors have previously voiced frustration with the province not sharing the responsibility or leading the way.

Block says the city can’t afford to delay and expects more support from other levels of government moving forward.

“We know that municipalities across this country are on the front lines of homelessness, but we do not have all the tools to solve it alone,” Block said.

“Core responsibilities of government need to be honoured.”

Other priorities listed in the strategic plan include: culture, parks and recreation, downtown, economic development, environment, reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI), transportation and urban and regional growth.

The focus for administration is centred around empowering people and ideas and enhancing the customer experience.

“Whatever we’re proposing to bring forward, there’s always a checkpoint back to the strategic plan to make sure those are some of the priorities of city council,” said Carla Bulmers, the director of communications and public engagement.

Once the survey period closes, administration will refine the strategic plan to reflect community feedback. The new strategic plan will then be presented to city council in December.