A trio of Saskatoon residents is moving forward with their plans to try and trigger a referendum for the city’s downtown event and entertainment district. “We are officially moving into phase two of this process,” organizer Coutney Saliken said. “Now we can finally put pen to paper.” After launching a website last month to gauge interest, Saliken, Henry Chan and Ken Wood are officially launching a petition. Once the first signature is gathered, the group has 90 days to attain signatures from 10 per cent of the city’s eligible voting population — approximately 26,700. To surpass a margin of error, Wood says they’re targeting 30,000 signatures. All signatures need to be on paper and signed in person, with online signatures not accepted. The petition would need to be filed with the city by Dec. 11, 2026. If the city clerk’s office is satisfied the petition meets all legal requirements, a referendum would take place. “Every volunteer, every completed form, every valid signature will move us closer to giving Saskatoon citizens the vote they deserve,” Wood said. Wood is the former CEO of SaskTel Centre. Chan and Saliken both ran for city council in 2024. All three oppose the downtown project. Saliken and Chan say city-wide opposition to the arena has remained, and residents need to have their say. “We need to send a very strong message that City Hall cannot unilaterally decide on a major decision that will have tax implications for generations of taxpayers, based on new plans that we have not voted on,” Chan said. Talks for a new arena in Saskatoon began more than a decade ago. In 2018, city council endorsed plans for a downtown arena district. In 2024, plans for a $1.2 billion dollar district, anchored by an arena and revamped convention centre and theatre were unveiled before council unanimously passed a funding strategy. Since then the project and its funding strategy have been uncertain. After more than two years of back-and-forth negotiations with a private partner, the city voted in March against having Denver-based OVG360 operate the arena and convention centre. In June the city entered into negotiations with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation to operate the district as part of a potential urban reserve. The province followed by saying it would match up to $400 million federal funding for the project. Since then there have been no public comments from the federal government to fund any part of the arena or convention centre. Mayor Cynthia Block says she remains hopeful Ottawa will step up. “There may have to be different kinds of consideration based on the way that the federal government is currently offering funding,” she explained. “I will continue to work alongside my colleagues in the city and the province to work with the federal government to find a way to get there.” Wood says there are volunteers ready to begin, but he’s hoping more people will make themselves available as the days and weeks progress, to get as many people as possible canvassing the city to collect signatures. With files from Stacey Hein
