Saskatoon will spend another month trying to strike a deal with six property owners refusing to sell their land to the city for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stations. Talks have stalled at the planned station locations along 22nd Street West and 8th Street East. According to a city report, owners at four locations declined to sell, while owners at two others stopped responding. The city needs portions of the properties to build stations with shelters, benches, bus arrival information systems and security cameras. Estimated land values range from about $18,000 to $59,000 per station location. Karen Kobussen, CEO of the Saskatoon West Business Association, said some property owners worry heated shelters could attract social disorder, loitering and littering. “I would respectfully ask you to direct administration to return to the engagement table and the negotiating table with these property owners so that we can come to a positive agreement,” Kobussen told the city’s transportation committee on Tuesday. Administration recommended expropriation — acquiring private land without the owners’ consent, while compensating them. The alternative would be basic stops on existing public land, with a sign and concrete pad but no shelter, benches or digital bus arrival information. Administration warned building basic stops now and upgrading them after the BRT project closes could leave Saskatoon paying the full construction bill. The federal and provincial governments currently cover 73 per cent of eligible station construction costs. Land purchases are entirely city-funded. The city also assessed moving the stations, but identified problems with parking and walking distances. Almost all those alternative locations would still require buying private land. Timed heat and shatter-resistant glass Terry Schmidt, the city’s general manager of transportation and construction, said the shelters would have no doors. Riders would push a button to activate radiant heat for a limited time, warming the area directly beneath it. Schmidt also pointed to transit policing, security cameras and shatter-resistant glass as measures to address safety and vandalism. “We’ll have this ‘hammer glass,’ which is the highest type of glass you can buy for shatter-resistance and vandalism-resistance,” Schmidt said. Coun. Robert Pearce pushed for another month of negotiations before considering expropriation. “I want to make sure we exercise every option possible, that if we do have to take legal action, we can rest with a clear conscience that we’ve given every opportunity for a business to respond and negotiate,” Pearce said. The deferral passed, with only Coun. Bev Dubois opposed. Schmidt said the delay will not impact the project’s delivery schedule. The issue is scheduled to return to the transportation committee in December. Property owners involved were:
