Saskatoon CUPE members cry foul as city taps YMCA to run Harry Bailey

WATCH: The city and the YMCA are looking to strike a deal that could see the YMCA operate Harry Bailey, but not everyone is thrilled about the partnership.

Negotiations between the city and the YMCA to operate Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre has the city’s civic employees’ union concerned about public services moving forward.

The city is working towards an agreement with the YMCA to take over operations of Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre once it reopens to the public in 2026.

The pool has been closed since 2023 for upgrades and renovations. Construction began in 2024 after sitting dormant for more than a year because tenders for construction came in higher than expected, forcing the scope of upgrades to be reduced.

On Wednesday, the city’s governance and priorities committee heard an update as the city and YMCA work towards a partnership agreement.

“As we look to the future, we’re inspired by what’s possible,” YMCA CEO DeAnn Mercier said to the committee.

“Together with the city, our partners and our people, we can build a healthier, more equitable Saskatoon for generations to come.”

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CUPE Saskatchewan, the union representing Saskatoon civic employees, is concerned about what the partnership will do to the historic leisure centres and the services people have come to expect.

President Kent Peterson says city staff are certified and trained for these workplaces, and being city employees, they represent the city and its residents, unlike the non-profit organization.

“They are accountable, ultimately, to the people of Saskatoon. If that’s contracted out, that no longer exists,” Peterson said. “And so, we worry what that means to the standard of quality and the services there.”

Peterson says while city employees expect to move back into the pool when it opens next fall, there is the potential for job loss, as well. He said the potential also exists for the YMCA to change programming, operations and even hours in the future, once the city loses its total control of the pool.

“The reality is publicly owned and publicly delivered public services are always the most efficient and effective form of delivery of those services,” he said.

Peterson is also concerned at the recent trend of the city signaling its exit from operating leisure centres.

The city bought the YMCA’s flagship downtown building, which was built in the 1960s, from the YMCA in 2024 for $8.4 million.

The building will be demolished to make way for downtown Saskatoon’s future convention centre. At that time, YMCA expressed interest in operating Harry Bailey.

In 2022, city council approved a model for the YMCA to jointly operate the upcoming East Side Leisure Centre in Holmwood, a future area of Saskatoon located east of Rosewood, Briarwood and Evergreen.

“It’s a concerning trend,” Peterson said. “That’s why we are doing this work to ensure that the public knows that the quality of that service may be impacted when it is contracted out or outsourced by, in this case, the City of Saskatoon.”

A report at Wednesday’s committee outlined a number of other cities where YMCA operates civic leisure centres, including Calgary, Lethbridge, Kelowna and London.

Ward 4 Coun. Troy Davies clarified at the meeting no jobs would be lost if the agreement is finalized.

“All the positions... have been absorbed within current facilities and having a partnership like this would not mean any lost jobs or any, I guess, people going without their paychecks,” he said.

City council will vote on the potential partnership agreement at a later meeting.