About

Achievements During My Mayoral Tenure

• With the cooperation of SUMA and the other Saskatchewan City Mayors, we could agree on Municipal Revenue Sharing with the Provincial government of 1% of the PST, which was and is still unheard of in Canada.  Saskatoon knows the funding it will receive a year before the next budget. The Big City Mayors Caucus of Canada asked on an ongoing basis how this could be achieved for them.

• The current council has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. 

• As mayor, I accomplished significant projects such as the Circle Drive South Bridge (Gordie Howe), which has redefined city traffic flows. The river is no longer an impediment to which side you live, reducing travelling time by at least 15 to 30 minutes.

• The Traffic Bridge, the Mistawasis Bridge (I can’t think of a single city in Canada that has built 3 bridges in such a short period) Riverlanding helped to transform the South end of downtown with office towers, residents, hotels, the hub for art and performing arts along with having a home for the Farmers Market in Riversdale which brought 1000’s of people to a historic area of Saskatoon weekly and assisted in the rejuvenation of Riversdale.

• Unfortunately, the city council decided there could be a far more valuable use for the building, which had sat empty for years, forcing the farmer’s market out to the airport industrial area.  The extension of 25th Street, the New Police Headquarters, and how the Police service morale went from the teens to the ’90s, millions of additional dollars were invested in the Police Service to bring the ratio of officers to citizens in alignment with other Canadian Cities along with equipment for the safety of the officers and residents.  New fire halls and relocation to give the citizens better service.  Thanks to great business leaders, the Saskatoon Minor Football field and vicinity, with the City’s investment at 50 cents, has been reduced to probably closer to 10 cents on the dollar.  The Hampton, Kensington, and Blairmore developments on the West end of Saskatoon gave balanced growth to the City, which had not occurred in decades.

• The Shaw Center at the time was the largest volumetric competitive pool in North America. They gave the residents on the west end of Saskatoon 2 new high schools, which they had not seen in decades, while other areas of Saskatoon got new high schools.  The addition of elementary schools in the historic neighbourhoods and all the latest schools in the newer communities.  The Nutrien Playland at Kinsmen Park, where Nutrien invested millions of dollars ($7.5M) for Saskatoon with minimal cost to Saskatoon.

• Upgrades to the Forestry Farm and Zoo with Cameco being a major sponsor.  The overpass on College and Circle partnered with the soccer families of Saskatoon for one of the finest indoor facilities in Canada and finally finished SaskTel Center. We got to Targeted Benefit Pensions thanks to the Police, Fire, and the other unions, which was a tremendous agreement for the employees and a good deal for the City. Yes, the City had to add additional funding through property taxes to clear up the deficit. Adding a goal of 500 attainable affordable housing with over 2500 homes built in 5 years, the City supported this program through a property tax increase, tax reductions, and Provincial Government funding.  Student housing at the U of S College Quarter provides much better accommodation for the students, single, married, and with families. Adding to the property tax for roadways also increases the snow budget.  None of these projects could have been accomplished without the councilors’ support.  Yes, there was undoubtedly much debate on increased taxes and what should be included and left for another year, but in the end, the budgets were approved, and I think for a better, healthier law and order and a safer and more secure City.

• When I was mayor, the councils ran the operations side of the budget on a pay-as-you-go, not on a credit card.  It’s like going to the grocery store and buying groceries with a credit card. You may have paid the grocer, but you still owe the credit company, and the groceries still must be paid.  The current council is just kicking the problem past the 2024 election.  The starting point for the 2024 budget by the current council was $59.8M because many residents still don’t realize that $7.4 currently in the budget is being turned into a utility.  So, you now see a charge for your garbage pickup on your utility bill. 

• It is going to require strong leadership to get the City’s financial problems under control.  The first is to pause all significant capital projects until this happens.  If you have to borrow $20M to pay for snow removal, don’t you think the city should get its finances in order first and the current budget shows another deficit of over $5M.   We need to look after needs, not wants.  I want the money you worked so hard for left in your pocket, not City Hall. The city will not go broke, but the residents and businesses can benefit from inappropriate tax increases.  

• The Star Phoenix reported that Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) isn’t a BRT, so why would you call it a BRT system? Yes, now the name is Link. The Link (BRT) will still cost Saskatoon a Billion dollars or more when completed; you see after they get started, it is then said the Link (BRT) isn’t as effective as it should be, so more will need to be spent including a bridge on 33rd Street to offset the loss of two traffic lanes on the University Bridge and millions more to operate.  Ridership has not returned to pre-COVID levels, and safety, security, and working from home are a few reasons.  Montreal’s 11 km expansion is 1 billion dollars.  The downtown entertainment and event district will be at least $900 M to $1.2 B just for the rink to be fully completed.  SaskTel Center, under the stewardship of Will Lofdahl, was, before COVID, running a $1.25 Million surplus annually and $300,000 to the Capital Replacement Reserve.  The current business plan for a downtown area is to have losses of over $500,000 annually and no mention of the Capital Replacement Reserve.

• The library needs a different business plan; my biggest worry is that it will be half-built, and they will run out of money, requiring an additional cash infusion in the $ 10 million just as Harry Bailey has gone from $13M to $30M.  

• The new zoning bylaw allowing 4-plexes next to your home must be rescinded. The money from the Federal government is approximately 9 cents a day per person in Saskatoon. This will destroy the character, fabric, heart, and soul of Saskatoon. It’s like selling your soul to the devil.

• What does age have to do with anything? Age is just a number; experience never grows old, and you can’t buy wisdom; if one is energetic, passionate, and full of ideas and remedies, this will put Saskatoon back on the right track.

•  Leadership is about making one’s community safer and more vibrant, giving everyone hope and opportunity to realize their dreams.

• I want a better Saskatoon, where everyone has hope and opportunity to succeed. 

• A gentle tongue brings healing.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM 2003 – 2016 AS MAYOR

• River landing project connecting Nutana, Riversdale, and downtown Saskatoon.

• Hotel, Condo, and Commercial development on Parcel Y

• A permanent home for the Farmer’s Market

• Persephone Theater’s new home at Riverlanding

• Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan at Riverlanding

• New Housing and commercial development on 19th and Ave C South in Riversdale

• Roxy Theater saved the start of Riversdale’s rejuvenation

• Barry Hotel demolition

• 20th Street streetscape

• Removal of the CN Bridge on 19th Street, opening the view from downtown into Riversdale

• Removal of derelict homes on Ave C South of 19th Street

• Cineplex Theaters Downtown is the first of its kind in North America by Galaxy, and it was also one of their most successful operations until 2017.

HISTORIC NEW PARTNERSHIPS ON SCHOOLS

• A new WP Bate school partnering with the city

• Centennial Collegiate and Soccer Families #1 indoor soccer facility in Canada at the time

• Tommy Douglas, Bethlehem, and the Shaw Center

• St. Mary’s school is brand new, with dental and medical included, the first of its kind in Saskatchewan and in the Pleasant Hill community,

• Willowgrove two schools

• Stonebridge, Rosewood, Evergreen, and Hampton Village 8 schools in total with four community centres

• 15 new schools were built when I was mayor

INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS ON BRIDGES

• Circle Dr. South Bridge is 100 years in the making.   Funding through the Asia Pacific Corridor on the Prairies 1st

• Circle Dr North Bridge 2 extra lanes – Gas Tax 1st in Canada

• Parkway Commuter and Traffic Bridge P3 Canada 1st in Canada of 2 Bridges Bundled together

• A total of 16 lanes were created on bridges to move traffic

UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS

• Kinsmen Park – Potash Corp of Saskatchewan, now Nutrien, Canpotex, and CP Rail $9 Million contribution

• Clarence Ave and Circle Dr South overpass with Walmart built

• Student housing in the U of S City contributed $1.2 million. There was no housing shortfall for students during this time

• Station 20 Library on 20th Street building leased by the Library from the City, allowing low-income students an opportunity to use computers

• Gordie Howe Bowl – football families contributed $9.7 M and the city $4.7 M to refurbish the facility to date

• Police partnership with the Province of Saskatchewan SGI, Regina Police Service, Moose Jaw Police, Prince Albert Police, R.C.M.P., and the

• CN and CP Police on street and highway patrols with no cost to Saskatoon

•  Partnership with Synchrotron, the only one of its kind in the world

• Intervac partnership

• The new two ice pads at the U of S were financially committed to but completed after I left the office.

• Road replacement at the U of S, repaving the main road

• The first low-interest loan from the Federal Government

• SASK CORRECTIONS and the City are having the inmates mow, shovel snow, clean back alleys, remove debris from Circle Dr., wee, paint, and demolish buildings, including the old Police Station interior, at no cost to the city.

• Partnered with Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, Saskatoon Tribal Council, and Gabriel Dumont Institute to provide a Heavy Equipment Operator/Class 1A Preemployment Training Program for Aboriginal participants

• In March 2013, the Government of Saskatchewan announced a new revenue-sharing formula that increases the Cities’ pool from 46% to 48% of the total revenue-sharing pool. This formula will remain in place until the fiscal year 2016/17.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Mayors Cultural Gala – 1st of its kind, hugely successful

• Pet Days in the Park at Kiwanis Park

• 25TH Street open from 1st Ave to Idylwyld

• Opening of the west end of the city with Hampton Village, Kensington’s first new developments in decades

• Blairmore shopping centre

• Boychuk and Highway 16; McCormand and Highway 5 overpasses,

• Stonebridge Development

• Flyover on Highway 11 in Stonebridge

• Sound Attenuation Walls completed in 2 Years as opposed to 25 years

• Sidewalk replacement for the entire city takes approximately 25 years as opposed to 2000 years, yes 2000 years

• Completion of SaskTel Center, seating, scoreboard, exits and parking

• Expansion of TCU Place

• Turn annual Profit or Surplus at SaskTel Center and TCU Place

• City Manager and all General Managers, the Fire Chief, the Director of Media Relations, Government Relations, and Human Resources on personal employment contracts in 2014.

• In 2014, a resolution of the pension reform with eight of the nine-member unions/associations of the General Pension Plan was achieved.  The going concern liability of $68M was eliminated.

• In 2016, the City was chosen as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the fifth consecutive year.

• In 2014, worked with the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) on several options for low-income seniors to defer municipal and library property tax increases.

• Significant increase regarding trust in police by the Aboriginal population increased from 38% in 2005 to 68% in 2009

• Received the International Association of Fire Chiefs Award of Excellence for the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement Program

• Negotiated the acquisition of land from St. Martin’s Church to support the relocation of Fire Hall 3 to Clarence Avenue South, $2M annual operating savings

• Installation of the War of 1812 monument at Riverlanding in Riversdale

• Hosted first-ever Dog Days of Summer Swim at Mayfair Pool in August 2014

• Leisure Centre rates were slashed in 2016 to increase patronage to facilities, with a substantial increase in visits to the Leisure Centers

• Labour Day Fireworks

• International boat races on the river

• Moved the Race car track from the Willowgrove area to north of Saskatoon in Corman Park

• First city of our population to have 2 Costco’s

• First city to act on attainable housing, not just talk about the problem