The City of Saskatoon said Monday there are no guarantees the $300-million Circle Drive South project will be complete by the Oct. 30 deadline.

Plagued with persistent wet weather and high water tables – especially in the area between Lorne and Clarence Avenues – city manager Murray Totland said although the project’s major infrastructural components are complete, crews are still working on the connecting roadways.

“We’re continuing work on the project as long as weather permits and that’s our primary focus,” said Totland during a one-hour media tour of the project.

In June, the city announced that the original Sept. 30 deadline could not be met.

The delay means that the contractors now face a $10,000 per day penalty starting Oct.1.

Political studies professor Joe Garcea says with a civic election looming, voters are likely trying to determine one of two things right now.

“Either it was a problem and somebody is responsible for it or this was just unfortunate, unforeseen and unavoidable and therefore nobody is really to blame here,” he said.

 “If there’s blame, how will it be spread and how will it be shared?”

But whether or not the city will actually pursue the fines has yet to be seen. Totland said the city is focused on getting the project complete and any discussion on penalties would be premature.

-With files from News Talk Radio's Chris Mangatal