Saskatoon councillors asked to endorse provincial study without seeing it

Saskatoon city councillors were asked to endorse a provincial report on the progress of a major freeway project at a committee meeting Tuesday, but were missing the actual report.

It happened at the Transportation Committee meeting, which included at least one Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways representative.

“The recommendation is asking us to endorse a design report, but I don’t actually see that report in our package and I’m wondering if you could speak to that,” Coun. Sarina Gersher asked the city’s transportation director, Jay Magus.

The report, completed by the provincial government, describes the functional design of a freeway that will eventually connect Highway 11 in Saskatoon’s south end to Highway 14 on the west side of the city through a connection going east and north.

It was provided to city administration, but not to councillors.

Coun. Darren Hill also wondered why they were being asked to give the report a thumbs up without actually getting a chance to read it.

“Was the study marked as confidential or in camera? Was it indicated as such? I’m trying to understand why it’s not here; why we’re asked to approve something that’s not in front of us,” he said.

Brent Miller with the Ministry of Highways told councillors the report could be provided to them.

“We plan on publishing it very soon, although I’m willing to share the report now to the people in this room. It will be going out shortly, but if you want a copy of it we can make sure that you get a copy of it earlier, if you’d like,” he said.

Gersher asked Miller if the report contained confidential information.

“We’re asked to endorse a report that we haven’t actually seen, and so typically the reports that we do debate and deliberate are done in a public forum,” she said.

“I just want to make sure that that’s something we can discuss as a community.”

Gersher then proposed a motion to move the matter to the March committee meeting after the members get a chance to read the provincial study. That motion was unanimously approved.

The Saskatoon freeway project has been in the works for more than 20 years. The provincial government is in Phase 2 of a three-phase functional study process. Phase 3 is expected to be completed later this year.

There’s no set date for construction or a cost estimate for the new freeway.

It will, according to a report from city administration, eventually include a four-lane, 55-kilometre divided highway with 16 interchanges, five overpasses, two fly overs and a major river crossing.