City of Saskatoon says ‘neigh’ to former NHLer’s sleigh ride business – for now

It was two years ago, on Dec. 5, 2023, that former NHL player Rich Pilon applied to the city of Saskatoon, hoping to get a business license for his horse-drawn carriage operation.

Pilon has previously operated at special events in Saskatoon, in a variety of small towns in northern Saskatchewan including Ile-a-la-Crosse, and at Batoche days, according to his wife Jackie. The former hockey player actually bought the business from the person who operated carriage rides in Saskatoon outside of the Bessborough hotel for many years.

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During Tuesday’s Saskatoon Transportation Committee meeting, Jackie told councillors that it wasn’t until Jan. 2025, more than a year later, that he was notified his application “had not proceeded.” Pilon filled out a second application in an attempt to continue the process.

Several months later, he heard back from the city and was told the matter needed to be sent to the Transportation Committee.

“It’s been deferred multiple times, the license has not been able to be granted, and they said that he’s not able to operate within city limits without a business license,” Jackie told council.

She said Rich, who couldn’t attend the meeting because he was taking care of his horses, wanted to be in compliance with traffic requirements and all bylaws.

Initially, Matt Grazer, director of community standards, told councillors he wasn’t aware of the initial application in 2023.

Jackie told councillors her husband had actually received an email in January 2025 from the business licensing branch referencing the outstanding 2023 application.

“They’re the ones who let him know of the date of the original application,” she countered.

The matter appeared to initially perplex Ward 5 Coun. Randy Donauer, who wondered why the matter even came to council.

“So we emailed your husband in January of 2025, saying your application’s outstanding, and now the city’s saying you didn’t — (that) they don’t have any records until at least March of this year?” Donauer asked Jackie.

Donauer then questioned administration on the reasons why the application was still in limbo, considering carriage rides were common in years past, and a pedal pub is currently allowed to operate during certain times of the year.

“How is this so far outside of our guidelines that we couldn’t approve it or refuse it, it sounds like?” said Donauer.

Grazier told Donauer provisions in the traffic bylaw prohibit horses on city streets, unless it’s a special event or a ‘one-off.’

“(There’s) no means to formally approve a business of that sort,” Grazier continued.

Mayor Cynthia Block also asked whether the previous horse and cart business in downtown Saskatoon that operated on a regular basis before COVID was issued a business license.

“I actually have seen that operation happening in the downtown, and the Nutana neighbourhood, especially in that loop around Sask. Crescent or down University Drive… It’s like a loop, and it’s been ongoing for many, many years,” she added.

Grazier replied that he and his staff were not aware of any license ever being issued for that particular business.

“I suspect it was something probably passed along the lines of they informally operated in conjunction with special events, but without any formal license,” he said.

Terry Schmidt, general manager of transportation and construction, said Pilon’s horse-drawn carriage is considered an “unregulated vehicle,” and a bylaw would have to be amended in order to allow it to operate legally.

Council members unanimously approved a report back from administration in about a month on options for unregulated vehicle options.

Schmidt said he and his staff would look into whether a temporary special permit may be issued in the meantime.