Saskatoon Light & Power working on repairs after storm knocks out power, traffic lights

The City of Saskatoon says workers are trying to restore service after a thunderstorm on Wednesday night led to “widespread” outages.

The city said Saskatoon Light & Power workers are currently assessing the damage, identifying the areas without power and working on repairs “as quickly and safely as possible” after the storm, which knocked down numerous trees around the Bridge City.

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The city said restoring power to its customers is a top priority, but noted that traffic lights may not be active during some drivers’ morning commutes.

“Treat all non-functioning traffic lights as four-way stops and watch for crews working near roadways,” the city said in a statement.

The storm on July 8, 2026 caused damage to trees and knocked out power around the city, and the City of Saskatoon said traffic lights might not be functional during some drivers’ morning commutes. (Taylor MacPherson/650 CKOM)

“Customers are also reminded to stay clear of any downed power lines and report hazardous situations immediately. Assume all downed lines are energized and dangerous.”

The Saskatoon Fire Department said it responded to 34 calls related to the storm in just a 90-minute period, including “multiple electrical hazards” like downed power lines. (Submitted)

Trevor Bell, director of Saskatoon Light & Power, said the power company called in extra staff overnight, and about 100 workers are currently contributing to the repair efforts.

“We have a number of power outages within our area that we have been working on through the night, but there are still some that are out this morning,” Bell said.

The storm on July 8 knocked down a number of trees and damaged the roof of at least one business in Saskatoon. (Submitted)

Bell said the storm seems to have affected the city’s west side more than other areas, but noted that the storm caused a number of separate outages in various locations around Saskatoon.

“There are a number of individual outages,” he said.

“It’s not just one outage that affected a big area; it’s many smaller outages that are affecting customers.”

Bell encouraged anyone who spots damage to power infrastructure to contact Saskatoon Light & Power.

The storm on July 8, 2026 knocked down a number of trees around Saskatoon, including this one in the city’s Westview neighbourhood. (Marija Robinson/650 CKOM)

The city said it appreciates “the public’s patience and understanding” as crews work to restore power.

The Saskatoon Fire Department said it responded to 34 calls related to the storm in just a 90-minute period, including “multiple electrical hazards” like downed power lines.

Damage to the roof of A+ Air Inc., seen on July 9, 2026. (Marija Robinson/650 CKOM)

Roof ripped open in airport district

The area around Saskatoon’s airport appeared to have been hit especially hard, with the storm damaging the roof of A+ Air Inc., a business on Haskamp Street.

The office manager, Miranda Buhr, said she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary pulling into work Thursday morning. After opening the door, though, she saw water covering the ground.

She tried turning on the lights but there wasn’t any power.

Rushing to the upstairs mezzanine where all the business’ files are, Buhr said it was “all underwater up there, everything is soaked.”

Buhr wasn’t sure of the exact cause until someone asked if she’d looked outside. She then a closer look at the office’s exterior and said she saw the roof ripped open like a “tin can.”

Buhr said she called the owners and by Thursday morning one was already dealing with insurance, while the other was getting trailers to move everything out of the building.

“We’re going to have to move out of the building. There’s just no way for us to be able to continue working while they’re doing repairs,” she said, noting that she could see daylight coming in through the upstairs ceiling.

City says cleanup effort continuing

The city noted that some waste carts may have been blown over in the storm, meaning they were not collected as scheduled.

“Please ensure your cart is placed upright and accessible for collection on your scheduled pickup day,” the city said in a statement.

The city also noted that parks workers are addressing “high-priority tree hazards” like fallen trees obstructing roadways and trimming low-hanging branches that pose a safety risk.

“Given the significant number of locations requiring attention, branch pickup and debris removal will take several days to complete,” the city added.

“We appreciate the public’s patience as crews work through all reported sites and continue cleanup efforts across the city.”

Bell said it was predominantly west side neighbourhoods that were affected, with a few areas on the east side, as well as the Varsity View, Exhibition and Avalon areas.

It is not unusual, Bell added, for summer storms to roll through Saskatoon and affect power in the city.

“These are to be expected in the summer,” he said on Thursday.

–with files from 650 CKOM’s Gerald Bauman, Marija Robinson and Mia Holowaychuk