Saskatoon needs to be a city where every resident, in every neighbourhood, feels safe and welcome. It’s a city where businesses are kept open and parents can confidently send their children to play in the park.
Saskatoon is facing complex challenges, giving rise to more violent and organized crime. This requires more police resources, but also new strategies to build a strong resilient city that embeds community safety into the fabric of its neighbourhoods.
It’s why I am calling for a whole city approach to complement the important work of Saskatoon Police Service and Saskatoon Fire Department.
I want to work with residents and businesses to create proactive neighbourhood and district safety plans; deploy new resources and technology to support bus riders and drivers; and focus on the ways we build-in a safe city from the foundation.
I also plan to call for a 24/7 drop-in centre for youth. Like basketball courts, skateboard parks and ice rinks, they are much more than recreation - they’re a place to grow up; build community connections and positive attitudes, laying the foundation for a brighter future.
As a City Councillor I have supported:
- Every Police budget - including new Alternative Response Officers and more PACT teams
- Community Policing - building relationships and acting on Truth & Reconciliation
- New supports for the Fire Department to address encampments
- Community Support Officers on buses
- Staffed public washrooms along river and in core
As your Mayor I will:
- Ensure Saskatoon Police Service can effectively address violent crime and organized crime.
- Support new Police resources to address rising Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
- Continue our path of acting on Truth and Reconciliation through community policing
- Grow capacity to respond to Transit safety - establish real-time connections between riders and safety resources
- Create neighbourhood and district safety plans with residents and businesses
- Target programs for youth and families to combat the pull of organized crime:
- Advocate for a 24/7 drop-in centre for youth - positive recreational activities, and a place to go when home is not safe.
- Ensure the City’s community programs keep pace with inflation, such as rink grants, paddling pools and sport courts/fields.
Community safety goes beyond policing - it’s about building a strong social fabric that fosters connection, trust and resilience. I will champion the community-building tools that strengthen these relationships, ensuring a safer city for everyone.
