Meet Saskatoon mayoral candidate Cynthia Block

There are five mayoral candidates in the 2024 Saskatoon civic elections. 650 CKOM sent out a Q&A to each candidate. The election is on Nov. 13, 2024.

Cynthia Block

Hometown: Dundurn

Embarrassing playlist song: “The Saskatchewan Pirate” by The Arrogant Worms — I love it.

Why do you want to be Mayor of Saskatoon?

I want Saskatoon to move forward, not backward. We need to build a modern 21st-century city that’s affordable, safe and sustainable. We need smart growth; a modern public transportation system and modern amenities that make sure Saskatoon is competitive and able to attract residents, businesses and jobs. I want to champion forward-thinking initiatives, such as making sure there is an accessible grocery store in every underserved neighbourhood. As we grow, I want Saskatoon to take its place as a world-class city. That means focusing on the basics and also ensuring we are future-ready, so our children and grandchildren want to stay. Find out more here: www.cynthia2024.ca

How do you plan to address homelessness, given it’s not solely a municipal responsibility?

Homelessness is a global problem right now and it’s an emergency in our city. We need to be proactive, with a plan for a solutions-based approach that is measurable and accountable. That’s why I’m calling for a Task Force on Homelessness that brings residents and businesses to the table. Municipalities are on the frontlines of homelessness across the country, even though we do not have jurisdiction over housing and health care. The Task Force will create clear coordination and a clear plan to tackle homelessness head-on and hold other orders of government to account — to ensure all people are safely housed.

What makes you hopeful?

Saskatoon is growing into an ever more beautiful city. The landscape and people are like no other and we have tremendous opportunities to create a prosperous future for everyone.

Saskatoon is the fastest-growing city in Canada by economic growth and population. We are the province’s economic engine. Our city has welcomed 11 Urban Reserves and the strengths of our Treaty relationships give us a unique opportunity to capitalize on these strengths and re-imagine our city with a fresh lens — where all people share in the success and have an opportunity to thrive.

Hope is important, but I know making it happen takes more than that. I’m ready to work to build relationships that help solve the problems of today and also lay the foundation for a brighter future.

What do you think should be the city’s priority given Saskatoon’s upcoming major projects, the debt, and how do you plan to fund them?

I think the Mayor’s office needs to be focused on homelessness and community safety. However, good leadership also plans for the future. That’s why I’m supporting the renewed City Centre Plan and will prioritize residential and commercial growth in the downtown. Building density where infrastructure and services already exist, helps Saskatoon become more efficient, affordable and sustainable — attracting more people, businesses, jobs and tourism to the downtown.

I will not support building a new arena downtown unless there is zero impact on property tax.

Do you have a talent few people know about?

I don’t think I really have a talent, but I have grit — and that has helped me to do a few things that people might not know. I’m a pretty good slalom skier; I ran a marathon — and I make a mean spaghetti and meat sauce.

What superpower would you want?

I always wished I could fly — but in the context of the next four years, I think it would be very interesting to get to know our city in new ways by flying around Saskatoon — spotting problems and making connections. It could go a long way to achieving shared goals for our city.

What are the top three items you would address in your first 100 days as Mayor?

1. Homelessness: We need residents and businesses at the table to create a task force, alongside police, fire and service providers to tackle homelessness head-on.
2. Safety: Work with police, fire and transit to create a plan to ensure proper resourcing for patrols and use technology to connect to real-time safety tools.
3. Business: I’ll host a facilitated session with business leaders in our city to create clear goals and a plan to make sure existing businesses are supported and create a pathway to encourage new investment.

How do you plan to address the challenges of population growth in areas like infrastructure, housing, and public services?

For every metre of roadway and underground infrastructure we add to the network, we become a more expensive city. By growing more inward and upward, we save money — making it easier to maintain basic infrastructure and improve services and amenities in Saskatoon.

1. Smart Growth — Building density where infrastructure and services already exist, especially in the downtown.
2. Moving forward with LINK, a modern public transit system that operates a lot like a subway on wheels.
3. More affordable and attainable housing near LINK
4. Encourage investment in renovating and reactivating boarded-up rental properties.
5. Grocery stores in neighbourhoods. Learn more: www.cynthia2024.ca

How will you engage residents to increase municipal voter turnout in Saskatoon?

Our team is committed to building direct conversations and accessible ways to engage and also ensuring all voters have easy access to get to the polls.

Social media has really transformed the way many people connect to each other and the world. This has helped inform our social media strategy and I’m very lucky to have such a talented and dedicated team.

We continue to knock on doors, drop flyers and seek opportunities to meet with seniors and other groups — but technology is definitely a key part of engaging in this election.

What would you tell your 21-year-old self?

I’m proud of you.

To every young person out there: most of us start out with big dreams, just a handful of tools and a lot of fears. Keep pushing forward — you can do it.

P.S. Buy Apple stock