Saskatoon snow clearing expected to be complete by end of the week

The huge piles of snow and ice on Saskatoon streets should be cleared up by the end of the week, as the city works to minimize extensive rutting during the current warm up.

That’s according to Terry Schmidt, the city’s transportation and construction general manager. Speaking during Wednesday’s city council meeting, Schmidt said crews were doing a “remarkable” job.

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“They’re doing their very best to get it to less than four inches in all areas, so that that will mitigate against severe rutting,” he said.

The city’s snow clearing is about 65 per cent complete. (Alex Brown/650 CKOM)

So far this winter, Schmidt said Saskatoon has seen about 102 centimetres of snow, or more than three feet.

Rainfall in December melted some of the 57 centimetres of snow that was already on the ground, turning streets to slush and creating significant rutting in many areas.

Schmidt said crews began to clear streets at that point in the hopes of alleviating some of the rutting. Since then, another 45 centimetres of snow has fallen on the city.

“With that additional snow that had fallen and compacted on the residential streets, there was six to seven inches – and in some cases more than that – of compact snow on the residential streets,” he said.

The @cityofsaskatoon says 34 of 65 neighbourhoods have now been graded.
The goal is to hit every street by the weekend to prevent ruts from forming during this warm spell.
31 neighbourhoods are still on the list to get done in the next 48 hours. @CKOMNews pic.twitter.com/1zK9n1fHAk

— Alex Brown (@AlexBrownYXE) February 26, 2025

“With that warm weather, that was going to quickly turn again to slush and severe rutting, and again, with more winter still in front of us and potential cold temperatures, that would have been very difficult conditions to get through for vehicles.”

A big challenge now, said Schmidt, is to find places to store all of the snow.

Ward 9 Councillor Bev Dubois said she’s been getting emails from residents who are curious “and upset” – wondering when their streets will be cleared.

Schmidt said as of the end of the day on Tuesday, the work is about 65 per cent complete.

“If we can continue at the production rates we are, we anticipate we should be done all residential and industrial streets by the weekend,” he said.

Following that work, Schmidt said some of the narrower city streets will need grading, and parking restrictions may be necessary in order to get the work done.

City preparing for spring melt

As the weather warms, the city said crews are working to manage the water left behind by melting snow and ice.

“While some temporary pooling is expected, crews are prepared to respond to drainage concerns as needed,” the city said in a statement.

“Crews will inspect and prioritize emergency flooding locations that pose a risk to property, major roadways, and pedestrian access, aiming to address these within the same day.”

Residents can help, the city noted, by checking catch basins to see if they are blocked by snow and ice, and clearing it away – if safe to do so – to help the water drain more effectively. If the issue doesn’t go away, the city said it can be reported through the city’s Customer Care Centre.

While gravel back alleys may be left in rough shape as the ground thaws, the city noted that heavy equipment can’t be used until the back lanes are dry enough to prevent further damage.

“Crews will begin grading operations as soon as surface conditions allow, ensuring all back lanes are addressed as part of the regular spring maintenance cycle,” the city noted.