Saskatoon's mayor 'excited' about university land development moving ahead

After her first year as Saskatoon's mayor was dominated by the homelessness crisis, Cynthia Block expects big news about a future housing development this year.

Block revealed in a year-end interview with CBC that she thinks concept plans for University of Saskatchewan endowment lands will be unveiled in 2026.

The university owns 1,000 acres of endowment lands within five kilometres of downtown Saskatoon that have been targeted for residential and commercial development as part of a long-term plan to increase revenue for the institution and help the city achieve its infill goals.

"And I'm excited about that," Block said. "I first learned about this a decade ago. And I'm so excited that finally that's going to start to move forward. And those again, those are infill."

But the development of the university land lies far in the future, as reflected in the name of the plan, Vision 2057.

In the meantime, Block defended the city's increasing focus on the homelessness crisis, despite some on city council expressing concerns about blurring the lines between the jurisdictions of different levels of government.

Block repeated her belief that people don't care about which level of government is responsible for solving the crisis — but just want to see progress. She added that dealing with addiction, homelessness and social disorder through police, fire and other emergency responders both costs too much and is failing.

"If we can at least understand that what we've been doing so far is by far the most expensive and we're not succeeding, and maybe we need to actually look more carefully about how we are moving forward," Block said. "And I'll continue to say that unless and until people are safely housed, it's going to be hard."

Block heard severe criticism of city hall from the Riversdale Business Improvement District board chair at the last city council meeting of 2025. Ephithymia Kutsogiannis blasted city hall for a lack of transparency and communication over the location of homeless services in the district.

Council has approved a new drop-in warming centre in Riversdale just off 20th Street and has approved the purchase of lots in the area for supportive housing and homeless services.

"I understand that there are some concerns around social behaviours and I think that how we move forward together is going to have to be in some sort of partnership with the strategy with businesses," Block said.

Saskatoon's first woman mayor, who was elected in late 2024, echoed the sentiment of police Chief Cam McBride earlier last month by saying she feels safe downtown and in core neighbourhoods like Riversdale and Pleasant Hill.

But she added she understands why some people feel uncomfortable.

Block said she sympathizes with reaction to this year's property tax increase of 6.7 per cent — possibly the second-highest ever — and to her comment that she's "proud" of the two-year budget. Council repeatedly rejected measures to reduce the property tax increase by slashing services as 108 options were considered during budget talks in November.