Innovative ways to reduce waste and conserve resources helps the City of Saskatoon improve the way it operates every day.
Across the City of Saskatoon, operational teams are finding practical, innovative ways to reduce waste, conserve resources, and improve how our city operates every day. These improvements show how small changes across departments can lead to big results for our community.
Turning Green Waste into New Growth
By using the Eastside Compost Site to manage organics and store premium topsoil, the Parks Department keeps valuable materials in circulation. This topsoil supports tree planting, sports fields, cemeteries, and park landscapes across the city, strengthening local ecosystems while reducing the need for newly sourced materials.
Wastewater Innovation: Energy From What We Flush
The Saskatoon Wastewater Treatment Plant is turning waste into energy. As of 2024, biogas captured from the treatment process is used to heat the facility, reducing emissions by 2,365 tonnes of carbon pollution—the equivalent of taking 563 cars off the road. It’s a powerful example of circular energy in action.
Smart Water Use in Transit Operations
Saskatoon Transit now washes buses using 75% recycled water, cutting down on the use of treated drinking water. Access Transit goes even further by using roof‑captured rainwater for about half of its wash water and extending rainwater use to toilet flushing and irrigation. These changes save thousands of litres of potable water every year.
Reducing Waste at the Zoo
At the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo, sustainability is part of daily operations. By recycling organic waste in the commissary and installing water bottle filling stations for visitors, the Zoo is reducing landfill waste and cutting single‑use plastics while encouraging visitors to make more sustainable choices.
These achievements highlight how thoughtful planning and smart day-to-day practices can make our city run better for everyone. As teams across Saskatoon keep finding new ways to save resources and reduce waste, we build a stronger, more efficient city—one practical improvement at a time.
