Saskatoon's 30-year growth plan includes rapid transit, more infill housing

The City of Saskatoon has revealed its final Growth Plan to Half a Million report.

The plan gives some direction to how the city will grow over the next 30 years.

"We're coming on the heels of seven years of unprecedented growth," said Alan Wallace, director of planning and development with the City of Saskatoon.

"We're noticing pressures on the way we move around Saskatoon and if we don't take the necessary measures to change how we move around the city, we're going to experience a lot of difficulty."

The city wants half of any new growth to happen in already-existing neighbourhoods, and half to happen in newly-created neighbourhoods. Wallace said the city would be relying on agricultural land owned by the University of Saskatchewan in the city centre as well as areas in the north downtown to achieve that.

"It's good for transit, and it's good for the sustainability of our city," he said. 

The plan got its origins in a number of public consultations held across the city which started in 2011.

Councillors will debate the report at a committee meeting next week.