Situated in the middle of Canada’s prairie region, Saskatoon is the largest city in the province of Saskatchewan. Saskatoon provides age-friendly options including safe neighbourhoods, housing, educational opportunities, accessible transit, buildings and services, and health and community services. The City’s population is 266,141 and it serves a rural population of approximately 40,000, including the R.M. of Corman Park.
In 2019, in an event at the Legislative Building in Regina, Saskatoon was recognized by the Saskatchewan Government as an Age-Friendly Community.
The community had completed four Age-Friendly milestones: establishing an Age-Friendly Committee, achieving local government support, assessing the community, and implementing an action plan to achieve this honour.
The photo below was taken at that time.
Back row, L to R: Murray Scharf, Paul Benson, Fred Sutter ~ Front Row, L to R: Forough Yazdani, Minister Warren Kaeding, Mercedes Montgomery, Elliot Paus Jenssen, June Gawdun, Robert Wuschenny, Randy Dove, Jim Wasilenko
Age-Friendly Community Development Committee members Jane McPhee and Shan Landry presented the findings of the “Beyond the Pandemic” research at the Saskatoon Council on Aging Annual General Meeting May 30, 2023.
Erin Yakiwchuk [Chair]
Stryker Calvez
Catharine Arnold
Jane McPhee
Shan Landry
Sharon Siuksteris
Elliot PausJenssen
Kalli Youngstrom
June Gawdun
Virginia Dakiniewich
2009
Terms of Reference: click for PDF
Resolution/Motion of Municipal Government Support not available.
November 28, 2016 Letter of Support from Mayor Charlie Clark: click here for PDF
The initial Action Plan, including recommendations, implementation activities, outcomes and impact can be found on pages 24 to 38 of the Implementation and Evaluation Report linked here.
Outdoor Spaces and Buildings: Development of an age-friendly lens that is used to encourage organizations to become age-friendly. View the Age-Friendly Lens document at this link.
Transportation: VIDEO with City Transit (learn how to serve older adults and show older adults how to use City Transit). View the video on the City of Saskatoon Facebook page, linked here.
Housing: Building Respectful Inclusive Communities (training for older adults in congregate living how to combat bullying). Access the Training ToolKit here.
Social Participation: SCOA programs such as Globe Walk, Seniors Tech Buddy, Seniors Neighborhood Hub Clubs and Century Club.
Respect and Social Inclusion: Development of an Age-friendly lens that is used to encourage organizations to become age-friendly. See the Age-Friendly Lens document here.
Civic Participation and Employment: Development of a Community Police and Fire Academy for older adults. See the article linked here.
Communication and Information: The “Remembering When” project with Saskatoon Fire (volunteers will visit you in your home to educate about fire safety). View information about this project here.
Community Support and Health Services: Development of a Community Police and Fire Academy for older adults.
Updated May 2025:
Respect and Social Inclusion:
Confronting Ageism: It Starts With You
Partnering with local art galleries and arts and cultural organizations in the community, SCOA will continue to develop and expand on the student artwork project portraying thoughts and feelings about aging and growing older.
Social Participation:
Using a grant from the New Horizons for Seniors program, a series of 10 two-hour modules/workshops were held throughout 2024. This project fits in many domains. They are listed on the Domains pages thus. Topics are
Transportation:
Mature Driver Refresher Course
In partnership with Saskatoon and District Safety Council, SCOA hosted three 55 Alive Mature Driver workshops in winter and spring of 2025. The 55 Alive Driver Refresher Course is designed to help Canadians 55 years plus to maintain their independence and their driving privileges.
Saskatoon Transit and SCOA maintain an ongoing partnership to support older adults to use the transit system safely and effectively.
Housing:
Support for Housing and Reduction of Homelessness
In February 2025, the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) was awarded funding for the 2025-2026 fiscal year for Bridging Housing and Support Systems to Reduce Homelessness and Hospital Readmission in Saskatchewan’s Aging Population. The funding was made possible via Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) and Reaching Home, Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
The initiative will promote housing stability and holistic well-being for older adults by connecting them to safe housing, essential supports, and healthcare services. The project has three main goals: to prevent homelessness of older adults through housing placement, prevention and shelter diversion and client support services. The project will provide services to older adults in transition who need housing navigation and support to connect to community resources. In the initial pilot phase, this program will be prioritizing older adults currently hospitalized who require appropriate housing arrangements upon discharge. Two Housing and Support staff with proven knowledge, skills and experience in providing support and advocacy to marginalized and vulnerable older adults, have been hired to coordinate the project.
Civic Participation and Employment:
Election Town Halls
Provincial Election Town Hall
In September 2024, the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) and the Saskatoon and Area Branch of the National Association of Federal Retirees (NAFR), partnered to host a non-partisan all-parties Town Hall. The event focused on topics most important to older adults in Saskatchewan and their families, including combatting ageism, creating age-friendly communities, and ensuring long-term care facilities meet the needs of seniors and their families. These areas aligned with the United Nations Declaration of 2021 – 2030 as the decade for healthy aging, with four action areas of focus.
The Town Hall took place Monday, September 16, 2024, at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon. Ken Pontikes, former Deputy Minister, Municipal Affairs; Culture, Youth & Recreation, Government of Saskatchewan and former director at City of Saskatoon, moderated the Town Hall.
Speakers from Saskatchewan’s seven registered provincial political parties were invited to attend the forum to respond to the issues and programs that have direct implications on the quality of life for Saskatchewan’s older adults. Each of the political parties in attendance had five minutes for opening comments followed by a moderated question and answer period. They provided perspectives on the role our provincial government can play in meeting the needs of Saskatchewan’s seniors.
Mayoral Forum – Municipal Election Town Hall
On October 21, 2024, the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) hosted a Mayoral Forum at the Western Development Museum, Saskatoon. The forum focused on issues of concern to older adults and their families. All of Saskatoon’s mayoral candidates were invited to attend. The intent was to learn more about the candidates’ views on the age-friendly community initiative in Saskatoon. Ken Pontikes, former Director of Planning and Development for the City of Saskatoon and former Deputy Minister of Municipal Government in Saskatchewan, was the moderator for the event. During a short break, audience members were invited to submit written questions which were organized and presented to the candidates.
Communication and Information:
Older Adult Law Hub
In April 2025, the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) was awarded a Legacy Grant from the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan for a project entitled Older Adult Law Hub. The goal is to increase access to justice for older adults and their caregivers in Saskatoon and surrounding communities by connecting them with relevant legal information, education, and resources through a three-year program. Targeted demographics include Adults 55+, caregivers, and care recipients in Saskatoon, Martensville, Warman, and surrounding areas and Indigenous older adults, in collaboration with the Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. (CUMFI). Partnerships will include legal content from PLEA Saskatchewan and Canadian Bar Association (Elder Law Section), Indigenous outreach with CUMFI. And Academic collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan College of Law and Pro Bono Students Canada.
Community Support and Health Services:
Provincial Caregiver Strategy
The Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) recognizes a growing and urgent need for a comprehensive, coordinated provincial strategy to support caregivers and care recipients across Saskatchewan. Calls for assistance from rural caregivers highlight existing service gaps, underscoring the need for strategic partnerships and systemic alignment. SCOA is committed to enhancing, not duplicating, existing efforts by collaborating with key provincial initiatives and communities. Support for expansion of Caregiver Support and Information Centre is provided by a grant from Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence. (CCCE)
SCOA aims to be a catalyst for a unified provincial caregiver strategy by aligning with existing initiatives, contributing specialized tools and resources, and ensuring caregivers and their recipients receive the support they need. These efforts are designed to empower individuals to remain in their homes and communities, while fostering collaboration, advocacy, and impactful policy development across Saskatchewan and beyond.
Updated April 2023:
Respect and Social Inclusion:
Confronting Ageism: It Starts With You ~ With funding received from New Horizons, Government of Canada, a public awareness campaign was developed and implemented commencing in summer 2023 and completed in March 2024. Targeting [18 to 55 age range] including Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z, the public education campaign raised awareness of ageism, its harmful effects, and offered positive alternatives to negative stereotyping. Using digital and social media, the goal of the campaign was to influence existing or developing attitudes towards older adults and growing older. A volunteer working group of older adults developed and implemented the campaign. The campaign consisted of four phases: Recognizing Ageism, Harmful Impacts of Ageism, What You Can Do to Confront Ageism and Working towards a Positive Vision of Aging.
The ageism campaign encompassed two streams: an awareness campaign using three social media platforms and a student artwork project. Through collaboration with a local high school, we worked with three art classes who participated in an interactive discussion on ageism and then used their personal experiences and understandings to create a work of art highlighting a component from each of the project phases. The students provided permission for the artwork to be shared across social media campaigns, and provided statements explaining their work. This provided a unique, direct opportunity to explore intergenerational relationships and ageism which can be directed at individuals of any age. Through the spread of messaging we believe we were able to enhance awareness about aging and older adults among younger groups of people and enhance intergenerational cooperation and understanding.
Social Participation:
Updated October 2023:
Using a grant from the New Horizons for Seniors program, they have developed a series of 10 two-hour modules/workshops to be held over the course of the next several months. This project fits in many domains. They are listed on the Domains pages thus. Topics are
Outdoor Spaces and Buildings:
Transportation:
Housing:
Social Participation:
Respect and Social Inclusion:
Civic Participation and Employment:
Communication and Information:
Community Support and Health Services:
~ ~ ~
Outdoor Spaces and Buildings:
Transportation:
Housing:
Social Participation:
Respect and Social Inclusion:
Civic Participation and Employment:
Communication and Information:
Community Support and Health Services:
Click the titles below to access the resource.
Beyond the Pandemic White Paper
South Saskatchewan River, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
AF Saskatoon Contacts:
Candace Skrapek
Susan Mulligan
AF Saskatoon Committee Email:
On the Web:
Community Directory:
To access SCOA/Age-Friendly Saskatoon’s Community Directory (updated yearly) go to this link.