Saskatoon
Your city and your health are more connected than you think.
Saskatoon is undergoing major changes, from a rapidly expanding transit network to the development of our downtown, and vibrant pop-up plazas. How will these types of changes impact you and future generations? Are they making our city a happier and healthier place to be, and if so, for whom?
We’re looking for answers and we need your help. Your experiences in the city can provide valuable information to decision makers about how we should be designing great places for people in Saskatoon.
Ready to finish your surveys?
Recruitment is now closed! If you need to finish your questionnaires, follow the link to the Health or VERITAS questionnaire you received by email.
Why should I join?
- Choose from a selection of flexible and online participation options.
- Receive a $10 gift card for participating!
- Join a community of scientists, urban planners, public health experts, and engaged citizens with a common interest in designing healthier cities for all.
- Contribute to innovative research that will help Saskatoon and other cities make smart planning decisions to support population health for generations to come.
- By joining, you will automatically be entered to win prizes!
What will I do?
- Complete two online surveys. If you need help, or don’t have access to a computer, our team can assist you over the phone. Call us!
- (Optional)
Share travel and physical activity data through your mobile phone or other wearable device. This part is totally optional. There’s no data plan required, and if you don’t have a smartphone, we can equip you with a device. -
Be entered to win great prizes! You will automatically be entered into a draw to win Saskatoon Transit passes, a $100 VISA gift card, and more! You may opt out of the prizes by writing to saskatoon@teaminteract.ca.
- Keep in touch! There are waves of data collection every two years. New participants may join at any wave.
Questions?
Please contact Wendy Verity (INTERACT Saskatoon Project Coordinator) at saskatoon@teaminteract.ca.
Am I eligible?
Eligible participants are:
- Aged 18 or older
- Leave their home at least once a week
- Have no plans to move out of Saskatoon in the next two years
- Take the bus regularly OR live near a proposed BRT stop
The intervention
Saskatoon is investing $66M in a 22-km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system along three major roadways. Major route and schedule changes were implemented in 2018 and 019. A functional plan for the system was approved by City Council in April 2019, and construction is set to begin in Spring 2023.
In 2020, Council endorsed the Corridor Transformation Plan, which directs areas for future growth, based on four guiding principles, focused on Transit-Oriented Development, Land Use, Transit Villages and Public Realm Principles – focused on creating public streets and spaces that are visually appealing, safe, inviting, universally accessible and livable on a year-round basis.
Learn more about Saskatoon’s proposed transit network redesign.
The cohort
In 2018, INTERACT collected baseline data on 316 adults
residing within 800m of the proposed BRT lines or who
rode the bus regularly. In the fall of 2020, the team
followed up with 110 returning participants, and recruited
155 new participants to assess changes in physical activity,
social participation and well-being. The cohort are mainly
white (2018: 67%, 2020: 65%), composed of mainly
women (2018: 73%, 2020: 69%), with about 40% of
particpants reporting household incomes under $50k
(2018: 44%; 2020: 41%).
Insights from the data
%
have heard about the BRT corridors in Saskatoon
%
enjoy using public transit in Saskatoon
%
would be much more likely to take the bus if the bus ran every 10 minutes
Who uses the bus and why? What do they think about the service?
Who will benefit most from route changes?
How do people get to the bus? How far are they willing to walk?
How has COVID-19 impacted mobility in Saskatoon?
Questions?
Please contact the INTERACT Saskatoon Project Coordinator at 306 480 4459 or saskatoon@teaminteract.ca.