Downtown & West Broadway Corridor Redevelopment Plan Update

Planning for the Next 10 Years

The City of Yorkton is updating the Downtown and West Broadway Corridor Redevelopment Plan to respond to changing land uses, redevelopment realities, and opportunities for reinvestment. This update will provide clear, practical direction to support decision-making, reinvestment, and incremental redevelopment downtown.

About the Project

Downtown Yorkton and the West Broadway Corridor are central to the city’s identity as a regional hub for commerce, services, culture, and employment.

The existing Redevelopment Plan, adopted in 2005, helped create streetscape improvements, zoning updates, and incentive programs that signaled the City’s commitment to revitalization. Two decades later, new conditions have emerged that call for a focused update.

This project will result in a concise, implementable plan that guides land use, zoning, and public realm improvements over the next 10 years.

What Is an Area Redevelopment Plan and Why is it Important?

An Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) is a non-statutory planning document that provides detailed direction for how a specific area of the city should change over time.

In Saskatchewan, municipalities are required by the Province to have an Official Community Plan, which sets the overall goals and policies for the entire city. The Downtown Plan is a non-statutory study that provides strategic guidance for future change specifically in the downtown area and corridor. While it does not carry statutory authority on its own, the plan will inform future updates to the Yorkton Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw, which may help guide infrastructure investments, capital planning, and budget decisions.

Because a Redevelopment Plan shapes how land can be used and how change occurs at the neighbourhood and corridor level, community input is especially important. Public and stakeholder input helps the plan reflect how the area actually functions and supports informed, consistent decision-making moving forward.

Why the Plan Is Being Updated

The update responds to on-the-ground changes that have occurred since 2005, including:

  • Continued vacancy and underutilization in parts of the plan area, particularly near the rail corridor
  • Growing interest in mixed-use residential and mixed-use industrial development
  • Heritage buildings that limits redevelopment flexibility
  • Parking challenges affecting businesses and customers
  • Shifts in retail patterns due to online commerce
  • Transitional areas experiencing pressure toward industrial uses

While downtown has strong assets, these challenges highlight the need for updated direction that reflects today’s market and community needs.

Project Goals

The updated plan will:

  • Review what worked, and what didn’t, in the 2005 plan
  • Identify appropriate land uses for downtown, corridor, and transition areas
  • Explore mixed-use zoning approaches
  • Reassess parking, landscaping, stormwater, design standards, and temporary structures
  • Examine opportunities for one-way streets and on-street parking
  • Recommend achievable improvements to sidewalks, lighting, signage, and branding
  • Align with existing City plans, policies, and strategies
  • Provide a clear implementation roadmap tied to realistic budgets, resourcing and capacity

The focus is on action and what can be done, not a lengthy visioning exercise.

Project Area

The project area currently includes Downtown Yorkton and the West Broadway Corridor, encompassing commercial areas, transition zones, rail-adjacent lands, and key connections to surrounding neighbourhoods.

Project Timeline

The work is organized into six phases, moving from background review through to adoption:

Get Involved

Help shape the future of Downtown and the West Broadway Corridor!

The City of Yorkton will be inviting residents, businesses, and property owners to share their ideas, experiences, and priorities. Opportunities to participate will be available online and in person throughout the project - stay tuned!

Planning for the Next 10 Years

The City of Yorkton is updating the Downtown and West Broadway Corridor Redevelopment Plan to respond to changing land uses, redevelopment realities, and opportunities for reinvestment. This update will provide clear, practical direction to support decision-making, reinvestment, and incremental redevelopment downtown.

About the Project

Downtown Yorkton and the West Broadway Corridor are central to the city’s identity as a regional hub for commerce, services, culture, and employment.

The existing Redevelopment Plan, adopted in 2005, helped create streetscape improvements, zoning updates, and incentive programs that signaled the City’s commitment to revitalization. Two decades later, new conditions have emerged that call for a focused update.

This project will result in a concise, implementable plan that guides land use, zoning, and public realm improvements over the next 10 years.

What Is an Area Redevelopment Plan and Why is it Important?

An Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) is a non-statutory planning document that provides detailed direction for how a specific area of the city should change over time.

In Saskatchewan, municipalities are required by the Province to have an Official Community Plan, which sets the overall goals and policies for the entire city. The Downtown Plan is a non-statutory study that provides strategic guidance for future change specifically in the downtown area and corridor. While it does not carry statutory authority on its own, the plan will inform future updates to the Yorkton Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw, which may help guide infrastructure investments, capital planning, and budget decisions.

Because a Redevelopment Plan shapes how land can be used and how change occurs at the neighbourhood and corridor level, community input is especially important. Public and stakeholder input helps the plan reflect how the area actually functions and supports informed, consistent decision-making moving forward.

Why the Plan Is Being Updated

The update responds to on-the-ground changes that have occurred since 2005, including:

  • Continued vacancy and underutilization in parts of the plan area, particularly near the rail corridor
  • Growing interest in mixed-use residential and mixed-use industrial development
  • Heritage buildings that limits redevelopment flexibility
  • Parking challenges affecting businesses and customers
  • Shifts in retail patterns due to online commerce
  • Transitional areas experiencing pressure toward industrial uses

While downtown has strong assets, these challenges highlight the need for updated direction that reflects today’s market and community needs.

Project Goals

The updated plan will:

  • Review what worked, and what didn’t, in the 2005 plan
  • Identify appropriate land uses for downtown, corridor, and transition areas
  • Explore mixed-use zoning approaches
  • Reassess parking, landscaping, stormwater, design standards, and temporary structures
  • Examine opportunities for one-way streets and on-street parking
  • Recommend achievable improvements to sidewalks, lighting, signage, and branding
  • Align with existing City plans, policies, and strategies
  • Provide a clear implementation roadmap tied to realistic budgets, resourcing and capacity

The focus is on action and what can be done, not a lengthy visioning exercise.

Project Area

The project area currently includes Downtown Yorkton and the West Broadway Corridor, encompassing commercial areas, transition zones, rail-adjacent lands, and key connections to surrounding neighbourhoods.

Project Timeline

The work is organized into six phases, moving from background review through to adoption:

Get Involved

Help shape the future of Downtown and the West Broadway Corridor!

The City of Yorkton will be inviting residents, businesses, and property owners to share their ideas, experiences, and priorities. Opportunities to participate will be available online and in person throughout the project - stay tuned!