River Landing spa hotel and site Access to Information request and response - June 6, 2006

Despite the filing of numerous Freedom of Information (FOI) requests the City of Saskatoon, the Government of Saskatchewan and the Government of Canada have denied the public access to hundreds of pages of River Landing related documents since 2004.

The provincial departments involved are Government Relations and Culture, Youth and Recreation. The Meewasin Valley Authority, which is a provincial responsibility, is also affected since it too has denied access to many records.

The federal departments concerned are Western Economic Diversification Canada, Infrastructure Canada, Canadian Heritage and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

One FOI request made to the City of Saskatoon on May 1, 2006 was for all documents and records between June 1, 2004, and December 12, 2005, regarding the proposed spa hotel and site (Parcel “Y”) within River Landing Phase I – with the exception of those records that had been tabled at a public meeting of city council.

In its June 6, 2006, response the city – citing various sections of The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act – listed 81 documents that it was not willing to release. This decision has since been appealed to the Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner for review.

The following are descriptions of the River Landing spa hotel and site records that the City of Saskatoon has chosen to withhold from the public under this particular request:

1. Memo dated November 5, 2004 to Special Projects Manager from City Solicitor’s Office enclosing draft copies of the Realtor Services Agreement.

2. Memo dated October 29, 2004 to Special Projects Manager from City Solicitor’s Office enclosing draft contract wording for Realtor Services Agreement.

3. Memo dated October 25, 2004 to Special Projects Manager from City Solicitor’s Office enclosing draft Realtor Service Agreement.

4. Memo dated October 22, 2004 to Communications Manager from City Solicitor’s Office enclosing draft Realtor Service Agreement.

5. Results of reference check of Colliers McClocklin.

6. E-mail dated October 24, 2004 from Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces Consulting Ltd., to City Solicitor’s Office commenting on draft realtor contract.

7. Memo dated October 20, 2004 from Communications Manager to City Solicitor’s Office regarding national realtor contract.

8. E-mail dated October 3, 2004 from Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces Consulting Ltd., to City Manager, City Solicitor and Communications Manager regarding the establishment of realtor call selection criteria.

9. E-mail dated October 18, 2004 from Communications Manager to City Solicitor regarding realtor contract.

10. Memo dated October 19, 2004 from Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces Consulting Ltd., to City Solicitor’s Office, City Manager and Communications Manager regarding realtor scope of work.

11. E-mail dated October 18, 2004 from Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces Consulting Ltd., to Communications Manager, City Manager and City Solicitor regarding realtor contract.

12. Draft Realtor Services Agreement

13. E-mail dated October 18, 2004 from City Solicitor to Communications Manager regarding realtor contract.

14. E-mail dated October 3, 2004 from Gwyn Symmons to City Manager, City Solicitor and Communications Manager regarding realtor call selection criteria.

15. Memo dated August 30, 2004 from City Solicitor’s Office to Special Projects Manager enclosing draft Call for Expression of Interest.

16. E-mail dated August 25, 2004 from Special Projects Manager to City Manager, Communications Manager and City Solicitor regarding draft of call for realtors.

17. E-mail dated August 20, 2004 from Gwyn Symmons to Special Projects Manager regarding the call for realtor expressions of interest.

18. E-mail dated August 5, 2004 from City Solicitor to Special Projects Manager regarding preparation for a meeting of Meewasin Valley Authority.

19. Memo dated July 22, 2004 from City Solicitor to Mayor and Council regarding hotel site and realtor.

20. E-mail dated January 10, 2005 from Communications Manager to Gwyn Symmons regarding hotel site.

21. Letter dated December 5, 2005 from City Solicitor to Remai Ventures Inc. with revised draft of Sale Agreement.

22. Letter dated November 9, 2005 from City Solicitor to Leland Kimpinski, Barrister and Solicitor, regarding proposed hotel spa development.

23. Letter dated October 20, 2005 from Special Projects Manager to P.R. Developments regarding proposed hotel spa development.

24. Letter dated September 12, 2005 from Remai Ventures Inc. to Special Projects Manager regarding hotel and spa development.

25. Memo dated July 13, 2005 from City Solicitor to Special Projects Manager regarding hotel site.

26. Letter dated June 8, 2005 from Saunders Evans Architects Inc. to the Community Services Department providing information regarding their review of the proposal for the hotel and spa submitted by Remai Ventures.

27. Notes, dated June 9, 2005, from meeting of representatives from Community Services and Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces Consulting, with Cohos Evamy, a consultant, regarding proposed hotel/spa development.

28. E-mail dated July 11, 2005 from City Clerk to Councillors, Senior Management and other administrative staff regarding special Council meeting.

29. E-mail dated January 27, 2005 from Colliers McClocklin to Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces, regarding River Landing.

30. E-mail dated February 2, 2005 from Colliers McClocklin to Special Projects Manager regarding bidder for hotel site.

31. E-mail dated February 1, 2005 from Colliers McClocklin to Special Projects Manager regarding bidder for hotel site.

32. E-mail dated November 30, 2005 from City Solicitor to members of City Council regarding Remai Ventures proposal.

33. E-mail dated September 19, 2005 from City Solicitor to Randy Rooke, Q.C. regarding Remai.

34. E-mail dated May 30, 2005 from City Solicitor’s Office to Special Projects Manager regarding Remai Ventures proposal.

35. E-mail dated May 27, 2005 from City Solicitor’s Office to Special Projects Manager regarding Remai Ventures proposal.

36. Memo dated March 4, 2005 from City Solicitor to Special Projects Manager regarding hotel site RFP.

37. E-mail dated February 24, 2005 from City Solicitor to Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces, City Manager and Special Projects Manager regarding the hotel site RFP.

38. E-mail dated February 24, 2005 from City Solicitor to Special Projects Manager regarding draft report to Council on EOI.

39. E-mail dated November 2, 2004 from City Solicitor’s Office to Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces, regarding draft EOI proposal.

40. Letter dated October 5, 2004 from City Solicitor to Randall Rooke, Q.C., McDougall Gauley, regarding sale of hotel site.

41. Memo dated October 4, 2004 from City Solicitor to Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces Consulting, regarding hotel site EOI/RFP.

42. Letter dated September 28, 2004 from McDougall Gauley to City Solicitor regarding hotel site.

43. EOI submissions for hotel/spa.

44. Report dated December 1, 2005 from City Solicitor to Executive Committee (In Camera) regarding Remai Ventures proposal.

45. Letter dated November 23, 2005 from City Clerk to Mayor advising of decision made at in camera meeting of Executive Committee regarding proposed spa hotel.

46. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on November 21, 2005 regarding proposed spa hotel.

47. Letter dated November 21, 2005 from Remai Ventures regarding negotiations for proposed spa hotel.

48. Memo dated November 15, 2005 from City Clerk to City Solicitor providing instructions from in camera meeting of Executive Committee regarding proposed spa hotel.

49. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on November 7, 2005 regarding proposed spa hotel.

50. Report of City Solicitor dated November 1, 2005, to in camera Executive Committee, regarding proposed spa hotel.

51. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting on Executive Committee held on October 17, 2005, regarding proposed hotel/spa.

52. Memo dated August 25, 2005 from Acting City Clerk to Special Projects Manager, providing instructions from in camera Executive Committee meeting regarding proposed hotel/spa.

53. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on August 17, 2005 regarding proposed hotel/spa.

54. Report of the City Manager dated July 13, 2005, to in camera Executive Committee, regarding proposed hotel/spa.

55. E-mail dated July 22, 2005 from Communications Manager to Council Members and Senior Administration regarding special meeting of City Council relating to Remai Ventures proposal.

56. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on July 20, 2005 regarding hotel/spa proposal.

57. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on June 20, 2005 regarding hotel/spa proposal.

58. Report of City Manager dated June 15, 2005, submitted to in camera Executive Committee, regarding evaluation of hotel/spa proposal.

59. Memo dated March 2, 2005 from City Clerk to City Manager, providing instructions of Executive Committee from in camera meeting regarding EOI submissions.

60. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on February 28, 2005 regarding EOI submission.

61. Memo dated March 2, 2005 from the City Clerk to the City Manager, providing instructions of Executive Committee from in camera meeting regarding RFPs.

62. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on February 28, 2005 regarding RFPs.

63. Report of City Manager dated February 24, 2005, submitted to in camera meeting of Executive Committee, regarding RFPs.

64. Report of City Manager dated February 24, 2005 to in camera Executive Committee, regarding EOI submissions.

65. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on November 8, 2004 regarding proposed spa hotel.

66. Report of City Solicitor dated November 3, 2004 to in camera Executive Committee regarding proposed spa hotel.

67. Memo dated October 18, 2004 from City Clerk to City Manager, providing instructions from in camera Executive Committee meeting regarding EOI process and RFP process.

68. Memo dated October 18, 2004 from City Clerk to City Manager, providing instructions from in camera Executive Committee meeting regarding expressions of interest for realtor.

69. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on October 15, 2004 regarding EOI and RFP Processes.

70. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on October 15, 2004 regarding expressions of interest for realtor.

71. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on October 15, 2004, regarding development of hotel site.

72. Report of City Solicitor dated October 12, 2004, to in camera Executive Committee, regarding sale of hotel site.

73. Report of City Manager dated October 12, 2004 to in camera meeting of Executive Committee regarding EOI and RFP Processes.

74. Report of the City Solicitor dated October 5, 2004, to in camera Executive Committee, regarding Hotel Site EOI/RFP.

75. Memo dated August 10, 2004 from the City Clerk to the City Manager, forwarding instructions of in camera Executive Committee meeting regarding selection process.

76. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on August 6, 2004 regarding hotel site development.

77. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on July 21, 2004 regarding marketing of hotel site.

78. Excerpt from minutes of in camera meeting of Executive Committee held on July 21, 2004 regarding south downtown concept plan.

79. Memo dated July 20, 2004 from Gwyn Symmons, CitySpaces, to City Solicitor, regarding the hotel site.

80. E-mail correspondence dated July 19, 2004 between Mayor and Special Projects Manager regarding south downtown concept plan.

81. Report of City Solicitor dated July14, 2004, submitted to in camera Executive Committee, regarding marketing of hotel site.