Saskatoon election: ‘Transit villages’ plan sparks debate over housing density [Video]

A city planning document for the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) sparked controversy over the weekend, with three civic election candidates alleging Confederation Mall was at risk of being demolished and replaced with dense housing.

Mayoral candidates Don Atchison and Cary Tarasoff, along with Ward 3 candidate Robert Pearce, took to social media on the weekend to bring up issues about the BRT plan, now dubbed LINQ.

The 2019 plan shows photos of the mall site, with large areas of property on surrounding land redeveloped for dense housing for 10,000 people and a new bus terminal.

The BRT plan also includes similar transit villages in University Heights at the corner of Attridge Drive and McDormand Drive, and at the Centre Mall.

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“It’s what is being proposed through The City of Saskatoon Transit Villages report. Now, that doesn’t …