SaskatoonA Saskatoon city council committee has requested administration bring forward an updated policy on the use of public spaces, following a controversial concert that drew protests last month in Diefenbaker Park.Administration to look at updating requirements for who can use parks, facilitiesHalyna Mihalik · CBC News · Posted: Sep 10, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours agoSean Feucht held a concert in Diefenbaker Park on Aug. 21 that also attracted protests and calls for it to be cancelled. On Wednesday, Saskatoon’s governance and priorities committee is discussing the future of public park usage in the city. (Jeremy Warren/CBC)A Saskatoon city council committee has requested administration bring forward an updated policy on the use of public spaces, following a controversial concert that drew protests last month in Diefenbaker Park.The Sean Feucht concert in August attracted protests against the U.S. Christian singer, who is known for his affiliation with the MAGA, or “Make America Great Again” movement, and anti-2SLGBTQIA+ speech.That concert and calls from protesters for the city to cancel it prompted Mayor Cynthia Block to put forward a motion to review the policy.”How much did this cost us?” Block said Wednesday. “To be able to manage a concert that was controversial, does that have a role to play in how we consider permitting in the future?”She referred to other cities that have bylaws in place that address similar events. Communities in Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec cancelled Feucht’s Canadian tour stops due to safety concerns.Block’s motion, which was passed unanimously by the governance and priorities committee, asked the administration to create a report “outlining possible options to update the language and enhance the requirements for who can use public spaces and recreation facilities.”Block said she hopes a number of considerations will be taken into account.””Whether it’s to do with reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion, our official community plan, our strategic plan, the declarations and partnerships that we have built in the city, how are we ensuring that our permitting in civic parks is respectful of that?” she said.A group of protesters gathered on Aug. 8 outside of Saskatoon city hall to voice their opposition to the concert by American Christian music performer Sean Feucht, which took place Aug. 21 in Saskatoon. (Aishwarya Dudha/CBC)Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker said amending the existing bylaw and potentially cancelling future events could result in lawsuits or legal fees. She said every outcome from amending the bylaw should be reflected in administration’s report.”What are the risks to the city if we take a certain path?” Parker asked during the meeting. “That’s just bringing those conversations to light and really putting them in report form and allowing the public to speak to it when that report comes back, if that’s what people want to do.”Saskatoon holds around 500 outdoor events every year in the city’s public spaces. Block said in her notice of motion that the recreation facilities and parks usage bylaw has not been reviewed “for a number of years.”Saskatoon’s bylaw currently states the city may allow the use of a park if “the use does not jeopardize public safety.” Wednesday’s committee agenda included 19 letters and comments residents sent to city council in response to Feucht’s concert, expressing concerns for public safety.One of the letters was from Saskatoon Pride’s board of directors. They referred to the concert as a “continued failure to engage with the concerns of the city’s most vulnerable citizens.”Sean Feucht’s Saskatoon concert went ahead on Aug. 21, attracting about 1,000 attendees, plus about 100 protesters. There was no indication from police that there were any arrests or charges laid in connection to the event or protest.WATCH | From August: Mayor addresses upcoming controversial concert: Mayor of Saskatoon addresses upcoming controversial concertSaskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block joined Saskatoon Morning and addressed the planned concert at Diefenbaker Park by controversial American singer Sean Feucht.ABOUT THE AUTHORHalyna Mihalik is a journalist and weather specialist for CBC Saskatchewan. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Regina. Halyna enjoys stories about advocacy, local politics and rural communities. Send Halyna news tips at halyna.mihalik@cbc.ca
Saskatoon to review policy on use of public spaces after controversial MAGA concert
