Saskatoon Long Grass Rules Explained: Bylaw 8175, the 20 cm Limit and What a Ticket Costs

In Saskatoon, grass and weeds can't grow past 20 cm (about 8 inches). That's section 8 of Bylaw No. 8175, the Property Maintenance and Nuisance Abatement Bylaw. It applies to owners and occupants of every kind of property. A first ticket is 250 dollars, or 200 dollars if you pay within 14 days. The City can also order a cleanup and add the cost to your taxes.

What does the Saskatoon long grass bylaw say?

The rule is short. Section 8 of Bylaw 8175 says no owner or occupant may let their land get overgrown with grass or weeds. "Overgrown" means taller than 20 centimetres.

The bylaw also lists overgrown land as a "nuisance." It sits in the same group as junked vehicles and piles of garbage. The City's weed control page repeats the 20 cm limit in plain words.

A few details matter here:

• Owners and occupants: a tenant can be on the hook, not just the landlord.
• All property types: the City says it applies to homes, businesses and industrial land.
• Vacant lots count: the City's Good Neighbour Guide names them on purpose.
• Grass and weeds: the limit is the same for both.

Other cities set their own limits. Our guide to long grass bylaws in Canada compares more cities.

Do you have to mow the boulevard and back lane in Saskatoon?

The City expects you to. Its Good Neighbour Guide says you're responsible for caring for your yard, adjacent boulevards, sidewalks and the back lane. It asks you to keep the lane free of overgrown grass, weeds and junk.

The City's own crews won't do it for you. Its park maintenance page says front boulevards, alleys and back lanes are not mowed. City crews do mow ditches, centre medians and other right-of-ways a few times a season. The strip in front of your house is yours.

Back lanes are where long grass hides. You see the front yard every day. The lane side of the garage, the fence line and the corner by the bins can go weeks without a look. Walk it every time you mow the front.

Are natural gardens exempt from the 20 cm limit?

Yes, if they're planted on purpose. Section 8(3) says the rule doesn't cover a natural garden planted to make ground cover. That can be wildflowers, shrubs, perennials or grasses, native or not.

The key words are "deliberately planted" and "managed." A bed of prairie flowers with clear edges counts. A lawn you stopped mowing in July doesn't. If you have a natural garden, keep a clean mowed edge around it. That shows a neighbour, and an inspector, that it's planned.

What about weeds?

The City names dandelions, foxtail barley, meadow goat's beard, Russian thistle and quack grass as common nuisance weeds in Saskatoon. Weeds count toward the same 20 cm limit as grass. The province's Weed Control Act, 2010 also lets cities require control of certain weeds.

Our partner crews don't spray, and we don't give advice on weed killers or other chemicals.

What happens if your grass is too long in Saskatoon?

Saskatoon is a little different from most cities. Enforcement belongs to the Fire Chief, who hands it to municipal inspectors. So the person who checks your yard works under the Saskatoon Fire Department.

Here's what the bylaw lets the City do:

1. Inspect. An inspector can check your property to see if it meets the bylaw.
2. Ticket. An inspector can hand you a notice of violation for overgrown grass.
3. Order. An inspector can give a written order to fix the problem.
4. Register it. The City can register the order against the title to your land.
5. Do the work. The City can take whatever steps it needs to fix it.
6. Bill you. Unpaid costs can go on your property taxes, or the City can sue to collect.

That title step is worth noticing. An order on title is not something you want to explain when you sell or refinance. Keeping the grass short is much easier.

Can you appeal an order?

Yes. The bylaw says you can appeal an order to the Saskatoon Appeal Board. The steps follow The Cities Act and the Board's own bylaw. Ask the City how to start an appeal as soon as you get the order.

How much is the fine for long grass in Saskatoon?

Section 61.2 sets the amounts on a notice of violation. They climb fast.

Ticket for overgrown grass	Amount
First	250 dollars (200 dollars if paid within 14 calendar days)
Second	1,000 dollars
Third	2,000 dollars

If you pay before your court date, you won't be prosecuted for that offence. A fourth ticket can't be settled this way.

Ignoring an order is a separate offence. If it goes to court, the minimum fine is 500 dollars the first time, 750 the second and 1,000 after that. A court can fine a person up to 10,000 dollars.

How do you report long grass in Saskatoon?

Call the Safety and Property Maintenance Hotline at 306-975-2828. The City's weed control page also has an online bylaw concern form. Pick "property maintenance" when you fill it in.

Before you report, it can help to talk to your neighbour. A short chat often fixes a long lawn faster than a ticket.

When does Saskatoon grass grow past 20 cm?

Mostly in late spring and early summer. At Saskatoon's airport, the average last spring frost is May 21. June is the wettest month, with 65.8 mm of rain on average. Warm days plus June rain make grass jump. Miss two or three weekly cuts then, and the back corners can pass 8 inches.

The season is short. The average first fall frost is September 15, so the frost-free stretch is only about 117 days. By early October, growth has slowed a lot. Our guide to fall cleanup timing on the Prairies covers what to do now.

Why can't you fix a long lawn in one cut?

Iowa State University's extension service says never take off more than one third of the grass blade at once. A lawn at 20 cm can only come down to about 13 cm in one pass. It takes two or three cuts, a few days apart, to get it back to normal. That's why staying ahead beats catching up.

How do you stay under the limit all season?

The City's lawn guide says to keep grass 5 to 9 cm (2 to 4 inches) tall. Taller lawns handle stress better. At that height, you're nowhere near 20 cm.

• Mow on a set day each week from late May into September.
• Cut when the grass is dry, as the City's guide suggests.
• Mow the front boulevard every time you mow the lawn.
• Walk the back lane and trim along the fence and garage.
• Leave clippings on the lawn. The City calls it grasscycling.
• Put extra yard waste loose in your green cart, with no plastic bags.
• Line up a backup before summer trips.

Fence lines, lane edges and the curb strip are where complaints start. The middle of a lawn can look fine while the edges run long. Good trimming and edging keeps the parts people see from the street and lane tidy.

In fall, the City's guide says to mow dry leaves into the lawn, which breaks them into dime-sized bits. Don't push leaves onto the street. The Good Neighbour Guide asks you not to. Our Saskatoon yard waste guide covers the green cart and the Compost Depot.

For local soil, watering and neighbourhood notes, see our Saskatoon lawn care page. For other cities in the province, visit our Saskatchewan lawn care page.

Can someone keep your lawn, boulevard and lane under the limit?

Yes. Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local crew in Saskatoon. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.

Your crew handles weekly lawn mowing, plus trimming and edging. Tell them to include the boulevard and the back lane strip. You keep the same crew every visit, and they text you a photo after every cut. That helps if you own a rental or spend summer at the lake.

If your crew misses your scheduled window, that cut is free. Not happy with a cut? Text us a photo within 24 hours, and your crew re-cuts it free within 48 hours. You pay for the season up front and can pause by text for trips. Book the Worry-Free Lawn Season and your first cut is free.

We measure your lawn from satellite images, so nobody needs to visit. Your price comes by text in 60 minutes. It depends on lawn size, how often you mow, slopes, gates, lane access and obstacles like gardens and play sets.

Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.

Saskatoon Long Grass Bylaw Questions

Rules change, so check with the City before you plan. Sources: Saskatoon Bylaw 8175, Saskatoon weed control, Property Maintenance Complaints, Saskatoon's Good Neighbour Guide, Park Maintenance, City lawn guide, Green cart, Saskatoon airport climate normals, Iowa State University Extension.