Contaminated sites could present problems for some proposed bus rapid transit stations in Saskatoon.

The city has completed soil assessments at several sites along the expected red line corridor, as part of its brownfield renewal strategy. The route runs along 22nd Street on the west and 8th Street on the east. Test results won’t be available until later this month.

“There’s a variety of locations along the corridor and many of the proposed station locations,” said Lesley Anderson, the director of planning and development with the city. “We’re just doing this really as part of our due diligence, as the proposal will have to go through an environmental testing and environmental assessment.”

But Mayor Charlie Clark said contaminated sites, like old gas stations, could be problematic for the city’s transit plans.

“We have a lot of gas stations that have been abandoned, left there and the owners are just sitting on them and not allowing them to be sold or redeveloped,” said Clark.

In a news conference Tuesday, Clark said this is an issue right across the country, and the city is pressuring both provincial and federal governments to put stricter rules in place so contaminated sites get cleaned up, can be redeveloped and don’t become a liability for the city.

“We frankly don’t feel the taxpayers of Saskatoon should have to pay to clean up contaminated sites where somebody was operating a gas station or a fuel distribution site for many years, generating a profit off of it, and then leaving it as just a barren and wasted piece of land.”

The brownfield renewal strategy along with other major city projects will be up for discussion at city-wide open house Wednesday night at the Western Development Museum from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.