Cynthia Block

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| caption =

| name = Cynthia Block

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| residence =

| office = Mayor of Saskatoon

| term_start = November 20, 2024

| term_end =

| office1 = Saskatoon City Councillor for Ward 6

| constituency1 = Ward 6

| term_start1 = 2016

| term_end1 = 2024

| predecessor1 = Charlie Clark

| successor1 = Jasmin Parker

| profession = Journalism

| occupation = News anchor

| succeeded = Charlie Clark

| order =

}}

Cynthia Marie Block is a Canadian politician and the current mayor of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Block was elected in the 2024 Saskatchewan municipal elections and is the city's 29th mayor. Block is the first woman to be elected mayor of Saskatoon.

Before politics

Block was raised in rural Saskatchewan, near Blackstrap Lake.{{Cite news |last=Tank |first=Phil |date=2024-11-06 |title=Block feels some comments demeaning in Saskatoon mayoral race |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/columnists/tank-block-feels-some-comments-demeaning-in-saskatoon-mayoral-race |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114210559/https://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/columnists/tank-block-feels-some-comments-demeaning-in-saskatoon-mayoral-race |archive-date=2024-11-14 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Saskatoon StarPhoenix}} Block's father served as reeve of the local rural municipality.{{Cite news |last=Sorokan |first=Keenan |date=2024-11-06 |title=Meet Saskatoon mayoral candidate: Cynthia Block |url=https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/meet-saskatoon-mayoral-candidate-cynthia-block-1.7099657 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109072335/https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/meet-saskatoon-mayoral-candidate-cynthia-block-1.7099657 |archive-date=2024-11-09 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=CTV News |location=Saskatoon}} Prior to entering politics, Block worked as a journalist and a news anchor for CTV News Saskatoon.{{Cite news |last=Benson |first=Andrew |date=2024-11-08 |title=Here are your Saskatoon mayoral candidates |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10861219/saskatoon-mayoral-candidates/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109015027/https://globalnews.ca/news/10861219/saskatoon-mayoral-candidates/ |archive-date=2024-11-09 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Global News}}

Political career

Block's first political bid came in the 2015 federal election, when she stood for the Liberal Party in the riding of Saskatoon—University. During the campaign, she spoke to the need for more collaborative relationships between governments at the federal and provincial levels.{{Cite news |last=Hill |first=Andrea |date=2015-09-19 |title=Saskatoon-University candidates spar in first debate |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/saskatoon-university-candidates-spar-in-first-debate |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303140120/https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/saskatoon-university-candidates-spar-in-first-debate |archive-date=2017-03-03 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Saskatoon StarPhoenix}} Block finished third in the race.{{Cite news |last=Giles |first=David |date=2015-10-19 |title=CPC's Brad Trost wins in Saskatoon-University |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/2286607/cpcs-brad-trost-wins-in-saskatoon-university/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020230117/https://globalnews.ca/news/2286607/cpcs-brad-trost-wins-in-saskatoon-university/ |archive-date=2015-10-20 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Global News}}

= Saskatoon City Council =

Block was first elected to Saskatoon City Council for Ward 6 in the 2016 municipal election, replacing former councillor Charlie Clark, who vacated the seat as part of a successful bid for mayor. Block was re-elected for Ward 6 in the 2020 municipal election.{{cite news |last=Modjeski |first=Morgan |date=2020-11-13 |title=Charlie Clark re-elected as mayor of Saskatoon |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/polls-closed-election-2020-clark-1.5802041 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114103453/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/polls-closed-election-2020-clark-1.5802041 |archive-date=2020-11-14 |access-date=2020-11-14 |work=CBC News}}

Clark, who served two terms as mayor, announced in January 2024 that he would not be seeking a third term.{{Cite news |last=Levy |first=Bryn |date=2024-01-24 |title='Time for a new chapter': Mayor Charlie Clark won't seek reelection |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/time-for-a-new-chapter-charlie-clark-wont-seek-reelection-as-saskatoon-mayor |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125065013/https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/time-for-a-new-chapter-charlie-clark-wont-seek-reelection-as-saskatoon-mayor |archive-date=2024-01-25 |access-date=2024-01-25 |work=Saskatoon StarPhoenix}} After eight years on city council, Block launched a bid in June 2024 to succeed Clark as mayor.{{Cite news |last=Levy |first=Bryn |date=2024-06-10 |title=Cynthia Block launches Saskatoon mayoral campaign |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/cynthia-block-launches-saskatoon-mayoral-campaign |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612010756/https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/cynthia-block-launches-saskatoon-mayoral-campaign |archive-date=2024-06-12 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Saskatoon StarPhoenix}} Block was joined in the race by former city councillor and provincial cabinet minister Gordon Wyant, former four-term mayor Don Atchison, former mayoral challenger Cary Tarasoff, and newcomer Mike Harder. Block campaigned on issues she supported as a councillor, such as increasing density in urban development, including through zoning changes and improved public transit, and revitalizing the downtown core of the city. In addition, she argued for the need for Canadian municipalities to partner together and create more "economies of scale" to combat inflationary pressure, including through working directly with the federal government.

= Mayor of Saskatoon =

Block was elected mayor on November 13, 2024, receiving approximately 45% of the vote city-wide.{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Jeremy |date=2024-11-13 |title=Cynthia Block elected as Saskatoon's next mayor |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-votes-2024-cynthia-block-new-mayor-1.7382829 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114140520/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-votes-2024-cynthia-block-new-mayor-1.7382829 |archive-date=2024-11-14 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=CBC News}} The victory made Block the first woman to be elected mayor in Saskatoon's history.{{Cite news |last=Langager |first=Brody |date=2024-11-13 |title=Cynthia Block makes history as city's first female mayor |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/mayor-live-results-saskatoon-elxn-2024-election |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114140703/https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/mayor-live-results-saskatoon-elxn-2024-election |archive-date=2024-11-14 |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=Saskatoon StarPhoenix}} Block was inaugurated along with the new city council on November 20, 2024.{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Alex |date=2024-11-21 |title=New Kids On The Block: Saskatoon’s new mayor, council sworn in at city hall |url=https://www.ckom.com/2024/11/21/new-kids-on-the-block-saskatoons-new-mayor-council-sworn-in-at-city-hall/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241121172617/https://www.ckom.com/2024/11/21/new-kids-on-the-block-saskatoons-new-mayor-council-sworn-in-at-city-hall/ |archive-date=2024-11-21 |access-date=2024-11-21 |work=CKOM}}

In December 2024, Block led the new council in reducing a proposed property tax increase in the 2025 budget from nearly 6% to below 5%.{{Cite news |last=Holowaychuk |first=Mia |date=2024-12-03 |title=Saskatoon approves city budget, trims property tax hike to 4.96 per cent |url=https://www.ckom.com/2024/12/03/saskatoon-approves-city-budget-trims-property-tax-hike-to-4-96-per-cent/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102165716/https://www.ckom.com/2024/12/03/saskatoon-approves-city-budget-trims-property-tax-hike-to-4-96-per-cent/ |archive-date=2025-01-02 |access-date=2025-01-02 |work=CKOM}} Council also approved an encampment and emergency shelter plan that made millions of dollars in federal funding available to help address homelessness.{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Jeremy |date=2024-12-12 |title=Saskatoon city council approves encampment plan to unlock $4.5M in federal funding |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-city-council-community-encampment-plan-funding-1.7407560 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213150323/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-city-council-community-encampment-plan-funding-1.7407560 |archive-date=2024-12-13 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=CBC News}} Heading into 2025, Block identified homelessness as one of the city's top priorities—citing a need to work more closely with other levels of government and committing to the rolling out of a task force on the issue—along with completing the modernization of the city's transit system.{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Jeremy |date=2024-12-29 |title=Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block outlines vision for her 1st term |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-mayor-cynthia-block-year-end-interview-1.7419299 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102165014/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-mayor-cynthia-block-year-end-interview-1.7419299 |archive-date=2025-01-02 |access-date=2025-01-02 |work=CBC News}}{{Cite news |last=Langager |first=Brody |date=2025-01-02 |title=Homelessness 'unprecedented in our city,' says Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/homelessness-unprecedented-in-our-city-says-saskatoon-mayor-cynthia-block |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102164703/https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/homelessness-unprecedented-in-our-city-says-saskatoon-mayor-cynthia-block |archive-date=2025-01-02 |access-date=2025-01-02 |work=Saskatoon StarPhoenix}}

Electoral results

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
style="background-color:#00594E" \|+ 2024 Saskatoon mayoral election{{Cite web \|title=Saskatoon Civic Election Results 2024 \|url=https://electionresults.saskatoon.ca/ \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241117043125/https://electionresults.saskatoon.ca/ \|archive-date=2024-11-17 \|access-date=2024-11-14 \|website=City of Saskatoon}}
scope="col" style="background:#ddf; width:150px;"\|Candidate ! scope="col" style="background:#ddf;"\|Votes ! scope="col" style="background:#ddf;"\|%
scope="row" \|Cynthia Block \|align="right"\|30,412 \|\| align="right" \| 44.7
scope="row" \|Gordon Wyant \|align="right"\|20,259 \|\| align="right" \| 29.7
scope="row" \|Don Atchison \|align="right"\|10,460 \|\| align="right" \| 15.4
scope="row" \|Cary Tarasoff \|align="right"\|6,386 \|\| align="right" \| 9.4
scope="row" \|Mike Harder \|align="right"\|568 \|\| align="right" \| 0.8
scope="row" \|Total \|align="right"\|68,085\|\| align="right" \|100.00

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

style="background-color:#00594E"

|+ 2024 Saskatoon mayoral election{{Cite web |title=Saskatoon Civic Election Results 2024 |url=https://electionresults.saskatoon.ca/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241117043125/https://electionresults.saskatoon.ca/ |archive-date=2024-11-17 |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=City of Saskatoon}}

scope="col" style="background:#ddf; width:150px;"|Candidate

! scope="col" style="background:#ddf;"|Votes

! scope="col" style="background:#ddf;"|%

scope="row" |Cynthia Block

|align="right"|30,412 || align="right" | 44.7

scope="row" |Gordon Wyant

|align="right"|20,259 || align="right" | 29.7

scope="row" |Don Atchison

|align="right"|10,460 || align="right" | 15.4

scope="row" |Cary Tarasoff

|align="right"|6,386 || align="right" | 9.4

scope="row" |Mike Harder

|align="right"|568 || align="right" | 0.8

scope="row" |Total

|align="right"|68,085|| align="right" |100.00

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2015|Saskatoon University|percent=yes|prelim=no}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Canada{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr2015app/41/9781e.html |title=Forty-Second General Election 2015—Poll-by-poll results, Saskatoon-University |publisher=Elections Canada |date=|access-date=2024-11-14}}}}