SASKATOON — The City of Saskatoon wants to use “Link” as the exclusive name for its bus rapid transit system, which is part of a report that will be presented to the City Council’s Governance and Priorities Committee.
According to a release by the city, the Link BRT service will remain under Saskatoon Transit’s master brand but will have its own visual identity reflecting its unique service. The proposed Link brand will exclusively use the blue, green, and red transit lines.
The administration will present its report to the GPC members on Wednesday, July 17, for the committee’s approval of using the Transit BRT’s brand name and visual identity. The brand Link is associated with words like accessible, connectivity and modern.
The brand name Link was chosen after conducting workshops and discussions with the public, fundamental groups, and other organizations in the city. The other words associated with the brand Link were clear, straightforward, reliable, and welcoming.
Participants in the workshops and discussion groups also identified the Link name as timeless and easy to understand. It embodies concepts of connection, speed, and network.
A comprehensive eight-step process guided the identification of a brand name and visual identity. Steps included a brand and site audit, stakeholder research, visioning, naming, brand development and validation, visual language, and guidelines.
Once the committee approves the report, the administration will work on a communications and marketing plan to increase awareness of the Link brand name. In the coming months, new wayfinding signage will also be installed.
Construction of part of the transit signal priority system and 14 of the BRT stations’ concrete platforms is expected to begin later this summer. This work will continue with another 30 stations in 2025.
The public will be informed appropriately before construction to lessen its impact and provide education on the new future transit service. Investing in Canada’s Infrastructure Program will fund the project, which now proceeds with the design, procurement, and construction phases.
The city has conducted various engagement activities in the last few years on streetscape design elements, public art components, station design, feeder routes, and other project features. This will continue until the system is launched.
Engineering consulting firm CIMA+ will assist the city in completing the design and tendering, and managing construction contracts. The administration has also worked with the global firm Entro, which specializes in brand development for BRT.
Adopting and introducing a BRT system brand identity early is essential to the success of the new transit service, based on research in cities across North America. For more information on the project, visit saskatoon.ca/brt.
