SASKATOON, SK: The city of Saskatoon paid consultants $317,757 to come up with the name and brand Link for the city’s Bus Rapid Transit system, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“It’s a ridiculous waste for city council to spend this much money on what is essentially an afternoon brainstorm session about names and colours,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “The city’s next slogan should be: Saskatoon, where consultants rip off taxpayers.”

In total, the city spent $317,757 hiring Entro, a design firm, to come up with the name and brand for the BRT system. The project took almost three years to complete.

Some of the specific costs include coming up with the name Link that cost the city $25,000, according to the documents. The “look and feel” of the brand cost taxpayers $40,000.