The Rural Municipality (RM) of Corman Park is giving a northern Saskatoon-area planning district a six-month lifeline, following discussions of withdrawing earlier this year.
In April, Corman Park’s planning committee considered a report from the RM’s administration on the status of its participation in the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G) and the potential options and implications of withdrawing.
This came after concerns from the RM’s reeve and council about challenges stemming from the partnership, including a slowdown in development approvals and the RM’s council feeling they lack the same powers as their counterparts.
P4G membership includes Saskatoon, Martensville, Warman and Osler and was created with the intention of developing the regions, supporting sustainable land use and strategizing for decades of growth.
On Tuesday, the RM’s planning committee considered a new report from administration outlining the implications of annexation, costs, and engagements with partners should Corman Park leave the planning district.
But councillors pushed forward a proposed motion by Corman Park Reeve Joe Hargrave instead, which entails that partners renegotiate the terms of P4G over the next six months to come to a more agreeable arrangement for Corman Park.
“We want to continue to work together. We’re friends, we’re neighbours. We want to benefit the whole area, not just one individual portion,” Hargrave told Global News in an interview Tuesday following council’s decision to push forward his motion in an 8-1 vote.
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The more amicable approach to the decision to remain in P4G follows what Hargrave said were productive discussions with the mayors from the other cities over the past month. Hargrave says the other mayors are open to making changes.
“Let’s sit down and formally do this in negotiations and make a formal change rather than just agree that we need to make change, but let’s actually do it,” Hargrave said.
Before voting on Hargrave’s motion, councillors raised concerns about remaining in P4G, including delays in development approvals and a sense that the RM’s voice is not being heard. Some also shared concerns about meetings with counterparts taking place in camera, asking for public attendance.
“I’m fed up to here, far past my height, drowning in P4G. I’m tired of it, and something absolutely needs to change,” Coun. David Greenwood said to council on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, representatives from Martensville, Osler and Warman attended the meeting and shared similar sentiments of support for keeping P4G. Representatives from the City of Saskatoon were not physically present at the meeting but attended virtually.
Global News reached out to the City of Saskatoon for comment.
“It was good to see the other three partners that were here but it doesn’t change things,” said Hargrave.
“I’ve had a really good meeting with Mayor Block and with the City Manager, so I know their feelings on it, that they really are in favour of the change, of making some changes and trying to come to an agreement.”
Warman Mayor Gary Philipchuk says he is pleased with the decision to return to the table.
“The spirit of it is to leave a legacy of growth within our region that continues to go. And we can look back on and say that we were part of all of this to move it forward instead of stifling at this time,” Philipchuk told Global News in an interview.
While withdrawal threats have cooled, they are not fully off the table. Hargrave says he hopes to see two main issues addressed by planning district partners: improving development approval timelines and increasing the RM’s say in development decisions.
“The cities are talking about a 50-year plan, well, we’re looking more like a 15-year plan, let’s get that figured out where we’re going in the next 15 years,” said Hargrave.
At the end of the six-month timeline, Hargrave says councillors will decide whether negotiations have resulted in any improvements to continue its participation in P4G.
“If council doesn’t like what we’ve negotiated, that portion, then we will initiate a withdrawal process,” he said.
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