The RM of Corman Park, the cities of Warman, Martensville and Saskatoon, and the town of Osler are being recognized for their ongoing commitment to regional cooperation at the 16th Annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards.
The five municipalities are members of the Saskatoon-North Partnership for Growth (P4G) Planning District. They will collectively receive the Saskatchewan Municipal Award for Regional Cooperation based on their “partnership to ensure a coordinated approach to regional planning and servicing, preparing the region for growth and economic prosperity.”
The Saskatchewan Municipal Awards celebrate the excellent and innovative practices of Saskatchewan’s municipal governments.
The P4G regional planning district is one of four innovative projects from eight municipalities that have shown excellence in community engagement, collaboration, and innovation.
The other individual municipal winners of the 16th Annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards are:
* First Place: Solar Power for New Infrastructure (Town of Lumsden)
Winning practice: Initiated a solar power project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at four new municipal facilities and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the community.
* Second Place: Biggar Revitalization Project (Town of Biggar)
Winning practice: Developed a four-phase plan, with community input and partnerships, to revitalize Biggar’s Main Street.
* Third Place: Women in Government Program (RM of Edenwold No. 158)
Winning practice: Adopted a program to attract and encourage women to run for municipal council.
The winning projects were selected by the Saskatchewan Municipal Awards Committee who reviewed twelve nominations, submitted on behalf of nineteen municipalities.
Each year, the awards committee is made up of partners from the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), New North, the Rural Municipal Administrators’ Association of Saskatchewan (RMAA), the Urban Municipal Administrators Association of Saskatchewan (UMAAS), and the Ministry of Government Relations (GR).
The 2022 selection committee members are:
* Keith Comstock, Executive in Residence at the Johnson Shoyama School of Public Policy
* Malcolm Eaton, former Mayor of Humboldt and former Vice-President of Cities for SUMA
* Wendy Gowda, Municipal Advisor, former Administrator for the RM of LeRoy No. 339 and Past President of RMAA
* Don Taylor, Reeve of the RM of Saltcoats No. 213 and former board member for SARM
* Jim Toye, former City Manager for the City of Prince Albert, and
* Loretta Young, former administrator for the RM of Longlaketon No. 219 and the Village of Earl Grey
Selection committee members noted that the winning projects were some of the first of their kind in the province and reflected the needs of their respective municipalities.
The winners of the 16th Annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards will be highlighted in ceremonies at the upcoming SARM and SUMA Conventions:
* SARM Annual Convention and Tradeshow, Prairieland Park, 503 Ruth St W, Saskatoon, Tuesday March 14 at 2:00 p.m.; and
* SUMA Annual Convention and Tradeshow
TCU Place, 35 22 St E, Saskatoon, Tuesday April 18 at 2:35 p.m.
Winner videos will be available on April 20, 2023 at www.youtube.com/@SaskMunicipalAwards