By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
City of Martensville councillors passed a motion during their September 1 meeting directing administration to negotiate a reasonable agreement with the City of Saskatoon and RM of Corman Park over the Biosolids Pipeline Corridor project.
The Biosolid Corridor Pipeline Project involves the construction of new pipelines connecting Saskatoon’s wastewater treatment facility to its biosolids handling facility, which is located in the RM.
Currently, there are two pipelines running from the treatment plant to the biosolids facility, but they must be replaced due to their poor physical condition. As well, the new pipelines will also provide service to the City of Martensville.
An update presented by City Manager Tanya Garost at the September 1 meeting noted that Saskatoon had begun construction in April on the pipeline connecting the treatment plant to the biosolids facility, while Martensville is handling the connection the between the city’s lagoons and the biosolids facility.
However, approval of an easement by the RM is necessary to enable the Saskatoon portion to be completed as a portion of the new pipeline runs under Range Road 3051.
Originally, the RM had given its blessing for the Biosolids Pipeline Corridor project in September, 2025, contingent on the city receiving a provincial grant for the project.
In February 2026, this condition was rescinded, and endorsement of the project was tied to upgrading Range Road 3051 between Penner Road and Township Road 382 to an asphalt paved standard with all manholes along that road to be placed in ditches.
As well, the RM said that water/wastewater servicing must be secured through the city and Saskatoon must be responsible for decommissioning of the old pipelines.
In response, Saskatoon made a conditional proposal to the RM that included upgrading the entire length of Range Road 3051 to a gravel road standard within the existing 20-metre right of way.
As well, the city would provide $1 million towards future paving of the roadway and would commit to working towards an inter-municipal agreement to facilitate water and wastewater servicing for lands located within the RM but outside of the proposed Saskatoon Freeway between Highways 11 and 12.
This offer came back to the RM meeting on June 23. Corman Park responded with a new demand: that Range Road 3051 be upgraded to an access main farm gravel road standard; that $1 million be provided to the RM when the settlement agreement is signed; that there be a signed memorandum of understanding to support future water and wastewater servicing within the RM; and that the city be responsible for decommissioning of the old pipelines.
At the September 1 council meeting, Garost said that a very similar report was originally presented at a City of Saskatoon committee meeting and then pulled out of the consent agenda on August 26 for further discussion by their council, which mostly focused on what constituted a reasonable settlement with the RM.
Garost noted the timing of this dispute is becoming a “bit of a challenge” as both Saskatoon and Martensville have restrictions relating to the timing of grant money and other factors.
“So we’re all looking for a resolution on this rather quickly,” she said.
Garost suggested the two cities would be happy if they convince the RM to agree to a settlement closer to what was initially proposed to the RM in June.
And while the RM seems willing to work with the two cities, there is no guarantee of what will happen.
“Martensville is very much between a rock and a hard place here,” she said.
Mayor Kent Muench said he viewed upgrading Range Road 3051 to a gravel road standard and giving the RM $1 million towards future paving to be “semi-reasonable,” but requiring the complete paving of that road was out of the question.
Councillor Darren MacDonald said he had listened to the meeting where the paving of the road was originally proposed and he felt that it was requested on what seemed to be a whim.
“It makes no sense to put pavement there,” he said, noting that it would not be a high traffic road and it could be 50 years before paving was even necessary there
Garost noted that securing water and wastewater servicing through Saskatoon was also a “pretty significant” sticking point for the city.
She said they are giving until the end of November to complete these negotiations, at which point the next avenues to consider will be legal.
This graphic, which was included with the agenda package for the City of Martensville council meeting on September 1, shows displays the proposed route of the Biosolids Pipeline Corridor Project.