By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
The RM of Corman Park will submit two resolutions relating to the restructuring of rural municipalities and the development-related expenses associated with Treaty Land Entitlements (TLEs) to the upcoming Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities midterm convention in mid-November.
As well, Corman Park will also support a resolution by the RM of Prince Albert to increase or remove the maximum development appeal fee under The Planning and Development Act, 2007.
All three resolutions were originally discussed during the administrative committee meeting on September 15 and then approved as part of the consent agenda at the September 22 council meeting.
As noted by Benjamin Sipple, Executive Assistant to the CAO, each RM that is a member of SARM can submit resolutions for consideration and voting during the annual and midterm conventions.
With this year’s midterm convention being held in Saskatoon on November 18-19, Sipple said these resolutions had to be submitted before the end of the day on Sunday, October 4.
The first resolution being submitted by Corman Park calls on SARM to lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to review and evaluate possible RM restructuring options.
The resolution notes the large number of RMs in the province (296 in total) results in increasing financial pressures, duplication of governance and competition for limited financial and professional resources, among other issues.
As such, an evaluation of restructuring options, including amalgamation, could help rural municipal government to become more affordable, sustainable and effective.
The second resolution, which Sipple noted is largely a “repeat” of a previous resolution from 2025, notes that the creation of reserve lands through Treaty Land Entitlements typically results in municipal costs associated with land acquisition, surveying, appraisal, and other development-related requirements.
The resolution therefore calls on SARM to lobby the provincial and federal governments to establish a funding mechanism and/or cost-sharing model to assist municipalities with these costs.
The third resolution developed by the RM of Prince Albert notes that municipalities have limited authority to recover the costs of enforcing zoning bylaw contraventions, and the current maximum development appeal fee does not reflect the costs incurred by municipalities.
As such, the resolution calls on SARM to lobby the province to amend the applicable regulations under legislation to increase or remove that development appeal fee, allowing municipalities to establish their own bylaws and fees that better reflect the cost of administering the development appeal process.
Administration also suggested that council potentially support a resolution that would tie RM election cycles to that of urban municipalities. In other words, elections would be held for the entire council every four years instead of half of council every two years.
Sipple said this would save on the administrative costs of having to prepare ballots and information for new candidates every two years.
Division 8 Councillor Wendy Trask said she would not be in favour of that resolution, noting that the current model allows for some continuity on council; the proposed model could potentially result in every councillor being replaced every four years.
In that scenario, “there’s not enough knowledge carried forward,” she said.
Division 4 Councillor David Greenwood stated he also believes the current election cycle works well, adding it preserves a little bit of experience on council as time goes on.