By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
After initially signaling their opposition to the project, RM of Corman Park councillors passed second and third reading during their October 20 meeting on a bylaw that will allow the Ranch Ehrlo Society to open a six-bed licensed care home that will provide “specialized mental health support for children with significant and complex needs.”
Bylaw 01-26 amends Bylaw No. 35/21, also known as the Partnership for Growth (P4G) Planning District Zoning Bylaw, to repeal the original definition of a “special care home” and re-define it as a stand-alone facility that is licensed pursuant to provincial regulations and provides care to persons who are unable to care for themselves.
Examples of special care homes under this new definition would include nursing homes, supervisory care, personal care, convalescence and palliative care.
Corman Park councillors originally passed first reading on Bylaw 01-26 at their September 22 meeting. At the time, councillors expressed concern about the impact on local police due to frequent calls for service to the Corman Park campus, which is located midway between Warman and Martensville.
During the October 20 meeting, there were two presentations by representatives of the Ranch Ehrlo Society: Mitch Tremblay, Executive Director of Youth Treatment Programs, and Vance Heaney, Director of Clinical Services.
Tremblay said Ranch Ehrlo has been part of the RM of Corman Park for nearly 20 years and currently employs 77 staff, roughly a third of which live in the RM, Martensville and Warman.
Tremblay noted those staff purchase groceries, fuel and services from local businesses and also participate in local initiatives that strengthen these communities.
“Most importantly, we provide children with a safe, therapeutic environment, with specialized support,” he said.
Noting that their new group home aligns with the “Desperately Waiting” report completed by the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth, Tremblay said Ranch Ehrlo has the expertise and willingness to establish the care option called for in the report — namely, a facility that accommodates youth with mental health needs that cannot be managed in their own homes, but need acute psychiatric in-patient treatment.
“These young people come from every walk of life. They come from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. These challenges are not isolated to the cities nor to underserved communities,” Tremblay said.
Tremblay acknowledged that concerns have been raised about their operations and their impact on police services. However, he pointed out that in 2025-2026, calls for service to police decreased by nearly 20% in 2025-2026 and that downward trend has continued in the first quarter of 2026-2027.
“I recently received RCMP data that shows a 22 per cent reduction in calls for the period of January to September 2026,” he said.
Tremblay said they have also worked hard to strengthen their relationship with Martensville RCMP and Corman Park Police Services (CPPS), noting that senior leadership meetings with the police have occurred since October 2025 to determine appropriate responses.
“We know that the changes that we’ve implemented are making a difference. I’ve heard from both the RCMP and CPPS that they agree that progress has been made,” he said.
Heaney, who has coached minor hockey for 20 years and is a past president of Warman Minor Hockey, said he recognized there were some concerns about safety and the impact on local policing from Ranch Ehrlo.
However, he stressed that he would never support establishing a facility that would put his family, neighbours or other residents “at unacceptable risk.”
Heaney also called on council to imagine being a parent of a child with mental health issues who cannot be managed at home but also is unsuitable to be placed in a psychiatric facility.
“Imagine being that parent. Imagine knowing your child needs more help than you can provide, but the services aren’t available. Imagine choosing between your employment, your family’s financial stability and your child’s safety,” he said.
No one else spoke to the bylaw in-person, but there were a flood of letters in support of Ranch Ehrlo’s proposal from individuals who are either currently involved with the society or have had past involvement.
There were also responses from individuals not directly connected to the society. One such letter was from Dr. Anna Felstrom, Division Head of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Psychiatry.
Felstrom said they have observed a growing number of youth presenting with severe, treatment-resistant mental health disorders who “frequently cycle through acute inpatient units, emergency departments and group living placements.”
She said her division is eager to see a service like the group home proposed by Ranch Ehrlo established in the region, as it will alleviate the burden on acute care services and “offer renewed hope for youth and families who have exhausted other treatment avenues.”
A couple of neighbours to the Corman Park campus also voiced their support. Allan Kopp, a Martensville resident, said he recognized that introducing a new program into a community requires thoughtful planning, but he had confidence Ranch Ehrlo will work with stakeholders to address concerns.
“Children and youth facing significant mental health challenges need somewhere safe and therapeutic to heal, build skills and move forward,” he wrote.
Jaime Drader, Administrative Co-ordinator of the Valley United Soccer Club, said they had worked with children supported by Ranch Ehrlo and that experience reinforced the importance of children having access to positive role models, a sense of belonging and opportunities to build confidence and develop relationships.
“I support Ranch Ehrlo’s Society’s efforts to provide this much-needed service. Giving vulnerable children access to timely, specialized care, while also allowing them to participate in community activities and build meaningful connections, can make a real difference in their lives,” Drader wrote.