The City of Saskatoon is preparing for the time the region’s population breaks the one-million mark.
The city has unveiled a proposal for a long-term regional growth plan that would include partnerships with the communities of Martensville, Warman and Osler, as well as the Rural Municipality of Corman Park and First Nations governments.
The plan aims to ready the region for population growth that could see it reach one million people or more within 50 years.
Recent federal population estimates show that Saskatoon has grown by almost 10,000 residents during the past year, the city said in a news release. The population of the city itself is estimated to be 246,300 while the census metropolitan area has an estimated population in excess of 284,000.
As growth in the region is fastest along the city’s northern boundary, Totland said the regional plan would include a long-range urban growth boundary that would anticipate the 50-year growth horizons of Martensville, Warman, and Osler, as well as Saskatoon.
City council will receive an initial report on the plan next week with more formal meetings to come in the fall.
