Six years following the rejection of a solar-powered community proposal by Saskatoon city council, opposition to the development persists. Now, the community is being planned outside city boundaries in the Rural Municipality of Corman Park. The RM sought approval from a district planning commission to proceed with the Solair community by Arbutus Properties, but the City of Saskatoon raised an objection, causing a delay in the process.
Murray Totland, the director of planning for Arbutus and a former Saskatoon city manager, expressed uncertainty about the timeline for addressing the city’s concerns, citing a lack of understanding of the issues raised. The district planning commission, part of the P4G regional planning group, including Saskatoon, Martensville, Warman, RM of Corman Park, and Town of Osler, voted to defer consideration of proposed changes by Arbutus to the regional community plan necessary for the Solair project to move forward.
Originally planned as a solar-powered community with solar panels on houses, Solair was to be partially situated in Saskatoon near the southeast Rosewood neighborhood and partially in Corman Park. However, following the 2019 rejection by the city council, the project has been downsized and relocated entirely within Corman Park. The revised plan includes 1,700 homes on 158 acres, down from the initial proposal of 2,200 homes, with an estimated population of 4,050 upon completion.
The shift from the original concept also includes a change in the solar panel installation approach, with the option for homeowners to lease and eventually purchase the panels, as SaskPower’s regulations on solar power generation have evolved. The development is now positioned as “Saskatchewan’s largest sustainable community development.”
While concerns from Saskatoon have stalled the Solair project, speakers from the RM administration suggested the city’s objection may be linked to future expansion plans eastward to increase the tax base. Despite the setback, Corman Park Reeve Joe Hargrave affirmed the RM’s commitment to addressing Saskatoon’s concerns and emphasized their expertise in planning.
Former Saskatoon mayor Don Atchison endorsed the Solair development, highlighting its alignment with the city’s future goals. Atchison described the decision on Solair as pivotal for the potential of Corman Park, comparing it to the growth of Surrey, B.C., near Vancouver.