Regina – The Rural Municipality of Sherwood is pushing back against the City of Regina’s long term growth plan, and the annexation Mayor Michael Fougere says would be required.
The proposal, released on Friday, would see large sections of land annexed from the RM over the next four decades and would allow the city to grow to a potential population of 500,000 people. The RM says this request came out of the blue.
“The RM of Sherwood has never, and I repeat never, been consulted about annexation plans,” said Deputy Reeve Tim Probe.
At a press conference Monday afternoon, Probe said the city is completely overstepping its bounds, and moving forward with such a large request would restrict the RM’s ability to develop.
“I think we can work together and choose wisely those spots that need to be annexed,” Probe added. “Not and encompassing all surrounding the city, such as their plan has shown us.”
Afterwards, Mayor Fougere insisted the RM has been involved in these conversations, and shouldn’t have been surprised by the announcement.
“We’ve discussed that with them openly of our desire to secure lands in the future of our long term growth, of our 500,000 strategy, which is not a new concept by any means.”
Fougere said the annexation would happen all at once, and the RM and city actually agree that it should happen in a reasonable manner and should involve discussions with the individual landowners and developers before moving forward.
“Part of this is negotiation, and we continue to talk Reeve to Mayor, administration to administration,” added Fougere. “It’s not an easy process, economic development is not an easy process.”
Mayor Michael Fougere joined the Morning News on Tuesday May 28
Tim Probe the Deputy Reeve of the RM of Sherwood had this to say on the Morning News about the annexation plan
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