Policies and Planning | |
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Official Community Plan | Wynyard Official Community Plan is dated 2011. Funding for the plan was provided by BHP. To date, no updates or amendments have been made to it, although the plan was for it to be updated every 5 years. Planning is generally administered by the Wynyard Planning District, which has been largely inactive. The town also has asset management plans and is planning to pursue a new asset management plan. Key goals laid out in the OCP address the following topics: Strengthening the town’s role as a regional hub; improving quality of life, cooperation, and collaboration within and outside the town; sustainable development and economic growth. |
Land Use Plan | Section 5 of the OCP discusses future land use and identifies the following designated land uses: residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, institutional, and urban holding. A future land use map is also included in the OCP. The town adopted Bylaw #328/84 – Zoning Bylaw consolidated in 2016 to control the use of land in the town. |
Community / Economic Development Plans | Continued sustainable growth is the priority for Wynyard. The 2021 Strategic Plan lays out the following priority programs and projects for the next five years:
While the Wynyard council appreciates the importance of the rental market, there is a desire to see more home ownership. Through the zoning bylaw and agreements with the Saskatchewan Housing Authority and Wynyard Housing Authority, the council supports other housing options such as mobile and modular homes. Wynyard is currently entering Phase 3 of a four-phase project to replace the remaining cast iron water mains in town. This is an approximately $4M project done in partnership with the federal and provincial governments through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). Other developments include a new recycling center and arena (a $12 million complex completed in 2019 that provided substantial employment opportunities to locals). A pumping system is being considered for the south reservoir to better enable Wynyard to manage water pressure and to more efficiently handle treated water. A lagoon pipeline replacement is also being considered. Several other developments are privately financed through companies like BHP, Compass Minerals, and Sofina Foods. The council notes that a healthy tax base is important to drive economic development. Positive events that drive economic development include the announcement of the BHP Jansen Potash Mine and the purchase of the large 42,000 square feet building by a group of First Nation communities. The potential loss of existing industry could have a negative impact on economic development. |
Relevant Bylaws | Wynyard Bylaws include the Zoning Bylaw, Water and Sewer Utility Management and Rates Bylaws, a Traffic Bylaw, a Construction Bylaw, and a Building Bylaw. |
Climate Change Plans/ Objectives | Wynyard’s Official Community Plan 2011 emphasizes sustainability. Section 4 outlines commitments to social/community sustainability, economic sustainability, and environmental sustainability. However, Wynyard has no formal climate change policies. Some climate change related initiatives already implemented include equipping all new facilities within the town (in the last 10 years) with the latest energy-saving devices such as LED lights and high efficiency HVAC equipment. The Town of Wynyard has solar panels at the swimming pool. There are a few private residences that use solar panels. The Town of Wynyard supports these initiatives; however, there is no plan for renewable energy projects within town limits. |
Culture Planning | In 2023 the Town of Wynyard began a research project with the help of the Sask. Culture Community Cultural Planning and Engagement Grant. The objectives for this phase included: identify cultural assets and resources Increase public awareness of cultural assets Create an inventory of cultural assets and resources Identify opportunities for community collaborations Identify current uses and potential new uses of public spaces Identify how our community can create dialogue around reconciliation, equity, inclusivity and diversity Define a cultural profile for our community Identify next steps in community cultural planning A report of the research findings is available here: Culture Planning Research Report |
Fiscal Capacity | |
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Municipal Tax Revenue | Most of the tax revenue comes from property tax, with a 70/30 split between residential and commercial. |
Potash Tax Sharing Revenue | The community does not rely on Potash Tax Sharing Revenue. Wynyard is not currently within the qualifying distance from any operating potash mine. |
Fiscal Capacity Assessment | No information. |
Community Growth and Relations | |
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Community Growth | Wynyard’s sustainability strategy outlined in the OCP emphasizes designing the region in a manner that keeps the costs of building, operating, and maintaining all infrastructure and services affordable and that avoids letting them become a burden on future generations, all with the goal of encouraging community growth and a diversified economy. Current infrastructure could accommodate an additional 50 to 100 people without any upgrades and up to 1,000 people with planned upgrades. Currently there are 20 new development lots that are serviced. The main infrastructure limitation is with the sewer system and water security and supply. The lagoon pipeline has also been listed for investment pending deliberation from the council. The Wynyard council would like to see a shift in housing from the rental market to more private ownership. Current plans to annex land into the community include approximately 5 acres located at the west end of the Service Road. The town purchased this land, located along the border of the Rural Municipality of Big Quill, approximately 10 years ago. Overall, there is sufficient land within the borders of Wynyard to accommodate significant population growth. Wynyard currently has no service agreements for new subdivisions and would depend on developers. Plans are in progress to update the zoning bylaw and/or OCP to incorporate service agreements. |
Community Marketing / Promotion | Wynyard shares information via:
There are currently no annual public meetings or other meeting forum in which to share information. The Town of Wynyard wants to expand industry and commercial enterprises and concentrate its effort in marketing and economic development, to attract more people to the community and make it a community where people wish to grow. Consultations with companies such as BHP are ongoing. |
Relationship with other Communities | Wynyard has held preliminary talks with the Water Security Agency (WSA) regarding a regional waterworks system. The Wynyard Planning District also has a partnership with the Rural Municipality of Big Quill; however, the Wynyard Planning District organization has not been very active for the past decade. Historically, the town has had successful joint operations with the Wynyard & District Fire Association, the Wynyard Memorial Airport, and the Pleasant View Cemetery. The Town of Wynyard is also a member of the North East Area Transportation Planning Committee. Generally, the Council considers that Wynyard’s relationships with other communities are decent but could be better. The town needs to keep inviting people to discuss areas of mutual interest and concern. Recently, Wynyard has reached out to all the area First Nation communities to open communications about ways the town and the different communities can help each other achieve economic and social success. |