Warman city council questions proposed joint-use high school location

A proposed joint-use high school for Martensville and Warman, Sask., students in the rural municipality of Corman Park has hit a sticking point, as Warman city council is now saying a new high school within Warman itself would be a "more responsible and cost-effective alternative for Warman taxpayers."

In response, a citizen-led coalition dubbed Future Forward for Warman says the city is overlooking facts, ignoring sound planning recommendations and delaying progress on a solution that already has broad regional and provincial support, without presenting any alternative for overcrowding at Warman High School.

The Prairie Spirit School Division and the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools submitted an application for a joint-use school between Warman and Martensville to the provincial Ministry of Education in 2022, and has been resubmitting it every year since.

The proposal would see a new facility built along Township Road 384 in the RM of Corman Park, just east of Martensville, a bedroom community just north of Saskatoon.

Prairie Spirit communications manager Brenda Erickson said the location is supported by a study conducted by local municipalities within the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G).

In March 2025, the province announced the project is at the top of the ministry's list for future capital projects, "which is a positive step in this Ministry process," Erickson said.

In fact, it is No. 1 and No. 2 on the top 10 list, as both Prairie Spirit and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools have submitted this capital request, she said.

Warman High School is currently at 103 per cent capacity, with an enrolment of 751 students as of September 30, 2024.

"At just over 100 per cent usage, the level of usage at Warman High School is typical prior to a new build," said Erickson.

'Significant and unnecessary expense'

The City of Warman was originally on board with the proposed joint use high school, signing a memorandum of understanding in early 2022 along with the City of Martensville, RM of Corman Park and the two school divisions indicating their collective support for the project.

In the intervening years, some Warman councillors have expressed reluctance over the project and pushed for more study to be conducted.

In recent weeks, Future Forward for Warman has been posting to social media advocating for the joint-use high school project.

On April 29, Warman resident Laura Davies posted a social media video where she called on fellow citizens to reach out to Warman councillors to either express support for the joint use high school or ask what the city's alternative would be.

"I'm not here to point fingers or assign blame without reason. I understand that due diligence is essential. However, when the cost of inaction falls squarely on the shoulders of our children, who will end up in overcrowded classrooms struggling to learn in inadequate spaces, we have to ask ourselves: is more study really an answer or just a stall tactic?" Davies asked.

"Our students cannot wait. Learning spaces are essential, and construction takes time. As a community, we must come together, not just to voice our concerns, but to demand accountability and action. Kids' education should never be held hostage by indecision or bureaucracy."

Future Forward Warman also posted a petition online imploring the City of Warman to support the regional joint-use school. As of May 18, it has 653 verified signatures.

Warman councillors discussed the issue during an in-camera session at their May 12 meeting. A couple of days later, the city sent out a news release clarifying council's position. The release states that one of council's primary concerns is the financial impact of servicing a remote location, including the added costs of acquiring land, providing water and wastewater services, and installing gas and power servicing.

This "significant and unnecessary expense," the release says, would be much higher than what could be achieved by working with existing development partners in Warman.

The release also states council is considering the long-term implications of student transportation to a school outside of Warman, which raises concerns about accessibility, safety and daily commute times.

"The priority of Warman city council is to make decisions that are in the best interest of Warman residents — not just for today, but for the future. Locating the new school within city limits ensures better integration with the community, safer and shorter transportation for students, and greater alignment with existing municipal infrastructure at a more efficient cost."

The release ends by saying council will be exploring engagement opportunities for residents and stakeholders.

Future Forward for Warman responded by pointing out that the proposed location for the school is not "remote," aligns with Warman's existing long-term regional growth plans, and could serve both Martensville and Warman students efficiently.

The group further stated that in the last three years, no alternate site within Warman has been formally proposed, no independent studies have been published and no meaningful engagement has occurred with regional partners.

"Instead, we have seen continued opposition to a well-researched, well-supported proposal that is ready to move forward. This lack of collaboration risks further delays to a project that our communities urgently need."

The group later posted that their representatives have met with Warman MLA Terry Jenson, and he told them that for the project to move forward, letters of support must be obtained from all three municipal partners in the project, including Warman.

Jenson also told the group that land agreements must be in place between the two school divisions and the RM of Corman Park, and municipal servicing commitments must be secured for the site.

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