Rural Municipality of Blucher
The RM of Blucher is the fastest growing RM in the province. This is the result of its close proximity to Saskatoon, which provides certain competitive advantages, as well as the RM's development friendly attitude.
The RM of Blucher still maintains the taxes at the same amount as they were 20 years ago, despite the 28 per cent increase in population over the last five years and increased costs to the RM. To accommodate this growth, increased residential and commercial activity has produced expanded utility services. Greater access to three-phase power, natural gas and surfaced roadways are some examples. The most significant infrastructure improvement is the formation of several rural water utilities, which give a large percentage of the RM access to treated, potable water from Saskatoon.
The RM of Blucher is home to 436 residences and 67 commercial enterprises. The municipal revenue can be broken down by sector:
| Agriculture | 22% |
| Commercial/Industrial | 66% |
| Residential | 12% |
Area
789.28 km²
Distance to Markets
| City/Town/RM | Miles | KM |
|---|---|---|
| Saskatoon | 20 |
30 |
Age Characteristics of the Population
| Total - All persons | 1,590 |
| Age 0 - 14 | 345 |
| Age 15 - 24 | 180 |
| Age 25 - 44 | 425 |
| Age 45 - 54 | 315 |
| Age 55 and over | 335 |
| Median age of population | 40.3 |
| % of the population ages 15 and over | 78.7 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population (2006)
Labour Force
| Employed labour force 15 years and over | 1,115 |
| Participation rate (%) | 77.4 |
| Employment rate (%) | 74.3 |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.5 |
| Median total income of persons 15 and over ($) | 21,804 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population (2001)
Educational Facilities
| Type of School | School Names |
|---|---|
| Elementary schools | Allan Elementary School |
| Clavet Elementary School | |
| High schools | Allan High School |
| Clavet High School |
Highest Level of Schooling
| 20 - 34 | 35 - 44 | 45 - 64 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population by age group | 195 |
330 |
330 |
| % of population with less than a high school graduation certificate | 30.8 |
18.2 |
33.3 |
| % of population with a high school graduation certificate and/or some post secondary | 25.6 |
34.8 |
16.7 |
| % of population with a trades certificate or diploma | 12.8 |
18.2 |
16.7 |
| % of population with a college certificate or diploma | 12.8 |
12.1 |
16.7 |
| % of population with a university certificate, diploma or degree | 20.5 |
18.2 |
15.2 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population (2001)
Major Employers
| Company Name | Industry Sector | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Potash Corp. of Sask. - Allan Division | Potash mine | 330 |
| Potash Corp. of Sask. - Patience Lake Division | Potash mine | 75 |
| Prairie Steel Manufacturing Ltd. | Steel fabricator | 55 |
| Cargill Ltd. - Oilseed Division | Agricultural commercial | 50 |
| Cargill Ltd. - Grain Division | Agricultural commercial | 25 |
Real Estate
Average house price: $160,000
Many sites have direct access to three-phase power, natural gas and telephone services. Detailed cost estimates are dependent on load will be provided in a comprehensive infrastructure report.
Current assessments are in the range of $270 to $530 per acre and recent land sales within the RM have ranged on either side of assessed values. Previous commercial land sales for 160 acres were approximately $1,000 per acre for raw land.
Private landowners currently own the lands and any sales would be at the discretion of the landowner.
Municipal Services
| Telecommunications: | SaskTel, SaskTel Mobility, Rogers ATT |
| Police service: | RCMP |
| Fire protection: | Blucher - Lost River Fire Dept - units stationed in Allan, Clavet and Sunset Estates Mobile Home Park |
| Health: | Saskatoon Health District, MD Ambulance and numerous certified first responders, emergency response personnel located throughout the RM |
Local Taxes
Property Mill Rates
| Municipal | School | |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 5.96 |
18.93 |
| Commercial | 9.20 |
21.50 |
| Industrial | 9.20 |
21.50 |
| Residential | 4.86 |
16.36 |
Uniform Mill Rates
| Municipal | 8.0 |
| School | 18.7 |
| Total | 26.7 |
Business Development Incentives
Estimated 2006 property tax
- Available upon receipt of estimated site and building size
- Municipal @ 9.1520 mills
- Education @ 21.3928 mills
- Based on the following tax abatement policy, there would be no property tax for the first five years from the start of project construction.
- Tax Abatement Policy
Five years of full property tax exemption for both municipal and education property tax. - Building Permit Fee Policy
- The Municipality would not charge for a building/development permit provided all development plans are certified by a Saskatchewan certified engineer or architect, and construction is inspected by an RM approved inspector (typically your project manager).
- As noted earlier, this RM believes in cost efficiency for both itself and its ratepayers. We see no need to contract our own project engineers to simply verify what your engineers prepare. Having your engineers certify that the project meets code satisfies public safety requirements and yet saves you money in permit fees.
- Single Portal Communications
- The municipal adminstrator would act as the one source liaison between the developer and the municipality.
- This provides a simple and effective method of communication between you and the municipality or other government agencies.
- Provincial or Federal Development incentives, tax credits, etc.
SREDA to provide details on senior government initiatives.
Transportation
| Main highways: | Highways 16 (Yellowhead Highway), 5, 316 and 294. Highways 11, 16, 5 and 41 are to be connected to the future Highway 11 bypass. Intersections for this bypass have been constructed at Grasswood, south of Saskatoon, and at the intersection of Highway 16 and the PCS Potash Mine's paved heavy-haul road. Highways 16, 5 and the PCS Potash Mine's paved heavy-haul road will all connect this bypass with Highway 316. |
| Bus lines: | Saskatchewan Transportation Company |
| Truck lines: | Numerous trucking companies both locally and in Saskatoon |
| Rail lines: | Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway main lines |
| Accessibility to airport: | Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport (30 km) |
Recreation and Tourist Attractions
The urban municipalities of Allan, Clavet, Bradwell, Elstow and Sunset Estates Mobile Home Park are all situated within the RM of Blucher #343 boundaries and provide numerous recreational and social attractions.
Contact Information
| Name: | Robert Thurmeier |
| Job title: | Administrator |
| Address: | Box 100, Bradwell SK S0K 0P0 |
| Phone: | (306) 257-3344 |
| Fax: | (306) 257-3303 |
| E-mail: | rm343@sasktel.net |
| Website: | www.rm343.com |
