Resort Subdivision of Whelan Bay
Financial Information
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the District? The District is a single incorporated municipality in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District (NSAD). The District includes the unorganized area in the NSAD made up of:
What is the role of a cabin owners association?
Some resort subdivisions have an incorporated non-profit cabin owner’s association that may act in an advisory capacity to the minister. NMS collects revenues and consults with the cabin owner’s association during annual budgeting for the resort subdivision. The 2024 operating budget and the 2023 pay list can be found in the links above.
What is the plan for the gravel/sand pit?
NMS periodically reviews leases in the District to determine if continuing a lease is required to fulfill a municipal purpose (e.g. public road maintenance) and that NMS is meeting its lease obligations. Upon review, the leased sand/gravel pit near the resort subdivision does not contain suitable material for road maintenance or other municipal purposes. NMS will be surrendering the lease to the Ministry of Environment after completing remediation work on the site. The work is planned for the spring/early summer of 2025.
There are private pits in the Whelan Bay area where residents can arrange to purchase gravel and sand for personal use. Access to material at the remediated site may be available from the Ministry of Environment after the remediation work is complete. A request needs to be submitted to the Ecological Management Specialist for the area at [email protected].
What is the status of the lagoon?
Wastewater disposal is regulated in Saskatchewan by the Water Security Agency (WSA). Following inspections in several communities, WSA determined that three wastewater disposal locations service significant seasonal and year-round populations, and do not meet regulatory requirements for treatment. Therefore, a sustainable plan for wastewater treatment and disposal is being studied for the resort subdivisions of Whelan Bay, Little Bear Lake and East Trout Lake as well as surrounding areas.
NMS, on behalf of the District (a northern incorporated municipality) requested proposals from engineering consultants for the provision of services to provide a feasibility study for sewage disposal. After an initial review of the study, it was found that additional data, specifically how much sewage is generated in the area, is required to complete the study.
NMS is committed to planning for a long-term solution for sewage disposal and will work with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport and WSA in the next year or two to collect this data and deliver it back to the consultant to complete the study. When completed, the study will provide a detailed description of the current facilities and practices of each of the three sites, its expected needs over the next twenty-five (25) years, and an analysis of viable and sustainable options.
What is the status of the bin site (locally known as the transfer site)?
Greenland Waste bins are stored on park land adjacent to the subdivision for solid waste disposal. Although locally known as a ‘transfer site’, the site is neither a transfer site or transfer station since all materials are contained within bins, no waste is stored on the ground, therefore no permit is required. The site can also be used to pile clean wood and brush piles; and has a bin for recyclable materials. Any other proposed use of the site would require application with the Ministry of Environment and compliance with the Transfer Site Code pursuant to The Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010. The transfer site attendant(s) are employees of the District.
What is included in the dock and boat launch agreement?
The main boat launch area at Whiteswan Lake is on land leased from the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. In 2023, the District entered into a five-year agreement with the lessee of the Whiteswan Lake Recreation Site to continue public access to the main boat launch area. The agreement was entered into with the understanding that the community docks would be used at the launch. However, due to their unavailability, the District purchased one new dock for the resort subdivision and the lessee agreed to use one of their own docks. This ensured the boat launch was available to the public for the beginning of the 2023 summer season.
What was the Whiteswan Lake Spill Elevation Study?
Over several years the lake level of Whiteswan Lake rose, resulting in the loss of a municipal road and public shoreline. A portion of the access road lost as a result of rising water levels was relocated which cost the province approximately $1.3 million to build. Some properties are very close to the shoreline and could be impacted through inundation, slumping/subsidence, ice and wind action if water levels continue to rise. The municipality agreed with property owners that a LiDAR study was an important step in assessing the potential hazards and the sustainability of the infrastructure serving the properties near Whiteswan Lake. Although there have been many flood hazard studies completed for many developed areas of Saskatchewan, there was no data available for the Whiteswan Lake area. The study can be found here: Whiteswan Lakes Spill Elevation Study 2023
The Water Security Agency (WSA) offers a grant annually to municipalities to collect flood hazard data reimbursing up to 50% of the costs. The total cost for the LiDAR and ground survey, data analysis and report was $43,000 plus GST. The expenditures were incurred in 2023 and 2024. The WSA grant amount of $22,575 was received by the municipality in 2024.
If you would like to contact Northern Municipal Services, please fill out the Comments and Feedback form below.
What is the District? The District is a single incorporated municipality in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District (NSAD). The District includes the unorganized area in the NSAD made up of:
- 11 northern settlements
- 14 resort subdivisions
- 9 northern subdivisions, and
- upwards of 8,000 leases
What is the role of a cabin owners association?
Some resort subdivisions have an incorporated non-profit cabin owner’s association that may act in an advisory capacity to the minister. NMS collects revenues and consults with the cabin owner’s association during annual budgeting for the resort subdivision. The 2024 operating budget and the 2023 pay list can be found in the links above.
What is the plan for the gravel/sand pit?
NMS periodically reviews leases in the District to determine if continuing a lease is required to fulfill a municipal purpose (e.g. public road maintenance) and that NMS is meeting its lease obligations. Upon review, the leased sand/gravel pit near the resort subdivision does not contain suitable material for road maintenance or other municipal purposes. NMS will be surrendering the lease to the Ministry of Environment after completing remediation work on the site. The work is planned for the spring/early summer of 2025.
There are private pits in the Whelan Bay area where residents can arrange to purchase gravel and sand for personal use. Access to material at the remediated site may be available from the Ministry of Environment after the remediation work is complete. A request needs to be submitted to the Ecological Management Specialist for the area at [email protected].
What is the status of the lagoon?
Wastewater disposal is regulated in Saskatchewan by the Water Security Agency (WSA). Following inspections in several communities, WSA determined that three wastewater disposal locations service significant seasonal and year-round populations, and do not meet regulatory requirements for treatment. Therefore, a sustainable plan for wastewater treatment and disposal is being studied for the resort subdivisions of Whelan Bay, Little Bear Lake and East Trout Lake as well as surrounding areas.
NMS, on behalf of the District (a northern incorporated municipality) requested proposals from engineering consultants for the provision of services to provide a feasibility study for sewage disposal. After an initial review of the study, it was found that additional data, specifically how much sewage is generated in the area, is required to complete the study.
NMS is committed to planning for a long-term solution for sewage disposal and will work with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport and WSA in the next year or two to collect this data and deliver it back to the consultant to complete the study. When completed, the study will provide a detailed description of the current facilities and practices of each of the three sites, its expected needs over the next twenty-five (25) years, and an analysis of viable and sustainable options.
What is the status of the bin site (locally known as the transfer site)?
Greenland Waste bins are stored on park land adjacent to the subdivision for solid waste disposal. Although locally known as a ‘transfer site’, the site is neither a transfer site or transfer station since all materials are contained within bins, no waste is stored on the ground, therefore no permit is required. The site can also be used to pile clean wood and brush piles; and has a bin for recyclable materials. Any other proposed use of the site would require application with the Ministry of Environment and compliance with the Transfer Site Code pursuant to The Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010. The transfer site attendant(s) are employees of the District.
What is included in the dock and boat launch agreement?
The main boat launch area at Whiteswan Lake is on land leased from the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. In 2023, the District entered into a five-year agreement with the lessee of the Whiteswan Lake Recreation Site to continue public access to the main boat launch area. The agreement was entered into with the understanding that the community docks would be used at the launch. However, due to their unavailability, the District purchased one new dock for the resort subdivision and the lessee agreed to use one of their own docks. This ensured the boat launch was available to the public for the beginning of the 2023 summer season.
What was the Whiteswan Lake Spill Elevation Study?
Over several years the lake level of Whiteswan Lake rose, resulting in the loss of a municipal road and public shoreline. A portion of the access road lost as a result of rising water levels was relocated which cost the province approximately $1.3 million to build. Some properties are very close to the shoreline and could be impacted through inundation, slumping/subsidence, ice and wind action if water levels continue to rise. The municipality agreed with property owners that a LiDAR study was an important step in assessing the potential hazards and the sustainability of the infrastructure serving the properties near Whiteswan Lake. Although there have been many flood hazard studies completed for many developed areas of Saskatchewan, there was no data available for the Whiteswan Lake area. The study can be found here: Whiteswan Lakes Spill Elevation Study 2023
The Water Security Agency (WSA) offers a grant annually to municipalities to collect flood hazard data reimbursing up to 50% of the costs. The total cost for the LiDAR and ground survey, data analysis and report was $43,000 plus GST. The expenditures were incurred in 2023 and 2024. The WSA grant amount of $22,575 was received by the municipality in 2024.
If you would like to contact Northern Municipal Services, please fill out the Comments and Feedback form below.