Monday night, Moose Jaw City Council ratified a motion that will see the city enter negotiations for a land deal with Canadian Tire.

The deal is for 11 acres of land on the southeast edge of the Exhibition Grounds along Thatcher Drive East - land that was leased by the city to the group - and last week the city and Exhibition Company board came to an agreement to allow the land to be sold to the hardware giant. 

At Monday's council meeting, councillor Brian Swanson, who is also on the Exhibition Company board, said the development doesn't make sense. He claimed that by selling the land, it cuts off another portion of land that could be sold in the future.  He added that if the deal with Canadian Tire is struck as currently worded, it would allow Canadian Tire to influence what future stores are built around their lot for the subsequent 20 years.

"I don't believe this is an orderly way to go about selling a very valuable asset for the people of Moose Jaw," said Swanson. "I think it defies the guidelines we were given in the official community plan, good in the short term, but very short sighted."

If the agreement with Canadian Tire is finalized, the store development is anticipated to be worth between $25-30 million.  Canadian Tire has declined to comment at this time.