COLOUR AND CHRISTMAS
OLD TRAINS ATTRACT ATTENTION
ROAD TRIP SUCCESS
Festival of Trees gains support
Locomotives of Bienfait premiere
Bruins knock off front runners
A3
A5
B1
FINANCIAL
Insurance & Investment Products GICs & Segregated Funds Employee Benefit Plans
403B 9TH AVENUE, ESTEVAN, SK S4A 2V4 PH: (306)634-7979 · TOLL FREE: (877)779-0948 INFO@SPECTRAFINANCIAL.CA
Wed., November 23, 2016
Issue 29
SERVING THE ENERGY CITY FOR 113 YEARS
www.estevanmercury.ca
Mailing No. 10769 | Publication No. 40069240
The Key To The City Estevan Mayor Roy Ludwig, left, presented the key to the city to Darren Jones at Monday night’s meeting of Estevan city council. Jones was saluted for carving the Estevan Soldiers’ Tree Monument using a chainsaw. For more on the award, please see Page A4.
Council criticizes carbon tax By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
A request by Councillor Greg Hoffort at Monday night’s meeting of Estevan city council, to have council craft a letter that voices their opposition to a federal carbon tax, quickly turned into a rebuke of the federal government’s plan to phase out conventional coal power plants. H o ff o r t b e g a n b y praising the Estevan Chamber of Commerce and the provincial government for their stance on the carbon tax issue, and their support for the energy sector in southeast Saskatchewan. “I think it’s time we
did state our position on this matter,” said Hoffort. “There has not been an impact assessment undertaken by the federal government in regards to this. There has not been a demonstration that this is actually going to provide a benefit.” Hoffort noted a carbon tax in B.C. has not created any benefits. As part of Hoffort’s motion, council will also write to interim Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leader Trent Wotherspoon, expressing the city’s disappointment with that party’s stance on the carbon tax issue, and asking his party to change
their stance. And they will write to Regina-Wascana Member of Parliament Ralph Goodale, who is the lone Liberal MP from Saskatchewan. Hoffort is upset that Goodale has publicly supported the carbon tax, and Hoffort wants council to meet with him. Ironically, Goodale was the MP for the Assiniboia constituency (now part of Souris-Moose Mountain) in the 1970s. The letter will also criticize the federal government for Monday’s announcement by Catherine McKenna, the minister for the environment and climate change, that tradi-
tional coal-fired generating stations would be phased out by 2030. “We are appalled that the federal government would make this announcement without any dialogue with our province, without any dialogue with the mine owners, without any dialogue with the employees, and without any dialogue with SPC (SaskPower Corporation),” said Mayor Roy Ludwig. Coal-fired electrical generation is the “lifeblood” of communities like Estevan and Coronach, Ludwig said, as it employs over 1,000 people, and results in significant indirect employment.
“This is actually an insult to not even have any dialogue, and come out with this statement,” said Ludwig. The phase out would take effect in a little more than 13 years, which Ludwig said isn’t enough time for provinces and communities to prepare. He admitted McKenna’s announcement caught him off guard. “That’s what’s upsetting is … there was no communication with the province,” said Ludwig. Ludwig works for the Westmoreland Coal Company and has enjoyed a career in mining that spans 40 years. He said his co-
workers at the mines were also surprised and disappointed. In her announcement, McKenna stated provinces that still employ coal-fired generation can switch to carbon capture and storage (CCS) capabilities, allowing them to keep coal as part of their generating sources. It means that coal-fired generation could remain an option for power stations like Shand and Boundary Dam near Estevan. Boundary Dam is already home to world-leading CCS technology at its Unit 3. For more information regarding McKenna’s announcement, see Page A7.
Highway 39 twinning on schedule By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
The work on twinning 10 kilometres of Highway 39 east of Estevan has wrapped up for this year, but according to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, the project remains on schedule and on budget, and it should be
BLACK FRIDAY CASH
wrapped up in late 2017. The ministry provided an update on the twinning for the media during a site tour on Friday morning. Mike Smith, who is the manager for the project, and Kelly Panteluk, the president of Kelly Panteluk Construction Ltd. (KPCL), which is the project contractor, took reporters to various sites,
allowing them to see the partially completed double lanes, and equipment being used for the project. Construction began in May. The affected portion of highway is from an area east of Estevan, to a location southeast of the junction for Highways 39 and 18. More than 6,000 vehicles per day use that segment of highway,
making it one of the busiest undivided highways in the province. “Seventy-five per cent of the oilfield traffic heading out (to job sites) in the morning and coming back in at the end of the day heads out on this road, so this piece of highway gets a lot of traffic,” said Panteluk. Grading took place ear-
lier this year, and the sub base is partially completed. “October put us a little behind, but November has been good to get us back on schedule,” said Smith. But a lot of work remains, including finishing the sub-base. Then they have to tackle the base work, and apply the pavement, which will be a mixture of asphalt
and concrete. Panteluk predicted the twinned highways will enhance safety for motorists. “When the oilfield is busy, that’s a very high volume road for traffic, and it will be great to get the highway separated,” said Panteluk.
HWY 39⇢A2
8,000
$
+ RECEIVE $1,500 IN ACCESSORIES NOVEMBER 17-28 ON MOST 2016 F-150 MODELS
Senchuk Ford Sales Ltd.
118 Souris Ave. N., Estevan 306-634-3696 www.senchukford.com