Meridian Source - April 29, 2021

Thursday, April 29, 2021

VOLUME 3 I ISSUE 44

MERIDIANSOURCE.CA

SEE PAGES 12-17 FOR THE GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNIN’ SPECIAL SECTION

Bike buds ride into sunset!

A group of young bike enthusiasts made great use of the dirt jumps in Bud Miller All Seasons Park during the city’s last warm spell. The weather is shaping up to provide great pedal weather this weekend.

Taylor Weaver Meridian Source

Interval Society set to buy shelter land GEOFF LEE

WRITER

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The Lloydminster Interval Home Society is close to buying a building site for a new emergency shelter for women and children.

The organization’s CEO

Angela Rooks-Trotzuk touched briefly on the Interval Society’s plans for the future while thanking the Rotary Club of Lloydminster on Monday for a $10,000 donation last year.

Those funds went toward

the Interval Home’s Bridging the Gap project that expanded the number of shelter beds from 21 to 33 along with a secure entry to the emergency shelter.

Rooks-Trotzuk reports, their long-term vision to

secure land to build a brand new shelter and transitional housing facilities is closer to reality.

“We’ve been working on that for quite a while, but we are in the position where we are going to be able to pro-

vide a letter of intent to purchase to the city in the next couple of weeks,” she said.

“So we are excited to share that and we look forward to more formal announcements on that in the future.”

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Alberta MCU arrests Lloyd murder suspect Lloyd RCMP shed light on police presence

File Photo TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

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On April 24, the Alberta RCMP MCU made an arrest in relation to the April 17 suspicious death of Daxon Levi Hornick-Schmidt, 24, of Lloydminster.

Lance Dwayne Littlewolfe, 35, of North Battleford, Sask., was arrested in North Battleford, Sask., on April 23. Littlewolfe has been charged with Second Degree Murder.

Following a judicial hearing, Littlewolfe was remanded into custody and was scheduled to appear in Lloydminster Provincial Court on April 26.

On April 17, at approximately 5 p.m., the Lloydminster RCMP responded to

INTERVAL HOME FROM PAGE 1

In the meantime, Rooks-Trotzuk says Rotary’s name has been added to a communitydonor wall to recognize those who contributed to the Bridging the Gap expansion, completed last August.

“Those that have been around will remember a desperate ask to the club and the community for funds to help our shelter as we were turning away six to seven people a day from our emergency shelter due to our lack of space,” said Rooks-Trotzuk.

the 5300 block of 50 Ave. for the report of a deceased male on the sidewalk.

The RCMP Forensic Identification Section (FIS) was called in to assist with the investigation along with the RCMP Major Crimes Unit (MCU).

An autopsy conducted by the Saskatoon office of the Saskatchewan Coroners Service determined the manner of death to be a homicide.

Border City residents took notice of an increased police presence last week as social media chatter lit up with speculation as to the RCMP activity.

Last Friday, the Lloydminster RCMP released the follow-

ing statement to shed some light on their presence, as well as the presence of the helicopter, which was reportedly flying quite low at times.

“The Lloydminster RCMP is currently conducting a planned police operation in and around the city of Lloydminster. During this week, residents can expect to see an increased police presence as well as the RCMP Air Services helicopter around the city.

There are no active or specific threats to any residents as a result of this operation. Lloydminster RCMP will have additional reporting on this matter at a later date.”

Ironically, COVID-19 safe distancing protocols meant they couldn’t use all 33 beds, but they were able to stay at their pre-shelter expansion bed count, which was 21.

Rooks-Trotzuk says that made a huge difference in their ability to provide safe shelter from domestic abuse for those who needed it during the pandemic.

“As soon as we are able to go to 100 per cent capacity, we are excited to do that,” she said.

Rotarians did have the chance to tour the

shelter expansion during a recent virtual tour of the facility.

“It’s quite a transformation. We’ve been in that building since 1980, so it is well used, well-loved and it was past time for an expansion and some lipstick, as we say,” said RooksTrotzuk.

She noted the donor wall is ideally located in a kids’ play area and features a fun seek-andfind game.

“It’s a pretty cool addition to our children’s program,” she said.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Resident fights county mill rates

Supplied Photo

Some residents of the Hamlet of Streamstown are urging the County of Vermilion River to reduce the mill rate and high property taxes in line with residential county estate mill rates and taxes.

GEOFF LEE

WRITER

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Country living is not as free and easy as it sounds.

Just ask Veanna Challman, a resident of the Hamlet of Streamstown, population 25, in the County of Vermilion River, who is fed up paying high taxes for little to no services.

“We have no services and pay the second-highest rate in the county,” said Challman.

She’s been fighting for the past two years for the county to lower the mill rate to align with county residential subdivision rates and services.

The current mill rate in the hamlet is 7.4 versus 2.8 for residential acreages with new mill rates coming on May 11 after council approved the 2021 budget on April 13.

“We have the exact same services that an acreage estate would have except we can’t have a (septic) field s y s te m h e r e b e c a us e our lots are more like a city size lot,” said Challman.

All 11 Streamstown families are on the hook to drill their own water wells at a cost of up to $20,000.

“Our daughter didn’t even drill a well because the water is

so bad; they just haul water in from the city,” said Challman.

The Challmans have lived in Streamstown for 29 years and are on their third well.

They and their neighbours pay anywhere from $65 to $200 a month to have their sewage hauled away.

“We all knew that when we came to the country that we would have to look after our own wells and sewage, but the fact now that taxes are so high, it doesn’t make sense to me.”

Residents are also asking the county to consider dissolving the hamlet in order to get the residential subdivision tax rate.

Challman wrote a letter about the issues that was shared with the entire council and she spoke in council recently in a zoom meeting.

“We still have made no headway in getting a resolution,” she said.

A last-minute planning meeting is set for May 4 to discuss two 2021 mill rate scenarios following a discussion of tax rates at the regular all-day meeting of council on April 27.

“Always a delay. It is so frustrating,” said Challman while council was still meeting.

Director of corpo-

rate services, Viren Tailor will present council with scenarios for a zero increase in municipal taxes and a zero increase in overall taxes including school taxes etc.

Division 5 councillor Jason Stelmaschuk representing Streamstown had hoped council wou ld r ed u ce t he mill rate of Streamstown and approve a tax rebate for 201920 using the hamlet’s reserve.

Those were two motions made by Stelmaschuk at a Policy and Planning Committee meeting on April 13.

Stelmaschuk has been advocating a mill rate reduction for Rivercourse, McLaughlin and Tulliby Lake following a hamlet mill rate report to council.

That issue has been tabled to May 4.

“All of council wants to attract new business; we want to make sure things are treated fairly. My personal opinion is that the mill rate for Streamstown is too high,” he said prior to council.

“I’m proposing the Hamlet of Streamstown should receive the same mill rate as our multi-residential subdivisions.”

Streamstown resid ent s paid a t ot al of $14,587 in taxes in 2020 based on a total assessment of $1.9 million and a mill rate of 7.4.

Challman says she loves where she lives, but the talk is always about taxes.

“They are high for what we get here,” she said, noting the taxes on her house and granny pad topped $3,100 last year.

“Last year, my daughter paid $5,000,” she said.

Stelmaschuk says if they can reduce the tax rate even by a small amount and it can at t ract more people, there are so many benefits to the county.

“If it’s a young family with kids that adds to the school population which makes the town grow; it brings entrepreneurs in potentially to increase the tax base,” he said.

Current property assessments are down across the board in the county, making it

tough to crunch the numbers this year on

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the taxation side.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Visitor restrictions easing for those in care homes MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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Families of residents in long-term care homes and personal care homes in Saskatchewan will soon be able to safely spend more time together, thanks to the COVID-19 vaccination program.

Starting today, longterm care and personal care homes will be able to welcome an unlimited number of family

members or support people, two at a time, to visit fully vaccinated residents if at least 90 per cent of residents have been fully vaccinated and three weeks have elapsed since the last second dose vaccinations.

These homes will also be able to allow up to four family members or support people to visit outdoors.

Fully vaccinated res-

BUILDING OR RENOVATING? We have it all!

idents who go on outings will no longer be required to quarantine upon their return to a home.

“

This gradual, cautious approach will help keep residents safe, while allowing them muchneeded contact with their loved ones.

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of residents and staff in our long-term care homes and personal care homes,” said Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley.

“This gradual, cautious approach will help keep residents safe, while allowing them much-needed contact with their loved ones.”

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) will notify long-term care homes when they are eligible to ease visitor restrictions.

Personal care homes

File Photo are responsible for aligning themselves with the same operational policies as the SHA, and must be able to verify that they meet the requirements.

Family and support persons visit ing will still have to follow public health guidelines on masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene, routine testing and temperature screening.

Fully vaccinated resi-

dents must abide by all public health measures in place if they leave a care home, including current restrictions on indoor and outdoor gatherings.

SHA Medical Health Officers will have discretion to maintain restrictions, even if the thresholds are met.

They will consider the local context, including the level of community transmis-

sion and the number of cases within a home.

There are almost 160 long-term care homes and about 250 personal care homes in Saskatchewan.

Other jurisdictions across Canada have introduced or are considering gradual changes to visitor restrictions/family presence in long-term care homes and acute care facilities.

Streamstown resident fighting mill rates

Hardwood, laminate, carpet, tile, luxury vinyl plank, lino and all types of natural stone. Installation available.

We are also an ICC member for insurance claims.

FROM PAGE 3

2501 - 50 Ave., Lloydminster (306) 825-7847

A r evised lower mu nicipal tax revenue of $24.7 million for 2021 does show a potential lower mill rate of 5.9 for Streamstown with a total property tax bill of $10,021.

Stelmaschuk also proposed using $8,991 from Streamtown’s $108,000 reserve fund to provide a tax rebate for 2019-20 for Streamstown along with Rivercourse, McLaughlin and Tulliby Lake, Council, however, ended up

“

We all knew that when we came to the country that we would have to look after our own wells and sewage, but the fact now that taxes are so high, it doesn’t make sense to me.

defeating a motion for a oneyear 2020 tax rebate for Streamstown while leaving the other

hamlets out of the discussion.

Stelmaschuk also notes it’s up to council to ask the province for Streamstown to dissolve any hamlet, but he favours keeping Streamstown’s status with a change to the lower residential subdivision mill rate.

“You could potentially have a commercial business, but if you change your status to an acreage subdivision, it greatly reduces the ability of a different type of business development,” he explained.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Kids make a world of difference

Geoff Lee Meridian Source

A Grade 2 class at Barr Colony School, taught by Christine Popowich, doubled down with an Earth Day and pre-Pitch-in Week cleanup of the east end of the schoolyard last week.

GEOFF LEE

WRITER

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Grade 2 students at Barr Colony School put their Earth Day lessons to the test during a fun day of collecting schoolyard trash in advance of Pitch-in Week.

The cleanup took place under the direction of teacher Christine Popowich as an outdoor Earth Day exercise on April 22, with Pitch-in Week underway until May 2.

“Our Grade 2s are actually wrapping up Pitch-in Week with celebrating Earth Day,” said Popowich.

“They’re going around; we’re trying to pick up some garbage; things that don’t belong on the ground.”

Popowich handed each kid a pair of gloves and some garbage bags with instructions to go around and work with their classmates to pick up garbage.

Her class was assigned to pick up trash along the east side fence with other grade levels given their own designated area and time slot to pitch in.

“Some people have

Supplied Photo

Ashlee Foster’s Grade 7 from St. Joseph’s Elementary School also took part in Pitch-In Week activities this week with some schoolyard cleaning, as well as a Zoom call with Mayor Gerald Aalbers.

done it through the week, we chose to do it on Earth Day,” said Popowich.

“We’ve been learning about Earth Day and in science; we’re doing air and water. It actually goes along with our curriculum.”

Popowich says the kids get to run around, enjoy some fresh air and do some helpful things to clean up around the school.

“Afterwards, they will get a little treat for their effort,” she said.

It looked like fun for students, including little Anaya, who was very mindful of what Popowich taught her class about Earth Day. “We learned that we need to keep the Earth clean because this is the only planet that has water and air,” she said.

Her classmate, Cruz, took a moment to explain what he knew about the value of Earth Day. “You have to clean the planet and make sure there’s no plastic,

like, a lot of garbage around,” he said.

Mother Nature, however, didn’t cooperate with a definite chill in the air on the planet’s special day.

“We should have done this yesterday, but today is Earth Day and we wanted to celebrate Earth by doing a little bit of clean up using our hands and helping the environment,” said Popowich.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Four Lloyd businesses finalists GEOFF LEE

WRITER

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The Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to see four Lloydminster businesses on the list of 52 finalists for the 2021 Alberta Business Awards of Distinction (ABAD).

The ABADS are held annually in celebration of the best of Alberta business by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce.

Home Hardware, Lloydminster and District Co-op, To The Core Pilates & Nutrition and Bioclean Disaster Services were chosen by judges among 270 submissions in 13 different award categories.

The finalists were named on April 23 with the category winners to be announced in a virtual ceremony on June 25.

“On behalf of the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce, we would like to congratulate all

the nominees and thank them for their continued contributions and support to better the communities they live in,” said Serena Sjodin, executive director, Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce, in a sameday news release.

“

We are so proud of our team and their ability to provide excellent customer service throughout the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic.

To The Core Pilates is up for a health and wellness award and Bioclean Disaster Services is competing for a small business award.

The Lloyd Co-op is vying for a diversity award while Home Hardware is in the run-

PITCH-IN WEEK FROM PAGE 3

Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers officially kicked off Pitch-In Week and the importance of proper trash, organics and recycling disposal in a virtual session with a Grade 7 class at St. Joseph Elementary School on Monday.

The City of Lloydminster dis-

ning for a customer service award.

Home Hardware issued its very own news release to share the achievement with customers.

“We are so proud of our team and their ability to provide excellent customer service throughout the everchanging circumstances of the pandemic,” said store co-owner, Tasha Hilderman.

“This past year has been a challenging one and we have been honoured to serve our community and ensure our customers felt safe and supported.”

A total of 11 Lloydminster companies were on the list of nominees.

Integra Engineering Ltd. is the last Lloydminster company to win an ABAD in 2016.

They captured an Employer of Youth Award of Distinction in partnership with the Government of Alberta.

tributed some free clean-up kits in advance to help residents pick up litter, sweep sidewalks and other cleaning measures within their properties and nearby community spaces during the week.

The kits included garbage bags, gloves, a non-puncture container and tongs and colouring pages for kids.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Hunters angling for fall draw GEOFF LEE

WRITER

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Members of the Lloydminster and District Fish and Game Association are keeping their powder dry for a fall hunt while wetting a line for spring fishing.

Saskatchewan’s big game draw opens on May 1 with spring fishing opening from May 5 to 15 starting in the southern zone covering the Lloydminster area.

“We like this time of year all the time,” said the organization’s president, Dwayne Davison.

He has his own sights on a draw for mule deer and moose in the local 45 West zone that includes North Battleford.

“I got my elk draw last year. My kids will be putting in for elk and moose. They got their mule deer here last year also,” said Davison.

In 2020, the Ministry of Environment received almost 115,00

total applications and they anticipate another busy year.

“Game populations in many areas have been doing very well,” said Environment Minister Warren Kaeding in a news release on April 26.

“This means that there will be increased hunting opportunities for elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer in certain zones.”

Davison, however; says that’s debatable depending on what zone you are in.

“Our own experience with our club members is, 45 West, depending on where you are, the deer populations are under what they have been for the last several years,” he said.

He says the most popular game in the zone is moose and deer, both white-tail and mule deer and elk.

“I guess one of the other species of interest

is antelope, but that’s in the southern area of the province,” said Davison.

Draws for several species receive a high number of applications compared to the number of licences available.

In these cases, the odds of being drawn will be low, even for applications in the top priority pool.

“It’s amazing how many people put in for the same draw in the same zone. In some, there’s over 1,000 applications for possibly less than 90 licences,” said Davison.

“The chance of getting drawn is better than most lotteries, but it’s still a lot of people out of the amount they put in.”

Davison says the hunting community is large is Saskatchewan and generates a lot of revenue for the government and businesses despite COVID-19 that kept U.S. hunters out of

the fall hunt.

“Even so, the fishing and hunting community was very strong last year even without the American aspect,” said Davison.

Hunters who are concerned about being unable to hunt because of the pandemic may wish to consider submitting a Zone 99 application.

This allows the applicant to maintain their pool status without being drawn for a licence.

Hunters have until 11:59 p.m. on May 25 to submit their online applications.

Those who miss the boat locally can turn to fishing.

“There’s always the fishing element with our group and we’re looking forward to getting out on the soft (open) water. We just finished off the hard water (ice) at the end of March,” said Davison.

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File Photo Despite the pandemic, membership of anglers and hunters is on track with last year’s record enrolment of 1657 members compared to just 1508 in 2019.

Davison cites having an indoor and outdoor gun range for maintaining membership momentum.

In addition, he says smaller branches in Alberta and Saskatch-

ewan are not getting to meet as much or doing Zoom-type meetings.

“Our Lloyd branch, we’re actually being doing Zoom meetings for over a year now with more activities planned,” he said.

“We still have plans to do the youth activity day at the end of June but that will totally be dictated by what the COVID regulations are.”

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

City enters facility use agreement with college MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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Students at Lakeland College will now be able to exercise for less after city council directed administration to enter a three-year Facility Use Agreement with the college during Monday’s regular meeting of council.

In 2015, Lakeland College and the City of Lloydminster entered into an agreement, which allowed full-time students at the Lloydminster campus membership access to the Servus Sports Centre and the Bioclean Aquatic Centre during the school term.

This agreement had a three-year term and has been renewed once from 2018-2021.

Administration was approached by Lake-

File Photo land College to renew the agreement for a third term from 20212024. To provide consistent agreements throughout the City, the Student Access Agreement was renamed to Facility Use Agreement.

For the 2021-2024 Lakeland College Facility Use Agreement, the proposed rates for the three-year agreement are: - 2020/2021 – $53.50 - 2021/2022 – $54.25 - 2022/2023 – $55.50 - 2023/2024 – $56.75 These proposed rates would need to be approved by City Coun-

cil as well as Lakeland College.

In addition, Lakeland College – Lloydminster Campus students pay an additional $5 fee at each facility to activate their facility memberships.

The City and Lakeland College both benefit from this agreement as the college’s full-time students are provided membership and access to the City’s facilities, providing users who may not take part in physical activity an opportunity to do so at a discounted rate through this agreement.

ASL Paving Ltd. awarded sewer replacement contract MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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On Monday, Lloydminster City Council awarded the 2021 Water Sewer Replacement Supplemental Program – Construction Contractor to ASL Paving Ltd. of Lloydminster, Sask. in the amount of $390,435.45, excluding GST, and a contingency allowance of 15 per cent in the amount of $59,000, excluding GST, to be allocated from the 2021 Capital Budget.

As presented at the March 8 Regular Council Meeting, the Water and Sewer Replacement Program (WSRP) is an annual program intended for replacing and upgrading ageing municipal infrastructure.

Due to project efficiencies and favourable unit pricing received during the tendering process for the 2021 WSRP, a larger than anticipated portion of the approved Capital Budget was remaining. As such, in conjunction with the 2021 WSRP award, Administration proposed to complete a supplementary replacement program associated with an emergency sanitary sewer main repair in another area of the City.

The 2021 Water and Sewer Replacement Supplemental Program will consist of sanitary sewer main rehabilitation and surface work construction along 48 Ave. between 42 St. and 43 St. along a section of sanitary sewer

main that has become obstructed and can no longer be serviced.

The 2021 Water and Sewer Replacement Supplemental Program comprises of the following upgrades: - The replacement of existing vitreous clay tile sanitary sewer main including service reconnections; - Complete concrete curb and gutter and miscellaneous concrete sidewalk replacements; and, - The complete re-construction of 48 Ave. between 42 St. and 43 St. The 2021 Water and Sewer Replacement Program (Project No. 2113601) has an approved budget of $2,900,000.

The Construction Costs associated with the 50 Street project, as shown below, were approved and awarded at the March 8Regular Council Meeting.

The anticipated costs associated with the project have been allocated as follows:

Thursday, April 29, 2021

City releases 2020 Report to Community MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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Lloydminster City Council had a first look at the 2020 Report to the Community during the regular meeting of council on Monday.

The 2020 Report to the Community focuses on the City of Lloydminster’s response to the many operational challenges resulting from the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020.

The 36-page report also outlines the municipality’s progress on several key capital projects, including the City’s new $80-million wastewater treatment

plant, a new home for the museum and archives, in addition to major infrastructure improvements and economic initiatives.

Resident-submitted photography and a special tribute to former mayor and councillor Ken Baker, who passed away in November 2020, are also included.

The publication also provides summaries and statistics from key City service areas, including: - Governance - Finance - Development and Growth - Parks, Recreation

and Culture - Social Programs and Services The 2020 Report to the Community, and an archive of previous reports, may be viewed online at Lloydminster. ca/communityreports.

Onion Lake RCMP investigating fatal hit and run MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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On April 25, Onion Lake RCMP received a call that a person had been struck by a vehicle in front of a residence on Chief Taylor road on the Onion Lake Cree Nation.

Police and Emergency Medical Services attended and found the victim was deceased at the scene.

The victim, a 13-yearold youth, had been operating a dirt bike when he was hit by a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle failed to remain at the scene, but was later located at a resi-

File Photo dence in the community.

Courtney Cook, a 28-year-old male from the Onion Lake Cree Nation is charged with: - 1 count, Failure to stop after accident causing death, Section 320.16(3), Criminal Code - 2 counts, Operation of a motor vehicle

while impaired, Section 320.14(3), Criminal Code Courtney Cook remains in custody and appeared in the Lloydminster Provincial court on April 27.

The family of the deceased has been notified and the investigation is ongoing.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

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PAGE 10 Thursday, April 29, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Viewpoint Lloyd RCMP receive Smile Card in mail

5921-50 Avenue, Lloydminster, SK S9V 2A4 Phone: 306-825-5111 Toll Free: 1-800-327-3899 Fax: 306-825-5147 meridiansource.ca Mail: Box 2454, Lloydminster, SK S9V 1W5 Hours: 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday THE MERIDIAN SOURCE is published once a week, on Thursday.

All material printed in the Meridian Source is copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. The Meridian Source reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertising or editorial material at its discretion.

Columns and letters are the expressed view of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Meridian Source.

Editor Taylor Weaver taylor@meridiansource.ca

Staff Writer Geoff Lee geoff@meridiansource.ca

Marketing Manager Deanna Wandler deanna@meridiansource.ca

T

he Lloydminster RCMP received a heartwarming postcard in the mail this month, and members made a special visit to the young man who sent it.

As a way to spread cheer during this challenging year of COVID, Canada Post delivered more than 13 million pre-paid postcards with the intent that residents could send a free postcard to share positive messages

and stay connected.

A young man named Patrick chose to send his postcard with a wonderfully-written positive message to the Lloydminster RCMP Detachment.

RCMP officers enjoyed receiving this “Smile” in the mail and decided to make a special visit to Patrick. During the RCMP’s visit, Patrick told Const. Melanie Flynn that he wants to become an RCMP officer when

he grows up.

It was clear to Const. Flynn that Patrick will make a great police officer as he asked lots of questions and showed a lot of interest in the police vehicle and equipment, which he had a chance to explore.

Patrick’s postcard means the world to the Lloydminster RCMP, and officers are always happy to hear from young aspiring police officers.

Ages expanding for vaccination in Sask Marketing Consultant Ashley Miazga ashley@meridiansource.ca

Publisher: Reid Keebaugh Production Manager: Amanda Richard CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING admin@meridiansource.ca NEWSPAPER DELIVERY If you’ve missed a paper, to start or stop delivery, or for carrier applications, please call 306-825-5111 for information.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome letters to the editor. Letters should be 500 words or less. A name and daytime phone number is required for verification.

Priority will be given to letters exclusively written for the Meridian Source. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, spelling, grammar, punctuation and libel. Unsigned letters will not be published. Use of pseudonyms will only be allowed in special circumstances, at the discretion of the editor and the publisher, and only if the author’s identity is known to the editor. Publication of a letter does not imply endorsement by the Meridian Source. Send to taylor@meridiansource.ca

2017

T

he eligible age ranges for booking COVID 19 vaccinations is lowering incrementally through the week.

Beginning Wednesday April 28 the eligible age will include individuals 42 years and older across the province and anyone 30 years and older in the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District.

Effective Friday, April 30 the eligibility will lower again to age 40 and all eligible workers who have been identified as priority.

“We know Saskatchewan has been leading the country in vaccination rates per capita,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said.

“We are limited by our vaccine supply but as larger volumes of vaccine arrives we are taking an aggressive approach to getting

shots in the arms of as many residents as possible as quickly as possible.”

The additional priority workers include police, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, public health inspectors, teachers and educational staff working with students, and all previously identified frontline health care workers.

Individuals eligible

for priority vaccination need to provide proof of employment through a letter from their employer, a paystub no older than March 1, or a copy of their professional license.

Appointments for priority workers will need to be made by telephone at 1-833-SaskVax (1-833-727-5829).

Proof of employment will need to be shown at the time of the vac-

cination. Vaccination appointments for newly eligible age categories can be booked online at www.Saskatchewan.ca/ covid19.

People who do not have a cell phone, email account or need assistance can book by telephone.

Appointments may also be booked at a pharmacy participating in the vaccination delivery.

PAGE 11 Thursday, April 29, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Opinion

Leeway from Lloyd: Fed budget a black hole STAFF WRITER GEOFF LEE

It’s hard to wrap your head around the federal government debt that will double from $721 billion before the pandemic to more than $1.4 trillion by 2026.

A trillion is a thousand billion or a million, million with 12 zeroes: 1,000,000,000,000. A $1.4 trillion debt is insane and we the taxpayers are on the hook for the drunken sailors in Ottawa who have put us in a hole.

By contrast, so far today, I have spent $3.44 at Tim Hortons with no other purchases planned. I have no plans either to spend $1 million to buy drinks on the house for all Canadians.

Why can’t the federal government be as smart as I am and try to live within its means?

Better yet, why don’t they follow the example of municipalities like Lloydminster that are mandated to balance the budget each year?

The only debt they are allowed to incur is debenture borrowing with a fixed repayment term for capital projects like wastewater treatment plants etc.

The federal deficit for the fiscal year that just ended is about $354.2 billion and is projected to drop to $154.7B in the current 2021-22 fiscal year with $101.4B in economic stimulus spending.

Ottawa hopes the spending will drive enough growth to reduce the deficit. It’s the ‘count your chickens before they hatch’ plan.

Their shotgun approach to spending on everything doesn’t do any sector much good.

A planned $2.5 billion for lowincome housing, for example, comes down to nickels and dimes for Lloydminster when the funds are distributed to all 10 provinces and three territories.

They should give most of the money to small and large businesses that were forced to close due to the pandemic because all levels of government forced them to close.

Small business is the engine of

economic recovery and it needs a major financial refuelling.

The Liberals got into a habit of spending like shopaholics during COVID-19, but now they need to sober up and invest selectively.

That means getting the best return on investment instead of vote-seeking on the taxpayers’ dime.

File Photo Memo to Feds: It will take me over 40,697,674,418.6 years to rack up a $1.4 trillion debt at Tim Hortons at $3.44 a day!

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

J&R reinventing business, adds NAPA AUTOPRO service TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

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J&R Automotive Service and Performance Center officially moved into their new shop, located at 5006 60 St, Lloydminster Alta., in December and are quite liking their new digs, and what they are now able to offer their clients.

“With the new building, we are now the NAPA AUTOPRO repair centre, and what that comes with, the biggest part of it is, a 24-month, 40,000 km nation-wide warranty,” said J&R’s service manager Terry Black.

“So, if we fix you up today and something happens to that part

“

We still have that persona that we’re the diesel guys, and we are trying to change that persona.

that we put on, and you’re on the other side of Canada, you just have to call their 800 number and they’ll get you into the nearest shop and get you back on the road.

“That’s peace of mind for us, which is one of the reasons we signed up for it.”

J&R was located on Highway 17 just north of the tracks for roughly 15 years, and with the

J&R Automotive Service and Performance Center is now located at 5006 60 St. in Lloydminster. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source new shop, comes new changes.

“We still have that persona that we’re the

diesel guys, and we are trying to change that persona,” said Black.

“People might think

that we service the diesel trucks here and the wife’s car is down the road at another shop,

and we’re trying to change that.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Thursday, April 29, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

New location, new services, twice the lifts

File Photo FROM PAGE 12

“New vehicles, old vehicles, diesel, gas, full maintenance, we do it all,” he said.

Black also noted J&R is currently working to offer a service that allows them to work on brand-new

vehicles while maintaining the manufacture’s warranty.

“We still have some meetings to do, but

with this program, you won’t have to take the vehicle to the dealer for maintenance; the oil changes, the drive-

line services.”

Not only did J&R gain the value of the NAPA AUTOPRO programs, they also doubled the numbers of vehicle hoists in the shop.

“We basically hit a wall and it came down to the efficiency of the shop. At the old location we had five hoists and five guys working, so we doubled our hoist capacity with 10 total,” said Black.

“If we had a vehicle come in and we’re waiting on parts, it ties up the technician and we’d have to pull the truck out. At least now every tech has two bays so we don’t have to shuffle vehicles. It’s a

lot more efficient.”

Despite the struggles many residents have felt throughout the last year in regards to the COVID pandemic, Black noted things are still progressing for J&R. “We did have a move in there, and it kind of slowed down a bit, but people are still driving, still breaking down, and still needing to look after their vehicles,” he said.

“We’ve taken all of the necessary precautions with masks, sanitizer, and wiping down vehicles as they come in and go out of the shop. “ We ’r e j u st r o l l i ng with the punches in this new norm.”

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

15

Ward Tirecraft, pushing through a pandemic, keeping drivers safe TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

..................................

For Bart Prochera, owner and manager of Ward Tirecraft in Lloydminster, three things that are certain in life are death, taxes, and the fact a pandemic won’t keep drivers from needing their vehicles serviced.

“Last year when COVID came in, we shut right now because nobody knew what was going on, but then as it started warming up a bit, it got super busy with people coming in and changing from winter to summer tires last April, which was great,” he said.

“Then in May we started getting really busy with farming. With

June, July and August we were pretty steady here in regards with summer activities happening. There wasn’t much to do in regards to sports or car shows because they all shut down, but we kept pretty steady business, which was I was happy about.”

Prochera also noted with the oil patch being as slow as it was throughout the last year, those big trucks and trailers he was used to seeing were much more scarce.

“October came and we got that early snow fall, so everybody started switching over from summer to winter and we continued right through,” he said.

The quiet months

for Prochera are typically December through February, but with weather changing again in March and the lack

of snow, the winter to summer change overs happened sooner earlier than usual.

“There’s still new

products coming out from Cooper and Toyo Tires. People are still driving their vehicles and need mechanical

work done, need work done on their tires, and we’ve been pretty steady.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

Planing for tomorrow with unknown factors FROM PAGE 15

Being in business for as long as he has been, Prochera knows all about the ups and downs of the economy, but with a pandemic, it’s even more difficult to plan for the future.

“Because of everything that happened last year I had to downsize on some staff, but the basic staff I had, I kept everybody,” he said.

“I would have liked to have kept everybody, but the economy said no,” he said.

“As a business owner, it was very difficult to have to lay people off.

“You feel sorry for people that are getting laid off, or can’t

find work because no one else is hiring, but you have to think of the business and you have to think of what’s going to be coming the next day.

“You really can’t plan for the future because there’s changes every day, so you have to take it on a day-to-day basis, which is very tough.”

As is the case with running a business during a pandemic, Prochera has had to adapt to keep the wheels turning, but the bread and butter ag services have also helped keep things moving forward.

“We do the selling of the new tires, putting them on, and I have

three mobile units that can do servicing in the field,” he said. “We do everything from the smallest tire to the biggest tire. We do construction, passenger/light truck, journeyman mechanic, so we do all of the mechanical work,” he said.

“Before COVID I had two full-time journeyman mechanics, but I had to let one of them go; hopefully this year picks up a little more and I can have two journeyman mechanics back.”

Tire Craft has been a staple in the Border City since 1997 and has been under the direction of Prochera for the past 19 years.

Tesla charging into the future

Supplied Photo

Tesla plans to build one of its supercharging stations in North Battleford in Q4 2021 as this rendering shows. Tesla also has plans to build one in Lloydminster in the future. Owners of electric vehicles in Saskatchewan will have to pay a $150 annual tax introduced in the 2021-22 Saskatchewan budget. The tax for road maintenance takes effect on Oct. 1.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

What’s for dinner?

File Photo

WHISPERS OF THE PAST SANDRA L. BROWN

Restaurants in one form or another have been around since folks realized travellers needed a source of sustenance and others desired an evening off from cooking.

Traditionally, savoury pioneer meals in sitdown restaurants were home-cooked and generously served up in a relaxed atmosphere.

This was gradually interchanged with the fast-food concept.

The initial concept of fast food is traced back to Britain appropriately enough with their fish and chip shops circa the 1860s.

Typically, this popular type of highly processed cuisine is relatively inexpensive, mass-produced and is convenient for the consumer.

Franchising chains began and the foodservice industry experienced progressive changes.

With an emphasis on “speed of service” it wasn’t until 1951, the term fast food appeared in the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Pioneered in the United States (1930s), the drive-through service model soon spread to other countries. As automobiles became more popular and

affordable, drive-in restaurants were introduced.

Sellers Dairy Freez (1954) started as an ice cream and milkshake stand with three staff.

A year later they moved in order to expand and now had a staff of 22.

Car hop service was added six years later.

Each year of operation, new products enhanced the menu including fish and chips, the now-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken, Buckeye Root Beer and Pizza Burgers.

They maintained a high standard of service and quality which became a status symbol.

Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken with its secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices sold his original Kentucky restaurant in 1956 and went on the road to signup new franchisees. He visited Lloydminster several times to check on his local franchise.

The new Royal Hotel and Cafe was built in 1929 by Maw Whaw and five other associates.

It was later sold in 1944 and the building was expanded.

Meal options were gradually added to the menu.

The Royal Café offered the finest dining including the trademarked Broasted Chicken and a varied menu of eating delights.

Broasted chicken is first marinated in a propriety recipe, coated and then pressure fried.

The result is a tantalizing mix of crunchy textures on the outside and a moist tender meat inside.

Esso Eats was a coffee shop one mile west of town on Highway 16 which specialized in full course meals with home-cooked flavour.

Open 24-hours-aday with lots of parking available; an assortment of tobaccos, cigarettes, confectionery and soft drinks were also sold.

Customers were encouraged to watch for the Esso Lunch sign (1955).

In the opposite direction, one mile east of town a restaurant called Chicken-in-theRuff sold a variety of chicken-based meals.

Customers raved over its namesake meal and their chicken-in-thebasket.

A dining room special during the 1955 Jubilee celebration included “fried chicken with all th e tri mmi ngs and a dessert of delicious soft ice cream.”

Most folks are familiar with the timeless question, “What’s for dinner?” Lloydminster has its fair share of restaurants to choose from as well as a well-seasoned history of businesses in this service industry.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Free materials for the taking MIDWEST MINUTE VERN McCLELLAND

I was out putting up signs on some new listings today north of the Saskatchewan River and drove by some pastureland with a significant number of stones on the surface.

Just down the road were two houses, both two storeys high, built with rock walls.

You just have to admire craftsmen w h o have t h e abil it y to use what is at hand to make homes, which obviously have served several generations already.

When I was growing up, we had neighbours whose house was poplar log, chinked with moss, and covered with a whitewashed mud and straw stucco, both inside and out.

Again, they were surrounded by white pop-

lar growing tall and straight in lighter quality soil; both of which contributed to the construction.

When we built our first house on the farm in 1980, there was no Redi-mix concrete supplier nearby, so I hired a mason to place our concrete block basement walls.

The first thing we did was tour some adjacent pastures with him to find the perfect sand to mix mortar with.

That foundation is as solid today as it was 40 years ago.

Readers of this column will know I am a big fan of repurposing materials, whether it be scrap metal, lumber, or other items.

A friend is contemplating building a sunroom on his lake cabin and found a suitable supply of windows at a bargain price taken out of structure during

someone’s renovation.

They may have been a little drafty where they were, but they will be perfect where they are going.

In my travels I have seen some nifty innovations of used materials used to build chicken houses, wood storage bins, or family sized greenhouses.

One of cutest raised flower beds I have encountered was a rusty claw foot bathtub overflowing with a multitude of blooms.

The local communities in bloom committee recycled old bicycles to support hanging baskets and placed them in strategic locations around town.

So, as we await t he ad vent of spring weather warm enough to support planting flowers and herbs, consider stepping away from the big box store versions of garden containers made in China

or Mexico, and look for something that ignites the imagination.

Send pictures and I will put them on our group’s Facebook page!

Vern McClelland is an associate broker with RE/MAX of Lloydminster and an active partner in his family’s livestock operation.

Comments on this arti-

19

File Photo cle are welcome either by emailing vernmc-

clelland@remax.net or calling 306-821-0611.

20

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Taking Hantavirus precautions in 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

..................................

The Ministry of Health is reminding

Saskatchewan residents to take precautions against Hantavirus as the weather warms up.

“The risk of contracting Hantavirus infection is currently low in Saskat che w an,” Sas-

katchewan’s Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Julie Kryzanowski said.

“However, you can

“

The risk of contracting Hantavirus infection is currently low in Saskatchewan.

get Hantavirus by breathing in contaminated airborne particles from the droppings, urine and saliva of infected deer mice.”

Hantavirus can cause a rare but potentially fatal lung illness known as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome and exposure most often occurs when cleaning up enclosed buildings, or equipment and vehicles that have been in storage for the winter.

Symptoms usually start within one to six weeks of exposure and include fever, muscle aches, cough, headaches, nausea and vomiting.

Some people develop severe symptoms that can be life threateni n g . S e e k m e d i c a l attention immediately if you have a cough, fever and shortness of breath.

To avoid exposure to Hantavirus, be aware of mouse droppings and nesting materials and take the following precautions when cleaning infested areas: • Ventilate the building by opening doors and windows for at

File Photo least 30 minutes before cleaning; • Use wet mopping methods and wear rubber or plastic gloves; • Wear goggles and a well-fitting N-95 type filter mask when cleaning areas contaminated by droppings in a confined space; • Dampen areas contaminated with rodent droppings with bleach disinfectant and remove droppings with a damp mop or cloth; • Avoid using dry cleaning methods such as dusting, sweeping, vacuuming or air-hosing; • Steam clean, shampoo or spray upholstered furniture with a detergent, disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water; and • Wash clothes and bedding with detergent in hot water.

Also, take these steps to reduce rodent

infestations: • Block openings that might allow rodents to enter a building; • Store human and animal food, water and garbage in containers with tightly-fitted lids; and • Move woodpiles or other potential hiding places for mice away from your home.

Between 1994 and 2020, 36 cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome have been reported in Saskatchewan; 12 of those cases were fatal.

For more information on Hantavirus, visit www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/ health/diseases-andconditions/hantavirus and HealthLine Online at www.healthlineonline.ca.

For advice on symptoms or when to seek care, call HealthLine 811.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

North Dakota and Sask sign agreement to vaccinate essential workers MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

..................................

Premier Scott Moe and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to vaccinate essential workers who are transporting goods across the United States and Canadian border.

Approximately 2,000 Saskatchewan residents will be eligible for the program.

“Trade with the United States is essential for the Saskatchewan economy,” said Moe. “These essential workers are crossing

the border to ensure our residents and those in the United States have access to the goods and services they need to get through this pandemic.

This extraordinary level of cooperation helps protect more Canadians at a time when vaccine availability in America exceeds that of Canada, and we thank Governor Burgum for working with our province to make this happen.”

“Protecting the health and safety of essential workers crossing our shared border with Saskatchewan, including truck driv-

ers and energy workers, is vitally important for public health, our economy and the eventual safe reopening of the border,” said Burgum. “We are grateful to Premier Moe for his partnership on this initiative, which will ensure the safe delivery of goods and services across the border and strengthen the longstanding friendly relationship between North Dakota and our northern neighbours.”

The North Dakota Department of Transportation’s rest area near Drayton, N.D.,

is currently serving as a vaccination site for truck drivers originating in Manitoba.

Saskatchewan truck drivers will be eligible for vaccination at the Drayton site starting Wednesday, April 28.

Vaccinations are available from noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

An additional vaccination site has been approved near the Saskatchewan border crossing at North Portal to vaccinate Saskatchewan truck drivers as well as essential energy workers who regularly

cross the border.

An appropriate location for this site is currently being determined and will be released in the coming days.

“The Saskatchewan Trucking Association (STA) knows how critical vaccines are to fighting COVID-19 and is pleased to see the partnership between North Dakota and Saskatchewan,” said STA Executive Director Susan Ewart.

“Providing necessary vaccines to professional drivers and oil field workers crossing the border will ensure the safety and protec-

21

tion of these workers as they continue to drive the economy.”

The North Dakota Department of Health will provide the staff and infrastructure to administer vaccinations. There will be no cost for the vaccination program to either the State of North Dakota or the Province of Saskatchewan, as the United States government provides vaccine and reimburses the cost of administering vaccine. In 2020, trade between Saskatchewan and North Dakota was valued at $2 billion.

21052GE0

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

PAGE 23 Thursday, April 29, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Sports

Lloyd’s Lopez to row varsity at Brock U “I wasn’t really super into rowing, and then COVID hit, and I loved it.”

“

They contacted me a while back and then I just started talking with them and they all seemed great to work with.

Supplied Photo

Elijah Lopez, a Grade 12 student at Holy Rosary High School, had a lot to smile about on Monday as he signed to row with the Varsity Men’s Heavyweight Brock University Badgers in St. Catherines. Ont. TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

..................................

Elijah Lopez may not have grown up as an elite rower, but the Grade 12 student at Holy Rosary High School (HRHS) isn’t what one would call a fish out of water as he recently signed to row Varsity Heavyweight with the Brock University Badgers in St. Catherines, Ont. Lopez’s success was

celebrated at HRHS on Monday morning with a signing ceremony and interviews from the media.

The Border City native can’t wait to start at Brock in the fall, and on top of his excitement related to rowing, he will also be aiming to attain a bachelor of science in Kinesiology at Brock and is looking forward to pursuing a career in

chiropractic work.

“I’m coming up close to a year now that I’ve been taking rowing seriously,” said Lopez.

“I used to play a whole lot of hockey, and when everything shut down due to COVID, I got the opportunity to do Zoom calls with the Saskatchewan High Performance team, and that’s where it all started.

Lopez also placed 7th at the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championship, held in February, and says he’s been looking forward to growing as a postsecondary athlete.

Despite the fact Lopez is relatively new to high-level competitive rowing, the Badgers actually did some headhunting to get him to where he is today.

“I was super excited.

They contacted me a while back and then I just started talking with them and they all seemed great to work with,” he said.

“They reached out to me without even knowing who I was before.

The rowing community is very tight-knit and I’m really excited to go. Getting to meet a bunch of rowers was also great.”

At Brock University, there are three areas available to the rowing team that support our training. Two of the locations, the Rowing Centre and Brock Sport Performance

Centre, are on campus.

The third, the Brock University Rowing Boat House, is located on Henley Island.

Henley is home to Martindale Pond and the world-class Royal Canadian Henley Row-

ing course.

Locally, Lopez has been training with the Lloydminster Rowing Club out of Killarney Lake, which is located just east of Sandy Beach.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

LGCC teed up for great season of golf TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

..................................

Area golfers may be shaking their heads at Mother Nature due to Tuesday night’s snowfall, but since opening day, the Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre (LGCC) has been aiming for a double eagle.

The LGCC officially welcomed golfers back on to the course on

April 17, and as Marty Wheaton, owner of Wheaton Golf Services and director of golf operations at the LGCC explained, “It was packed full on Saturday, from the very start of the day until the finish.

“We even had some walk-ons near the end of the day, and if people were just looking to play a couple of holes,

we tried to take care of them the best we could.”

Wheaton also noted that after a long winter with little to no outdoors activities planned due to COVID-19, it was exciting to welcome people back to the course.

“The driving range has also been packed, as there isn’t much else available right now, so hopefully that equates to long-term play

for people,” he said.

“We’re also not typically opened this early in the season, and the course is looking really good right now.”

The pro shop is currently opened from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. allowing four people, excluding staff, inside at one time.

The driving range also operates under additional safety measures, including limiting the number of participants to eight, san-

itizing driving range balls after every use and removing all unnecessary touchpoints.

Patrons are strongly encouraged to book a tee time online at lgcc. ca/teetime, allowing course users to book a tee time seven days in advance. Tee times, four days in advance, can be reserved by calling the Pro Shop at 306-8255494. Walk-on golfers are not permitted.

“Similar to summer

2020, the golf course will operate out of an abundance of caution and will strictly follow the public health measures outlined by the Government of Saskatchewan and health authorities,” said Joel Turcotte, director of recreation and cultural services.

Lopez looking forward to rowing in the fall FROM PAGE 23

“Out here, the rowing community is pretty small,” he said.

“My mom is actually the president of the Lloydminster Rowing Club, but it’s very small, and with COVID, they never really opened up, so it was really only me and one other athlete,

Shelby Lane, and now she goes to school in Saskatoon and rows with the Saskatoon Club, who we base all of our training off it.”

Lopez is also greatly looking forward to starting degree studies in Kinesiology, which he is hoping will lead to chiropractic work, something he’s been

interested in for quite some time.

“I’ll take and then I want to become a chiropractor,” he said.

“Just seeing how chiropractors have helped me as an athlete, I want to be able to help future athletes like that.”

Lopez thinks he’ll be in school for the next

eight years pursuing h i s d re am, w h i c h al l started in the classroom at HRHS. “I was interested in chiropractic work, but then last year I had the opportunity to take a kinesiology course, and that’s where I really found my love for it, and I’m finding it very interesting.”

Thursday, April 29, 2021

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PAGE 26 Thursday, April 29, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Agriculture

Major ag investment announced in Sask

File Photo MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

..................................

On Monday, the Government of Saskatchewan welcomed Viter-

ra’s major announcement to build a worldclass canola crush facility in Regina.

“Our Saskatchewan

producers are known worldwide for the safe, high-quality commodities that they produce. We are excited to

see the economic activity and jobs that this announcement will create for our province,” said Premier Scott Moe. “This announcement aligns with our Growth Plan goals, bringing us to our target to crush 75 per cent of the canola produced in our province at home in Saskatchewan.”

Construction on the new 2.5 million metric tonne (MMT) canola processing plant is expected to begin in early 2022 with production underway in 2024.

“This significant announcement from Viterra - a grain company with proud roots here in our province that go back nearly a century - is good news for jobs and our world-leading agriculture sector in Saskatchewan,” said Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison.

“With the most innovative growers in the world, a burgeoning agriculture value chain, and competitive business environment, Saskatchewan is poised for strong export growth in canola oil and meal in the months and years

ahead.”

“We are pleased to see that Viterra has selected Saskatchewan as the location for their new canola crush facility and we are excited for the opportunity

“

This announcement aligns with our Growth Plan goals, bringing us to our target to crush 75 per cent of the canola produced in our province at home in Saskatchewan.

this creates for our provincial economy,” added Agriculture Minister David Marit. “ In c r e a s i n g c a n o l a crush capacity in Saskatchewan will benefit both our canola producers and the innovative companies like Viterra who recognize our industry for the high-quality and reliability that we are known for around the world.”

The new Viterra canola crush plant facilitates meeting the goal in Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan to

crush 75 per cent of the canola produced in the province.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to pursue this substantial and historic investment in our asset network, which demonstrates our confidence in the future of western Canadian canola production,” Viterra CEO for North America Kyle Jeworski said.

“Through this project, we will be able to further leverage our strong relationships with farm customers and support Saskatchewan’s growth plan for expanded value-added p r o c e s s i n g c a p a c i t y .

Further, this project will have a long-lasting and positive local economic impact, both in terms of employment related to the facility’s construction and permanent employment once the plant is up and running.”

Th e ne w p l a nt w i l l also support Growth Plan goals to grow Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports to $20 billion, increase agriculture value-added revenue to $10 billion, increase the value of exports by 50 per cent and grow private capital investment in Saskatchewan to $16 billion annually.

PAGE 27 Thursday, April 29, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Careers

Coal exploration halted on Category 2 lands

File Photo MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

..................................

In response to concerns raised by Albertans, including those who participated in a recent online survey, Alberta’s government is immediately halting all coal exploration projects in Category 2 lands.

Almost 25,000 Albertans from across the province shared feedback to help inform the next steps of the coal policy engagement through an online survey from

March 29 to April 19.

An initial review of the results illustrates th at many Alb ertans have significant concerns about coal exploration. Based on this insight, the Coal Policy Committee – an independent group appointed to lead comprehensive public engagement to inform the development of a modern coal policy – has recommended to th e g o v e rn m e n t th at coal exploration in Category 2 lands be suspended.

Energy Minister Sonya Savage has directed coal companies to halt exploration. The affected companies have indicated they will cooperate with the pause.

“Thank you to the thousands of Albertans who took part in the initial survey. Your voices are being heard,” said Minister of Energy Sonya Savage.

“We are halting exploration activities in Category 2 lands because we remain steadfast in our com-

mitment to having an open and honest conversation about the long-term approach to coal development in our province.”

Preliminary analysis of the survey results indicates: - The majority of respondents feel the management of the province’s coal resources affect them.

- “Environmental impacts of coal development” and “if and where coal development takes place” were ranked by respondents as the most important issues when discussing Alberta’s coal policy.

- The majority of respondents feel there are areas of the province that are not appropriate for coal development, while almost one-third of respondents say there are areas of the province where development could be appropriate.

- Albertans would like to participate in the engagement pro-

cess through additional online surveys and virtual meetings.

- Respondents want to learn more about the approval processes for exploration and development, as well the coal categories, which dictate where and how coal leasing, exploration and development can occur.

- The majority of respondents expressed concerns about coal exploration.

- The Coal Policy Committee is continuing to review the survey results. The results will help inform the next steps in the public engagement process, with more information available in the near future.

“As promised on March 29, the Coal Policy Committee is

he re to e ngage w ith, a nd l i ste n to , Al be r tans,” said Ron Wallace, chair, Coal Policy Committee.

“We have heard clearly that halting exploration on Category 2 lands was a necessary first step to ensure that the public engagement process can continue in good faith. Our committee has made that recommendation to the minister and she has accepted it. Now that the minister has established this moratorium on exploration, we encourage all Albertans to continue to participate with our committee in the widespread public engagement over the coming months as we develop our broader policy recommendations.”

PAGE 28 Thursday, April 29, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE 306-825-5111 admin@meridansource.ca

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MISCELLANEOUS

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Obituaries & Memoriams

Church Directory

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Obituaries & Memoriams

Contact us today to place your announcement in next week’s issue Box ad......... $14.50 (Column Inch Rate) Obituaries.... 20¢ per word plus $15 to include photo $2.50 e-edition charge per issue

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

April 22 Answers

ACROSS 1. Jewish teacher 6. Obvious 11. Oak seeds 13. New cop 14. Partial return of a payment 15. Implants 16. Racetrack feature 17. Bring up 19. Place 20. Male feline 21. Data 24. Subways’ cousins 25. Feather scarf 28. Pour 29. Work by Shelley 30. Labor 31. Hen product

April 22 Answers

32. Liable 33. Dormant 34. Ladybug, e.g.

37. Faulty 40. Growl 41. Tint 44. Functional 46. Restaurant 48. Proposed explanation 49. Come into view 50. Did secretarial work 51. Totaled

DOWN 1. Few and far between 2. Some fighter pilots 3. Certain haircuts 4. Bikini part 5. Emcee’s speech, for short 6. Sky sights 7. Soft toss 8. ____ out (barely manages) 9. Military assistant 10. Remainder 12. Junction 13. Secondhand 18. Summer quencher: 2 wds.

20. Freight weight 21. Intense fury

22. Criticize 23. Pear-shaped fruit 25. Physique, briefly 26. Liquid gold 27. Ginger ____ 29. Frankly 30. No-win contest 32. Ridiculous 35. Pine or ash 36. Andes pack animal 37. Cigar end 38. Pale 39. Profound 41. Drive cattle 42. Beg 43. Watched 45. Opponent 47. Edward’s nickname

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HOME

AWESOMENESS INGENUITY EXCELLENCE

NEW LISTINGS

GUIDING YOU HOME

700 BODNAR ROAD, EVERGREEN BEACH

BRIGHTSAND LAKE

• Year round lake living in this stellar 3 bed, 2 bath raised bungalow cabin with a 10' x 30' covered deck.

• Situated on two titled lots, with a heated double detached garage. $

464,900

SK BUFFALO NARROWS

MLS A1098674

AB $352,000 MLS A1041308

SK $278,900 MLS A1041540

SK $260,000 MLS A1038735

AB $259,900 MLS LL66840

SK $175,000 MLS A1051028

AB $155,000 MLS A1016349

SK $155,000 MLS A1026036

AB $142,000 MLS A1034938

AB

• Get away from it all and build your home in the northern village of Buffalo Narrows, SK! • Two lots, priced individually with power service on the property. $

SK SK

49,000 Each

MLS A1098112 MLS A1098129

NEW PRICES

AB $238,000 MLS A1070516

3315-51 Ave. 5675-43 St. 3009-57A Ave. 2917-51 Ave. 5207-47 St. 4605-56 Ave. 5101-18 St. 6802-42 St. 6608-42 St. 5225-50 St. 1312-55 Ave.

SMALL TOWN VALUE

AB $119,500 MLS A1071407

RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES

ALBERTA 1 bed, 1 bath 1 bed, 1 bath 1 bed, 1 bath 2 bed, 1 bath 2 bed, 1 bath 3 bed, 1 bath 2 bed, 2 bath 2 bed, 2 bath 2 bed, 2 bath 4 bed, 2 bath 3 bed, 2 bath

$675 $700 $850 $900 $900 $1000 $1000 $1100 $1100 $1400 $1500

PARADISE VALLEY

PARADISE HILL

ST. WALBURG

SK $324,900 MLS A1054174

SK $295,000 MLS A1031597

AB $225,000 MLS A1009058

PARADISE HILL

MAIDSTONE

ST. WALBURG

SK $214,500 MLS LL66537

SK $210,000 MLS A1058425

PENDING

READY! READY! READY! READY! MAY 1st READY! READY! READY! MAY 1st READY! READY!

139,900 MLS LL66629

$

INDOOR POOL

SK

85,000 MLS A1093542

$

COMMERCIAL LEASE SPACES DOWNTOWN

MERIDIAN PLAZA

PLAZA 44

AB $1,050/month MLS A1088633

AB $15.00/sq. ft. MLS A1044600

AB $14.50/sq. ft. MLS A1093741

PLAZA 44

PLAZA 44

PLAZA 51

SASKATCHEWAN

4724-40 St. 4513-32 St. 4008-41 Ave. 4405-32 St.

2 bed, 1 bath 4 bed, 2 bath 3 bed, 2 bath 3 bed, 2 bath

$850 MAY 1st $1100 MAY 1st $1250 READY! $1300 READY!

APPLY ONLINE TODAY coldwellbankercitysiderealty.com

UNITS 1 & 2 UNIT 6

AB $12.50/sq. ft. MLS A1092196

AB $9.50/sq. ft. MLS A1093711

Brad Gilbert Jennifer Gilbert Broker/Owner Associate Broker

AB

MLS A1056129 MLS A1056182

7.50/sq. ft.

$

Rick Schesnuk Realtor®

Caleb McLean Realtor®

Each office is independently owned & operated.

3812 - 51 Avenue, Lloydminster, AB T9V 3M7 Sandy Hardy Realtor®

Judy Bexson Realtor®

www.coldwellbankercitysiderealty.com

780-875-3343

facebook.com/coldwellbankercitysiderealty

instagram.com/coldwellbankercitysiderealty