Meridian Source - March 18, 2021 by Meridian Source

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Thursday, March 18, 2021

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VOLUME 3 I ISSUE 38 SEE PAGES 15-34 FOR OUR 2021 AGRICULTURE WEEK FEATURE

Mount Joy rolls out Magic Carpet auction GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Mount Joy Snow Resort is on a Magic Carpet ride this week. A silent auction is underway to raise about $8,000 as the official kickoff of the resort’s Project Magic Carpet fundraising campaign for a conveyor lift. “We’ve got everything from Easter baskets to tool sets to hockey jerseys to work lights —we’ve got everything,” said resort board member and auction organizer, Shelley Tatro, at the hill last Saturday. “I am 100 per cent surprised by the support. Everyone has been awesome and we’ve still got stuff being added to it.” Tatro says the Magic Carpet is going to be awesome, but it comes with big price tag. “It’s roughly between $300,000 to $400,000, but we’re starting now. It’s probably not going to happen next year, but hopefully in the next year or two,” she said.

Geoff Lee Meridian Source

Gabe Wennekamp pulls off a grab move on a snowboard-cross course on Saturday at Mount Joy Snow Resort. The course was set up for a Sunday Fun Day, sponsored the Rotary Club of Lloydminster and Border City Rotary.

The auction runs until March 19 at 9 p.m. following the

resort’s annual steak night dinner at the Lloydminster Golf and

Curing Club with Harvest to Home catering to it.

Tickets are available for $25 a person online at Mount Joy or from

any board member and Exhaust Masters. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Mount Joy hopeful for conveyor lift

Photo by Geoff Lee FROM PAGE 3

Resort president, Chris Bogue, says they are also going after a couple of larger grants to go towards the purchase of the new lift. Letters of support are flowing in for a grant application to the $650,000 legacy fund from the 2019 Alberta Winter Games for nonprofit sports and community organizations. Bogue says when they get the new lift, it will come with a lot of dirt moving to install it. “We have to re-contour our bunny hill and lower that pitch down to about eight to 12 degrees. It’s definitely too steep for a Magic Carpet itself,” he explained. The new lift is expected to have a capacity of up to 3,000 riders per hour to accommodate growth. “It’s definitely the way a lot of beginner areas are moving towards and we should get up

to speed on that,” said Bogue. Mount Joy is coming off its season finale with a Rotary sponsored Fun Day last Sunday—with one or two weeks of skiing possibly left to go in the season. “Its really snow dependent. If people come out, expect spring skiing conditions,” said Bogue. “We are really expecting to get another weekend out of it, but it’s weather dependent right now, so we will keep everybody in the loop on Facebook.” Border City Rotary and the Rotary Club of Lloydminster sponsored Fun Day to the tune of $500 each plus volunteers to help run a couple of events. “We developed snowboard cross race course at the top of the hill and then we’ll be doing a sl a l o m ra c e o n th e bunny hill,” explained Bogue. “The Rotary club is

a big part of putting it together and helping bring people out for the organization. It’s huge, it’s extra people so we can do the value-added things for the patrons.” Board member Sheldon Moore was more stoked than the kids about the work that went into the snowboard cross course. “There’s some big banks there for sure. It’s pretty exciting actually. This is the first time we’ve ever done something like that at Mount Joy,” said Moore. He noted it’s been great season as far as generating revenue for the resort goes. Bogue adds there is a really good buzz about the resort including the snow conditions and the new snowboard park they put in this season. “Everyone of our normal operating days this year has been sold out and today has been no different,” he said.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

LYC presents Border Idol night

TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

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Are you between the ages of 12-18 years old, think you have what it takes and wouldn’t mind some extra moola in your pocket? Well, boy oh boy does the Lloydminster Youth Council (LYC) have something for you. The LYC is belting at the top of their lungs in excitement as they are set to host LYC Border Idol, live from 8-10 p.m. on March 27. Want to get in on the fun? Eligible singers must attend school in Lloydminster and singers or duets are accepted, acoustic guitars may be used, but other instruments cannot be accommodated at this time. When the LYC first got started in 2015, one of their first events was a talent show at the amphitheatre at Bud Miller All Seasons Park. With the success of their inaugural talent show, each year the LYC discusses and reviews activities, campaigns and initiatives they would like to host, and year after year, a talent show or a battle of the bands always comes up. “Obviously, the last year has been a trying one for many and we haven’t had the chance to gather,” said Jessie Mann, coordinator with the LYC. “With the awesome companies in the community doing such a great job

hosting live events, we thought why not showcase local talent, share a little about the LYC and also highlight our latest mental health public service announcement with its video debut during intermission. “I get the amazing job of seeing youth in action in our city and witness their potential firsthand. This is a chance for the rest of Lloyd to see and meet our LYC members and listen to the rich youth talent from across the city,” added Mann. LYC member, Tori Rawlake, can hardly wait for next week’s

event and noted one of the reasons a singing competition was chosen was to showcase the talent in Lloydminster while getting the youth involved. “I am super excited for this upcoming event,” said Rawlake. “With COVID restrictions, we haven’t been able to host youth events since last spring. Now with lightened restrictions, we are able to tweak plans and be creative to have events like these possible. I also am excited and happy to have the Lloydminster Youth Council be back in the community doing what we love.” Watch LYC members on the Live with Kurt Price show, brought to you by The New Nissan Lloydminster on March 20, to see which acts have been successful. The LYC will also post first names and last initial on their social media platforms. “You can get involved by supporting youth talent in applying for LYC Border Idol,” said Mann. “Application forms are available on our Facebook page and the deadline for applications is Thursday, March 18 at midnight.

“Then we need as many people as possible to sit back, relax and enjoy the show and on March 27 live on Nissan’s Facebook. You can help to pump up your favourite acts by responding in the comments and encouraging others to watch and join. The selected talent will take the stage at Nissan on March 27 and Lloydminster residents can watch from the comfort of their home and join in on the voting.” Mann is also looking forward to unveiling the LYC’s newest mental health PSA during the event’s intermission. “Lloydminster is incredible at talking about the importance of mental health and creating initiatives in our community to reduce stigma and developing programming to keep us mentally well,” she said. “Our next video highlights three individuals who are struggling with stress and anxiety. Through storytelling and a unique approach, our LYC members offer tips, tricks and scientifically-based methods to help reduce stress with a reminder to help out those who may be in

PUBLIC NOTICE

Planning and Development Department Take notice that the following Development Permit Application for a proposed Discretionary Use is being reviewed in accordance with Land Use Bylaw 5-2016. Affected Address

Use

App #

2601B – 44 Avenue Lot: 79, Block: 7, Plan: 01B 14941

R1 – Single Detached Residential – Discretionary Use: Home-Based Business: Major (Creation of Balloon Arrangements & Party Supplies)

21-1807

4730 – 45 Street Lot: WT32-33, Block: 16, Plan: B1127

R4 – Medium Density Residential – Discretionary Use: Duplex Dwelling with Attached Garage

21-1804

Anyone wishing to provide written comment or make general inquiry on the proposed use may do so within the next fourteen (14) days by contacting Roxanne Shortt at the City Operations Centre (6623 – 52 Street) at 780-874-3700 Ext 2608 or by email at rshortt@lloydminster.ca. Full name and address are required for submission of valid comment(s).

lloydminster.ca

need. Disclaimer, this one is sure to be one many will relate to but

of course, the message is hopeful and helpful.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

WellWiki simplifies oil and gas data GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Project WellWiki is making it simple for landowners in the Lloydminster area to discover and identify oil and gas infrastructure on their property. The project, headed by University of Alberta professor, Joel Gehman, tracks more than 4.3 million wells in North America on their wellwiki.org website. “WellWiki is free and my goal is to make the information available to the public in ways they can use,” said Gehman, who teaches at U of A’s School of Business. WellWiki recently expanded its coverage to include more than 619,000 wells in Alberta with financial support from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation. “The goal of this initiative was to make this oil and gas well data more accessible to landowners, municipalities, and other stakeholders

throughout Alberta,” said Gehman. WellWiki, for example, shows the County of Vermilion River has more than 18,200 oil and gas wells in varying stages. The number includes 6,664 wells that are suspended (inactive but not capped or reclaimed), Gehman hopes to drive more traffic to the newly-updated site with a provincial media blitz. “We’re trying to make more people aware of it so the data is more useful,” he said. “We make municipality pages for each town and city in the province, so I thought I would start reaching out to newspapers in Alberta to see if there was any interest in it.” He says if you want to find all the wells in your town, city or country WellWiki enables that. New Advanced Well Search pages provide access to more

than 750,000 wells in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba using township coordinates, operator name, license status, and other details. Gehman’s goal is to collect and format similar data on approximately all 5.8 million wells drilled in North America since the first commercial well in 1859 in Pennsylvania. Each well has its own webpage. He launched the first version of WellWiki in 2013 with about 200,000 wells, using data he collected for other related oil and gas research he was doing for his PhD at Penn State University in 2010. He says the data are typically made available from different states and provincial regulators like the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). “To the average member of the public, it’s

pretty intimidating to try to make sense of them,” he said. Gehman says a lot of AER’s data, for example, is based on the stage of the well’s life. He notes you can get a list of all the wells that are permitted or licensed, or a list of all the wells that are drilled or spudded, or a list of all the wells that are in production. However, he says if you want to know just one thing about all the wells, or all the things about one well, that’s really hard to get the way most regulators make data available. “Most people want to know about a specific well, not all the wells in a particular phase or category,” said Gehman. “It’s kind of a reorientation of how the data is presented to the user.” Gehman gets funding from AER to hire summer interns such as one of his MBA students, Andre LeBlanc, to map

File Photo data into a format that goes into a WellWiki database. LeBlanc is currently working part-time to help Gehman reach out to media in the province. “Data transparency is important to me and I have a background in oil and gas so it was a good fit,” said LeBlanc in an email. He thinks WellWiki really makes accessing well data much easier for individuals and communities, but also researchers and people working in the industry. “There is so much data to sift through and the fact that the website

is formatted as a Wiki allows users to add to, and improve the overall knowledge base is an advantage over other well viewing tools,” said LeBlanc. He spent five years in the oil and gas industry in Alberta and says the main lesson he learned with the WellWiki project is that Albertan communities are quite engaged with the industry. “They want to have information and tools to help make decisions around land use and to empower their residents. It is great to see,” said LeBlanc.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Outdoor ice surfaces close for season

File Photo MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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The City of Lloydminster has closed all city-maintained outdoor ice surfaces as part of its seasonal closures. Effective immediately, the ice surfaces at the following locations are closed:

BORDER IDOL FROM PAGE 5

Rawlake echoed Mann’s excitement in regards to the unveiling of their newest video project and added, “I think as teens, and even adults, we often put our mental health last and ignore signs that point towards us needing a rest period,” she said. “As someone that

- Bud Miller All Seasons Park - Queen Elizabeth School - Kin-Kinette Park - Husky Oval (Servus Sports Centre) - Bishop Lloyd Middle School - Winston Churchill Elementary School - Jack Kemp Commu-

nity School - E.S. Laird Middle School - Robertson Park Retention Lakes and Ponds Reminder The City of Lloydminster cautions residents to remain clear of retention lakes and ponds. As the temperatures continue to rise,

the ice covering retention lakes and ponds will dissipate. Residents are asked to adhere to the warning signs and are urged to take extra precautions, ensuring children and pets remain a safe distance from retention lakes and ponds and other bodies of water.

struggles with anxiety myself, I think it is important for others to realize it is a good thing to make your mental health your priority. Also with the recent year, mental health is more important than ever. Videos like o urs are n e eded because it gives people methods to deal with feelings of stress and

anxiety so they can use them as tools in their everyday lives. “Also, thank you, thank you, thank you to Lloydminster Nissan. You helped our vision come to life and we are forever grateful to you for taking the time to hear us and be a part of our event.” The deadline for submissions is March 18

at midnight and late submissions will not be accepted. So, don’t miss out and audition from the comfort of your own home now. “Thanks to The New Nissan Lloydminster, Maz Entertainment and Kim Capiral with Narra Studios we are able to make something like this happen,” added Mann.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

LPSD staff shape up to feed families

Supplied Photo

Shelley Merth, an educational technology consultant at Lloydminster Public School Division, is one of many staff pedalling a bike with a smart trainer for fitness and gather food donations for school families. GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Staff at Lloydminster Public School Division (LPSD) are cycling for two main reasons and a third one for good measure on a smart trainer and bike. The Pedal for a Pur-

pose event kicked off on March 15 as a two-week fitness and charity drive to feed LPSD families in need. It’s organized by LPSD educational technology consultant Shelley Merth under the motivating motto “Pedal for a Purpose, Give to Ride and Ride to Give.’ The trainer and bike are linked to real and fictional routes on the Zwift cycling and running app prompting one more reason to ride. “Our third goal was to try to make it to Edmonton, but I think we’re going to get across the province,” said Merth. Staff amassed more than 100 kilometres on the first day of Pedal f or Pu r pose, pu t t ing the goal of crossing the province insight this coming Monday. “They’ve signed up for multiple rides which makes me think they want to do it again,” said Merth. “We sit a lot on our job, so it’s nice to get

up and do some activity during the day, so staff are using their break time to ride for a 15-minute segment.” They are using the opportunity to ask for food or monetary dona-

“

In a fifteen minute workout, you get quite a sweat going. I think people were surprised how hard it can be.

tions for LPSD families. The project is a resumption of a Pedal for a Purpose relay started at Rendell Park Elementary School nearly a year ago until COVID hit. “We got to day-six and then the schools shut down and we had to put our charity on hold,” said Merth. “I am super happy we have it back and then we hope for sure in the fall we can get it going again in all of the

schools again.” LPSD purchased two bikes and trainers with a Canadian Tire Jumpstart grant last fall. These bikes are slated to go into middle schools for an LPSD cycling league when the pandemic is over. “We’re going to put them to good use here until we can put them out to the schools,” said Merth. Queen Elizabeth is currently using a trainer and bike purchased with a Synergy grant to ride across Canada in Watopia and actual online courses. Merth is excited to be able to use the equipment herself to get ready for the outdoor riding season. “I’m a fan of this program, so we’re running Zwift and because it’s a smart trainer, as you go up the hills the resistance changes,” she said. “In a 15-minute workout, you get quite a sweat going. I think people were surprised how hard it can be.”

Vaccine booking open to ages 70+ MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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COVID-19 vaccine booking is currently available in the Lloydminster area and space

is available at clinics for those eligible to receive the vaccine. The Saskatchewan Health Authority Patient Booking System now

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includes individuals 70 years of age and older. People meeting this criteria can book their appointment online 24/7 using their health card at www.saskatchewan. ca/covid19-vaccine; or call 1-833-SASKVAX (1-833-727-5829) between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Please remember: booking online is the fastest way to make your appointment, if you are able. It only takes a few minutes. Please try booking online first before making a phone call to the booking office. Friends and family can also help you use the online tool if you need help. Thank you to everyone for not attempting to book appointments until you become eligible- this allows those who are eligible to book more easily. Your continued patience is appreciated.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Young hopes funds will fix flooding GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Lloydminster MLA Colleen Young hopes upcoming rural road infrastructure and water channel upgrades will put an end to the flooding of cropland and pastureland in her constituency. The province is advancing $11.2 million for the Rural Roads for Growth (RIRG) program, with drainage culverts being a priority need in the Lloydminster region. The funding will ensure rural municipalities such as the RMs of Wilton and Britannia get a head start on project approvals for the 2021 construction season. “There’s already been some previous applications from Wilton and Britannia as well as Frenchman Butte and the RM of Eagle Creek as well for bridges, particularly culverts in some of those areas and some roadwork,” said Young. “It’s mostly culverts

in my constituency than bridges.” The most recent intake for RIRG projects closed on Feb. 16 and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities is currently reviewing and prioritizing the applications. Young says some of the upcoming culvert work will fit well with $500,000 in funding this year from the Water Security Agency for channel clearing to help agricultural producers in the province. “Particularly up in our northwest corner around Pierceland, there are some significant issues with regards to water drainage of farmland from Ducks Unlimited sites or additional snow coverage and runoff,” she said. Young says landowners are experiencing mostly a loss of pastureland and some cropland from flooding. Channel clearing involves removing beaver dams, debris, trees

and shrubs, and the removal of silt and blow dirt from and along natural channels, lessening the possibilities of blockages that can cause flooding and damage to infrastructure. Young says the initial reason for putting dams and channels was to contain water or to drain water in the right areas, noting over the years they haven’t been well maintained. She says they need to be reworked and redone in order to keep that extra water from piling up on pastureland. “I’ve had farmers up in that area who have lost livestock because of flooded pastureland especially during calving season,” said Young. She says the improvements will ensure ranchers and farmers can continue to use their productive land to grow crops or raise cattle. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

LCHS explores ‘Mother Earth’s blanket

Geoff Lee Meridian Source

Lloyd Comp Grade 11 student, Lincoln Schwenk, fires a snow snake stick along a snow trough while learning about Indigenous winter cultural activities last week. GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Snow can save your life. That’s one of the lessons about 300 students at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School learned last week about Indigenous culture and survival skills. The week-long outdoor classroom was headed by Clint Chocan, coordinator of learning and instruction at the Lloydminster Public School Division. “Throughout the week we’ve had the teepee raising; we’ve done some quinzee building; we’ve played the snow snake game, which is from the Inuit, and some snowshoeing as well,” said Chocan. He says it’s a way to share the culture, not

only First Nations culture, but also Inuit and Metis cultures as well with some bannock making. “It was also an opportunity to teach some of the cultural beliefs that Indigenous people have with the snow covering the earth with a blanket,” said Chocan. A quinzee building, for example, is similar to an igloo used by people from the Arctic as a temporary survival shelter made from snow. Grade 11 student Chris Wiebe took a turn at digging an opening in the quinzee on the final day and was all wiser for it. “I like to be outside, who knows it might come in handy at some point,” he said. He says it was nice

to get out in the warm weather to learn about the Inuit culture and the First Nations. “We played snake stick, we went over storytelling, bannock making, it’s really nice,” he said. Chocan says the event is a part of the health and wellness program curriculum at LCHS as well as being physical education. He was assisted by Denea Bruce, coordinator of the Indigenous program and staff such as phys-ed teacher Scott Lombard who was stoked by Chocan’s acumen. “He’s very knowledgeable and providing the kids with a lot of great information about the Indigenous culture and the things they did in the winter

as far as survival and the physical activities and games that they did as well,” said Lombard. “It’s great for the kids to learn a little bit about the Indigenous culture as well.” Wiebe enjoyed playing the snow snake game himself which he described as throwing a stick onto a long snow trough with the winner having the furthest throw. Chocan says the world record is 335 feet. “After you get the hang of it you get it sliding pretty good. You just got to keep the tip up,” said Wiebe. Another Grade 11 student, Lincoln Schwenk fired one of his sticks at least 75 ft. in a team competition in front of the teepee.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Young pushing rural road culverts, water channel upgrades FROM PAGE 9

“It’s very crucial to certain parts of the province and particularly in my constituency in the northwest area where we see a lot of water,” said Young. The Water Security Agency will provide a total of $2 million for channels over two years including $1.5 million next year. “As soon as the application site opens up, RMs will be able to

apply for the areas where they need to see some channels cleaned and working properly again,” explained Young. The RIRD infrastructure program for roads and bridges has a total provincial budget of $39 million this year. The program plans to rebuild 100 roads over the next three years and 100 bridges during the next four years. A n um b er o f RIRG

grants were announced in September, including $500,000 for granular seal coats of RR 3280 and another municipal road in Wilton. Previous grants in June covered $500,000 for grading on the same RR 3280. Britannia also received $500,000 for base and sub-base work of Grid 684 from Township Road 510 to Twp Rd 512 in June. Young notes improve-

ments to Highway 21, started a year ago, will continue this season. “There are culverts involved in some of that work as well,” said Young. She notes there’s been flooding on some rural roads and secondary roads in areas where water hasn’t stayed within the channels. Young says melting snow also tends to create a challenge in the northwest and northeast

part of the province in the spring compared to the south or southwest part of the province. She says it’s mainly the older channels and dams built for drainage in the spring and for heavy rain causing water damage to some cropland and livestock pasturing. “We need to get at that and ensure the RMs have the funds in order to support their livestock and farming,”

said Young. The funding for channel and road work will also create some muchneeded jobs in the area. “As we know the government committed in its election platform, additional infrastructure dollars that will help to create job opportunities as we come out of the pandemic, so that’s how there is more work to be created for people to be employed,” said Young.

SHA warns of increased COVID cases in Lloydminster area MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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On Tuesday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) alerted the public of an increase in COVID-19 cases in the Lloydminster area. SHA is urging residents to follow public health measures and personal safety precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, including maintaining a physical distance of

two metres from others and masking when that’s not possible and in public indoor spaces, frequent hand hygiene and self-isolating if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19. In order to keep everyone in SHA facilities and care homes safe during this time, family presence/visitation has been limited to family presence Level 3 in the Lloydminster Continu-

ing Care Centre. The decision to restrict family presence is not taken lightly. These measures are in place to keep you, your loved ones, and health care workers safe. The Saskatchewan Health Authority is asking the public for their support and cooperation in order to contain the spread of the virus. Level 3 family presence restrictions

include outbreaks, and the family presence restrictions are for endof-life with the provision that care teams can support one essential family/support person to safely assist with care if needed (i.e. for selfcare, mobility, nutrition and behavioural needs). This must be

approved by the care team and includes outbreak situations. No other visitors are allowed into the specified facilities or homes at this time and these limitations will remain in place until it is safe to return to the previous level of family presence.

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PAGE 12 Thursday, March 18, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Viewpoint Leave it to Weaver

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

Marketing Consultant Ashley Miazga ashley@meridiansource.ca

Kiss me, I’m actually Irish EDITOR Taylor Weaver

Disclaimer: this is not an open invitation to come up and kiss me on the street! I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a smooch from a stranger ... but with the current pandemic, perhaps a wave would suffice. Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day. Some call it Patty’s Day or, as most North Americans know it, a great excuse to consume large quantities of green beer! But I’m not here to talk about green beer and the usual shenanigans that go along with it. No, no … today I want to talk about ancestry. Growing up, I was always under the impression I had strong Scottish blood coursing through my veins. This was probably due in part to strong influence from my dad, as I

grew up with bagpipes rattling the shutters as he would regularly practise. Bagpipes can be deafening, but they can also be beautiful. I quickly grew tired of the wail of the drones, but fast forward 20+ years and here I am playing the snare drum in two area bands. As it turns out, my dad’s no more Scottish than the haggis you buy at the grocery store close to Robbie Burns Day celebrations. He realized this after taking an ancestry test, and it turns out I have the blood of a Euro mutt in me. Irish, English and German, to be more precise. What a combination, eh? The cool part about pipe bands is it doesn’t matter where you came from or how well you can play your instrument (noncompetition bands, that is); it’s about camaraderie, meeting like-minded people with similar

interests ... and the beer gardens are always an absolute blast at highland games! For many, Patty’s Day is the exact same. You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate; it’s about having a good time and being kind to others. And, as stated in one of my favourite movies, The Boondock Saints, “It’s St. Patty’s Day, everyone’s Irish tonight.” OK, here’s where this gets interesting ... a recent conversation with my mom revealed SHE is in fact the one with Scottish blood. It turns out her grandfather, Jimmy Kincaid, was actually born in Scotland and immigrated to Canada. Thank goodness this was the case because I would really hate to go through the process of having this large family crest tattoo lasered off my shoulder! When you really boil it down, aren’t we all Euro mutts, anyways? Happy St. Patrick’s Day memories!

Through the reader’s lens

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

Mike From Canmore Submitted to the Meridian Source Thanks, Mike, for this great Super Chinook Skies photo!

2017

If you would like to see your photos in the Meridian Source, please email them to taylor@meridiansource.ca

PAGE 13 Thursday, March 18, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Opinion

Leeway from Lloyd: Vax helps to see the future STAFF WRITER GEOFF LEE

What a difference a week makes. Last week, I was fretting about the lack of official information about COVID-19 vaccinations for people like me who are over 70. This week, I got my Pfizer shot on the first day of clinics for my age group on March 15. Thanks to those seniors who called me to write about it in the first place. For sure, I was anxious to get a shot, but it felt totally liberating like I cheated death or something when it was all over. It almost made me want to jump on the “vaxication” bandwagon and get away

to celebrate my near immunity. Try and kill me now, COVID! In the back of my mind, I feared COVID, so having the shot is like shedding a huge emotional weight. I was a one-man fist-pumping party all day. The hangover came the morning after when the side effects kicked in, just like they advise you at the Wildrose Pavilion where the shots were administered. My arm w as really sore and slightly swollen where the needle went in and my muscles and joints felt stiff along while feeling tired to boot. I guess that means the vaccine works. To get the appointment, I first called the Vaccine Call Centre

1-833-727-5829, but after being told I was the 831st caller in line, I turned to online booking and got a time in a flash. In a nutshell, the system does work, although maybe not as quickly or smoothly as some like, given the life and death nature of COVID for older folks. After I got my shot, I also began thinking that once a critical mass of about 50 per cent of the population is immunized, the public won’t likely follow masking rules anymore. Like me, they will begin to think if they are immune, what is the point of carrying on the charade of social distancing and the like. It’s just human nature. I see that happening when only people

File Photo under 30 or 40 are left to get the vaccine. With all of these forecasts, I was thinking

another side effect of the vaccine is predicting the future. I recommend selecting the

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numbers 7,9,21, 28, 42 and 43 for the next Lotto 6/49. Be wiser with Pfizer.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Flashback to 1907 businesses WHISPERS OF THE PAST SANDRA L. BROWN

Lloydminster was home to a diversity of businesses in 1907. The Wallace Bakery sold fruit, soft drinks, confections, ice cream,

freshly baked pastries and superior bread. The latter being 18 loaf tickets to the dollar. Wedding and christening cakes were their specialty, although they also catered for dances. With its variety of picture postcards, Mrs. Curtis’s stationery store

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on Broadway sold magazines and up-to-date journals. Books were a special order. This business was the sole agent for Warner’s fine wallpapers and decorative goods. Interestingly, they were also an issuer for

marriage licenses. Advertised as “the oldest and best firm in the business in town”, W. Jellis, a bu ild ing contractor was located on Church Street. He offered free estimates for bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, wallpapering, signwriting and painting. For those folks who were hard to please when shopping for new spring clothes, MacLeods was the store to shop in. Their up-to-date 20th Century brand apparel was noted for its fit and finish. Suits ranged from $15-$30 for this fashionable brand. Less costly single or double-breasted suits were priced from $6-$15. South Meridian Road was valued as the best road in the district. Unfortunately, it was also being used as a dumping ground for town garbage.

File Photo The editor claimed it was the actions of one unnamed individual. A concerned taxpayer demanded action be taken by proper authority as it was a “source of danger to man and beast.” W. Johnson owned a butcher shop on Broadway and offered

folks an opportunity to economize. He acquired the best meat produced in the district which made his beef, veal and mutton absolutely golden. Referring to this meat as necessary for health, he felt the sustenance of health is wealth. CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

Thursday, March 18, 2021

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Thursday, March 18, 2021

Lloyd hungers for own agri-foods hub GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Lloydminster is well positioned as a potential regional hub in the global agri-food industry. That’s the opinion of AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. president and CEO Inc., Murad Al-Katib, who shared his how-to advice in a recent Zoom presentation to the Rotary Club of Lloydminster. Al-Katib hails from Davidson, Sask. and helped to build AGT into one of the world’s largest suppliers of value-added pulses, staple foods and food ingredients in the world. Al-Katib founded the Saskatoon-based company nearly 20 years ago, the same way he says Lloydminster can by organizing community leadership. “It’s about putting an infrastructure together with municipal, pro-

vincial and federal governments,” he said. “It’s about recognizing where we’re going with this sector. I think there will be regional nodes of processing hubs that will develop.” His presentation on Canada’s agri-food market outlook noted with the world’s population expected to rise to more than 9 billion by 2050, global food output will have to grow by 70 per cent. Al-Katib says that bodes well for the Lloydminster region with its advantage of having strong access to producers in the region. In addition, he said Lloydminster has good CN and CP rail access and is equidistant from Saskatoon and Edmonton to profit from container availability in those locations. “So I think over time, you will start to see development. Clusters

start with one project that continues to build,” he said. AGT generated $1.75 billion in sales in 2019 by diversifying in pulse crops (lentils, peas, beans and chickpeas) bulk grain handling, pulse ingredients and retail packaged foods. They export to more than 120 countries. Al-Katib says Lloydminster is eager to jump on the bandwagon for he calls the “global race to protein.” He counts Mayor Gerald Aalbers and local business leaders, Mike Sidoryk and Sydney Palmer, among the proponents for a regional agrifood sector. “Your mayor has been actively reaching out to me and Mike (Sidoryk) and others have been actively promoting,” he said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Supplied Photo A view of one of the bagging machines inside Regina Main.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

AGT CEO credits Lloyd connections

AGT FROM PAGE 16

“Business leaders like Syd Palmer have called me recently to say ‘I know it’s COVID, but don’t forget about Lloydminster. We’ve got great access to rail; we’ve got great producers and we’ve got a great business community that wants you here’,” reported Al-Katib. He says those are the ele-

“

I am encouraged by the fact there is dialogue and interest.

ments of success as Lloydminster moves forward. Al-Katib also gave a shoutout to Palmer, whom he met during his first job with the Saskatchewan government in 1995 when Palmer was an exporter of livestock and genetics living in Marsden. “Thanks, Sydney, for a lot of the things you’ve taught me over the years,” he said on Zoom. “I continue to applaud the

Lloydminster region looking at increasing your valueadded activity in both plant and animal protein. That’s very important looking at the sector going forward.” Al-Katib says Lloydminster has the potential for protein development, crop processing and renewable fuels made from canola plants. “I am encouraged by the fact there is dialogue and interest. We’ll see how things play out over the next couple of years,” he said. Aalbers thanked Al-Katib for his interest in Lloydminster and wanted to know how to get the federal government on board to support a regional agri-food processing hub. Al-Katib pointed to a federal Industry Strategy Council plan in 2020 he participated in, citing the need for agile regulations, national broadband coverage and labour force and skills development to move the yardsticks. He also says governments in Western Canada need to

stop complaining and find ways to work with the duly elected federal government of the day. “We’ve got to resist and we also have to find ways to work,” he said. Al-Katib also advocates lobbying to break down the barriers in agriculture between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Grain Commission and Health Canada. “There needs to be a growth-oriented agenda that that encourages people to launch and develop products in Canada that can be scaled and sold elsewhere,” he said. He also advises Lloydminster to grow any related businesses and not take them for granted or look for new people to come in. Al-Katib says AGT has invested $ 150 million in Saskatchewan during the last three years. “I built a new plant in Gibbons, I built a new installation in Calgary and we’re planning to do more in Western Canada,” he said.

AGT Foods President & CEO, Murad Al-Katib, pictured in front of the Regina Main plant, spoke to the Rotary Club of Lloydminster recently about his company’s operations. Supplied Photo

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Tingley’s showcases Xerion trac concept GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. The new Claas Xerion 5000 tractor won’t stay in the showroom for long. In fact, Tingley’s Harvest Center in Lloydminster had to borrow one from a customer for their third annual indoor equipment showcase at the Lloyd Ex from Feb. 23 to March 16. “We have still have another new unit available in North Battleford,” said Tingley’s general sales manager, Grant Kromrey, who also covers their Vegreville branch. “It’s a new product. We look forward to getting in the field and working with customers to prove them and showcase what they can do.” Kromrey expects the Xerion to be a hot seller with its coveted four crawler tracks and continuously variable drive train (CVT) and 534 horsepower to boot.

“The trac system is something we’ve been waiting for a couple of

years,” he said “This is the only CVT 4-wheel-drive tractor

that is on tracks.” The trac system decreases the ground

pressure and causes much less compaction and is available in tire

versions for more versatility. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Tingley’s shows off best of its products

FROM PAGE 18

“We have customers running them for all applications from field work pulling seeders, to any type of heavy field work, whether it be harrowing or tillage,” said Kromrey. The wheeled Xerion has a top road speed of 50 kilometres an hour to increase productivity going from field to field and features intuitive, ergonomic controls. We’ve used them in multiple applications from custom manure spreading to silage hauling, everything,” said Kromrey.” Tingley’s began selling the German-engineered Claas forage products a few years ago then added their combines developed in Europe for small grains. “They are developed in an area that has the same type of crops we harvest over here,” said Kromrey. “That’s why they’ve always been such a fit

for North America.” Showcase customers also took an interest in Tingley’s selection of Kubota products from tractors and balers to lawn mowers and RTVs. The dealership also sells and supports JCB products and Agrifac sprayers with a new high clearance unit, a featured product at Lloyd Ex. “It’s been a very wellreceived product. It has some of the industryleading tank capacity and boom widths,” said Kromrey. “The boom stability control system is very cutting edge.” An Agrifac specialist was scheduled to make a product presentation in the Alberta Room. “We’re looking forward to having some customers in and showing them the details of our high clearance applicator,” said Kromrey. “With COVID, we’re limited to people, but

Geoff Lee Meridian Source

This Claas Lexion 6800 straw walker combine features a pre-separator drum in front of the threshing drum. Tingley’s Harvest Centre parked it outside the LloydEx during its indoor showcase event ending March 16.

we’re able to bring in new equipment and showcase it to small groups.” It helped that the show took place with a bull sale next door on March 13. “We get to see our

customers for another reason and see how the sale progresses,” said Kromrey who valued the opportunity to support Lloyd Ex. “Lloyd Ex is an amazing society and an amazing keystone for

Lloydminster and area,” he said. The event opened the door for Tingley’s to talk about their ongoing expansion in Lloydminster. “We’re adding a large new work area, an over-

head crane and sales area with a large indoor showroom to house the Kubota line,” said Kromrey. Tingley’s also sells and supports Amazone spreaders for granular fertilizer applications.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Chase the Ace brings new life, normalcy to Ex TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

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What started out as a pre-COVID fundraiser as a means for the Lloydminster Agricultural Exhibition Association to purchase land north of the Ex now has the whole city buzzing with excitement. Lucky for the Ex, the Government of Alberta stepped up with funding for the purchase of the land. Chase the Ace has been a huge hit at the Lloyd Ex, and it’s a win-win for everyone as both hopeful winner and the Ex benefit. The weekly draw takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights and tickets are $10 each. Twenty per cent of the weekly ticket sales goes towards who’s name is drawn, 30 per cent of the weekly ticket sales goes to the jackpot, and 50 per cent of the weekly ticket sales goes to the Lloyd Ex.

“It was designed to generate $1 million in revenue, so we thought with all of the people who visit here it could snowball into a regular Wednesday night event where we could have steak supper and people could come for the live draw, and turn it into a real nice event,” said Lloyd Ex Assistant GM Jackie Tomayer. “Then COVID hit and we struggled to sell tickets to begin with. Tomayer said it wasn’t until around week 15 of the draw that things really started to take off. “Things started to take off when the jackpot hit $75,000. That really took off, and now we’re at over $125,00, and every week that jackpot grows,” she said, adding how in recent weeks the jackpot has been growing by roughly $10,000 each week. “When we first started the weekly draws we

were originally planning on serving wings and appetizers and just have a fun night before getting into bigger events like steak suppers etc,” she said. Despite public health restrictions, the Lloyd Ex has been seeing a decent turnout to recent weekly draws. “All of our tables have been full the last fews weeks, and we’re only seating what we can seat, so we’re really happy with that,” she said. “We’ve had a few regulars that have been here since week-one, so it’s fun they still get to be here, and we have some new faces coming out each week.” Not only is the weekly draw a fun reason for the public to get out of the house and support a great local organization, it’s also been great for the staff at the Lloyd Ex, which Tomayer explained. “Monday through

File Photo Wednesday we have a huge volunteer contingency that comes in,” she said. “Because of the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority’s rules, we can’t pay staff to process those tickets. So we really rely on volunteers and we have a great crew. So Wednesd ay s f or u s, act u al ly feels like it’s almost a Fair day again, where there’s tons of volunteers, tons of people,

we ha ve a bi g e ve nt, and it’s like we’re out in front of the Grandstand. As little as it is, it’s bringing a little bit of normalcy back to Lloyd Ex.” The draw is setup to financially help the Lloyd Ex, so for every $10 ticket that is sold, the Ex gets $5. “That’s been huge,” said Tomayer. “Up until now, we haven’t touched any of that money because we

haven’t had the need to, so we’re just kind of holding on to it as long as we can because we’d love for it to go to one of the big projects we have going on. We really appreciate that people from Lloyd and the surrounding area come and buy that ticket every week, and we’d like to see that money reinvested in Lloydminster into something for the entire population.”

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Lakeland College prez talks return to classes

File Photo ALICE WAINWRIGHT-STEWART PRESIDENT & CEO, LAKELAND COLLEGE

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Lakeland College is preparing to welcome students back to campus for the fall 2021 semester. Our goal is to have our campus community at our Vermilion and Lloydminster campuses this fall if it is safe to do so. With guidance from provincial health authorities and the Ministry of Advanced Education, we will ensure any required health and safety protocols are in place so that our students can fully benefit from the most hands-on education in Canada. On behalf of Lakeland, I thank everyone for doing their part to keep our campus community safe this year. We’ve been successful in providing a blended program delivery that’s allowed more than 90 per cent of our students to engage in in-person learning activities. Approximately 60 per cent of our total course hours have been delivered on campus and in

person. Earlier this month, we welcomed a full cohort of students in our emergency services technology program to our Emergency Training Centre at the Vermilion campus.

“

With guidance from provincial health authorities and the Ministry of Advanced Education, we will ensure any required health and safety protocols are in place so that our students can fully benefit from the most hands-on education in Canada.

Firefighting students will be on campus in mid-April. Students in these programs will complete their studies and hands-on training on site thanks to the COVID-19 protocols we

have in place. Our work to ensure on-campus labs, lectures and activities this year have received positive reviews from our students. In a survey I conducted earlier this year, 89 per cent of students shared that they were satisfied with their program. Overwhelming, 96 per cent of students responded that they would recommend Lakeland to others, while 100 per cent of our apprentices shared they would as well. Lakeland is one of only two colleges in Alberta this year to offer full-time, face-toface trades training for apprenticeship and preemployment students. We’re proud of our Lakeland community and how we’ve been able to provide on-campus experiences this academic year safely and successfully for our students. Together, we’ll build on this success in the fall and continue to provide the best educational and campus experience possible. As well, we’re enhancing our online programming this fall to include first-year business administration courses and both the 4th Class and 2nd Class power engineering programs, in addition to our other traditionally online programs. We’re committed to keeping everyone – our students, staff and community – informed as we continue to move forward in our plans for the upcoming academic year. Updates will be provided as they become available at lakelandcollege.ca/ covid19.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Sask proclaims Agriculture Safety Week of each day.” Saskatchewan recognizes Canadian Agricultural Safety Week annually in conjunction with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.

“

Physical and mental health are of the utmost importance and everyone must do their part to ensure we are all able to return home to our loved ones at the end of each day.

File Photo MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed March 14-20 as Agricultural Safety

Week in Saskatchewan. “Agricultural Safety Week provides the opportunity to remind everyone that agriculture safety matters

year-round, on and off the farm,” said Agriculture Minister David Marit. “Physical and mental health are of the

utmost importance and everyone must do their part to ensure we are all able to return home to our loved ones at the end

Canadian Agricultural Safety Week is focused on helping producers, families and communities lead the agricultural industry in safety and sustainability. “Using safety precautions year-round is

incredibly important to ensure that those who work on a farm return home safely,” said Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan. “Having safe farms in our province will help us continue to grow our agri-food exports here in Saskatchewan and build stronger families and communities.” This year’s theme, Lead an Ag Safe Canada, is the second of a three-year farm safety campaign; Safe and Strong Farms. This year, virtual AgSafe ribbons are available for download from the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association website. Please visit www. saskatchewan.ca/ farmsafety for more information about farm safety and for access to the Farm Safety Guide.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Green and Greener GREEN FILE MARK & BEN CULLEN

Gardeners often get credit for benefitting the environment. After all, all the oxygen we breathe is produced by the green, living world around us. However, some gardening behaviour is not good for our environment. Here are our topsix gardening tips for making your garden a greener, healthier place: Plastic pots and trays They are the bug-aboo of our hobby and profession. We buy most plants in plastic pots. We bring them home and plant them in the ground or a container. The pot gets thrown away. Except that there is no “away”, just land fill and select recycling opportunities.

Some municipalities recycle plastic pots, and many garden retailers reuse them. Rinse the pots clean of soil (no need to sanitize them) and either place in your recycling bin if they are accepted by your municipality or take them to a local retailer to place in their recycling bin. We often raid the recycling bin at our local garden retailer. We look for plastic grow-trays to start our seedlings and later in spring, we use 4-inch pots to pot up young transplants. This saves us money and we can reuse them, once they are rinsed clean. When buying plants, look for brown paper mache pots or coir fibre pots that break down on contact with damp soil. Mark’s sister Sue uses old metal blinds, cut into strips about 20 cm long and a perma-

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Supplied Photo nent marker to identify plants in her garden as an alternative to buying plastic tags. Pesticides An example of a pest control that can be very toxic and widely available is hornet and wasp spray (sometimes call appropriately “wasp bomb”). A variety of active

ingredients are used in popular brands and none of them are either good for the environment or human health. Our recommended alternative is to hang a faux wasp nest near an existing one to fool wasps into thinking there is a nest nearby. Wasps are territorial and do not like to nest

near one another. Nesting wasps will move on. Another widely available chemical is glyphosate, the active ingredient in Round Up. An alternative is boiling water or a concentrated vinegar solution. Both will burn the tops off the weeds and not kill the root.

Sometimes digging them up, root and all, is the best solution. Fertilizers Gardeners love the blue soluble powder that you scoop into your watering can to supercharge growth in the garden. It is almost like … a miracle. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Seed recommending committee tackles canola diseases CANOLA COUNCIL OF CANADA

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Changes to canola disease labeling systems, protocols and cultivar screening – which all work toward ensuring high quality canola can be produced with minimized disease pressure – are covered by the pathology subcommittee of the Western Canada Canola/ Rapeseed Recommending Committee (WCC/ RRC). A recent sub-committee meeting on February 2 included discussion and changes on: Blackleg Understanding blackleg resistance genes

has been an industry priority. In 2017, the WCC/RRC introduced a blackleg major resistance gene (R-gene) identification system which provides more detail around a cultivar’s blackleg resistance rating. Blackleg major R-genes are classified based on interactions with Leptosphaeria maculans (blackleg causing species) avirulence genes. One change to the system has been the removal of resistance gene group H, and the addition of resistance gene LepR2 into resistance gene group G.

CULLEN FROM PAGE 25

While effective for quick results, synthetic fertilizers do not provide the long-term benefit of soil health, as they feed the plant directly and bypass all the microbial activity in the soil. In addition, they are energy

Choosing cultivars based on their major resistance gene is most effective when the predominant L. maculans races are known in the field. - RG A = Rlm1 or LepR3 - RG B = Rlm2 - RG C = Rlm3 - RG D = LepR1 - RG E1 = Rlm4 - RG E2= Rlm7 - RG F = Rlm9 - RG G = RlmS or LepR2 - RG X = unknown Quantitative resistance is the other category of blackleg resistance. Due to its complexity, it is not as easily identified within a

intensive to produce. We recommend naturally derived fertilizers such as sea kelp or bone meal, or compost and rotted manure. Environmental Organizations Gardening using sustainable methods becomes easier

File Photo cultivar. The WCC/RRC pathology sub-committee has been reviewing protocols to be able to measure the quantitative resistance potential

when you know how. Canadian Organic Growers are a good source of unbiased (non-commercial) information that can help. They produce an excellent magazine and can point you to many sources of online education that will help ele-

of a cultivar. Currently any claims of quantitative resistance are done through a standardized protocol. Cultivar promotions that use the terms

vate the green status of your gardening efforts. Growing green stuff (and flowering plants) in a green world is entirely possible with a little effort and worth making some sacrifices for. Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster,

Adult Plant Resistance (APR), minor genes, QTLs, or QR all refer to the cultivar’s quantitative resistance. CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

tree advocate and Member of the Order of Canada. His son Ben is a fourth-generation urban gardener and graduate of University of Guelph and Dalhousie University in Halifax. Follow them at markcullen.com, @markcullengardening, and on Facebook.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

USask awarded $3.2M towards first-in-Canada engineering biology centre for ag innovation USASK RESEARCH PROFILE AND IMPACT

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The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) will invest $3.2 million in a unique biomanufacturing facility at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) that will use cutting-edge “engineering biology” technologies to accelerate agri-food innovation and help address food security needs. Developing canola varieties more resistant to climate change, flavourings for the plantbased meat industry, and non-animal enzyme alternatives for the dairy industry are a sample of the innovations to be advanced by the new Engineering Biology Agri-food Innovation Centre within the university’s Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS). “This new centre will

establish the University of Saskatchewan as the national node for engineering biology applications in agriculture and food that will accelerate science and innovation,” said USask VicePresident Research Dr. Baljit Singh. “Using automation and other emerging technologies, our researchers will harness the power of biology to design more nutritious and sustainable crop varieties and food products.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced more than $518 million to support the infrastructure needs of universities and research institutions across the country. Engineering biology is an exploding new field that combines genomics and molecular biology with high-performance computing,

automation, and artificial intelligence, potentially transforming what we eat, medicines we take, and fuels we use. A May 2020 report from the McKinsey Global Institute estimates engineering biology could have a global economic impact of up to $4 trillion in the next 10 to 20 years, with more than a third of this direct annual impact in the agri-food area. “Essentially, engineering biology uses biological machinery of cells to make useful tools and products,” said GIFS Executive Director and CEO Steve Webb, who is also a member of the National Engineering Biology Steering Committee. An example is flavourings added to peabased proteins (such as myoglobin and hemoglobin) to make plantbased burgers taste like

File Photo a regular meat-based burger. The iron-containing molecule heme is highly concentrated in red meat but can also be found in plants. The CFI funding, made through its Innovation Fund, will be used for critical infra-

structure including robots, computers, cell culture systems, and other equipment for the centre. Another $5 million is being sought from private and public sources. “Engineering biology integrates automa-

tion, biology and computation—the ‘ABC’ approach—to advance research and new product development by accelerating the designbuild-test-and-learn cycle. CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Watch for seed disease

File Photo FROM PAGE 26

Verticillium stripe To reduce the knowledge gap on verticillium stripe disease distribution and severity within Western Canada, a working group was assigned to develop a disease severity scale in time for use in the 2021 growing season. Clubroot The Clubroot Steering Committee presented new clubroot survey data and reviewed progress of the international initiative to harmonize nomenclature and cura-

tion of clubroot resistance (CR) genetics. This international initiative will improve communication and provide clarity for how clubroot resistance loci are named, and is expected to have a data table and a published manuscript available in the near future. The CSC then proposed revisions for clubroot resistance screening guidelines, which will guide accurate CR screening for cultivar development and research. Because there are so many clubroot pathot-

ypes, and those pathotypes exist in populations, there have been some unexpected outcomes when inoculum sources are maintained on different hosts. The revised clubroot resistance screening guidelines define new boundaries for trial design and were written by an impressive list of clubroot experts. These guidelines are being reviewed by the WCC/RRC pathology sub-committee and will be finalized/ adopted by breeders and researchers for the 2021 growing season.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Feds highlight and invest in Ag Safety Week MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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On Tuesday, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $1.4 million over two years to improve farm safety. The announcement helps kick off this year’s Canadian Agriculture Safety Week by provid-

ing the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) with funding to provide valuable farm safety tools and advice to Canada’s agriculture industry. This funding through the AgriCompetitiveness program will also facilitate a series of initiatives that promote farm safety for producers, their fami-

lies, and workers. Activities include awareness raising, community engagement, and the development and maintenance of safety resources and tools to address existing and emerging safety needs at the provincial and national level. “Agricultural producers work in an environment that presents

many safety risks,” said Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, MarieClaude Bibeau. “Through various training and resources, including programs designed for children, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association provides life-saving tools. This new investment from the federal government supports these excellent initiatives that protect our farm families.” In addition to outreach and awareness activities, CASA will continue to provide farm safety learning opportunities to rural emergency responders and firefighters, and provide online health and safety training courses to farm workers. The theme for this year’s Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW) is “Lead an AgSafe Canada.” From March 14 to March 20, CASA will

File Photo showcase farm safety initiatives and programs across Canada. In addition to this annual event, CASA will continue to provide essential training and tools to farmers and stakeholders relating to existing and emerging safety concerns at the farm level. “With this 1.4-million-dollar investment from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, CASA is in a position to continue to support initiatives and work with our partners to equip producers, their families, and their workers with the informa-

tion and tools needed to make farms a safe place to live, work and play,” said Carolyn Van Den Heuvel, Chair, Canadian Agricultural Safety Association. “We appreciate the continued support of AAFC and their commitment to safe and healthy farms across Canada.” Farm safety is crucial to the overall health and wellbeing of Canada’s farmers. Ensuring farmers have access to tools to protect both their mental and physical health is key to the strength and prosperity of the agriculture sector.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

CFI invests in engineering biology centre

FROM PAGE 27

This technology platform provides the capacity for research and development that is beyond the reach of traditional approaches,” Webb said. “This will help us develop new plant varieties that can withstand climate change, as well as nutritious food products and natural products with medical benefits such as specialized proteins that kill bacteria.” Webb said researchers in academe and industry will be able to order from the centre’s bio-manufacturing facility or “biofoundry” the DNA, RNA, peptides, and other proteins needed for their studies. As the recent McKinsey study notes, the first wave of genetically engineered crops in the 1990s has been referred to as GMOs—organisms with foreign (transgenic) genetic material

introduced. Today, with markerassisted breeding and other advances in genetic engineering such as gene editing, breeders can use DNA markers linked to desirable traits to select these traits without using transgenic approaches. USask plant scientist Tim Sharbel, lead researcher on the team, said engineering biology will enable the team to take the next step in the application of genomics to agriculture. “We can now identify important genes but translating this into something that’s useful to industry and beneficial to society is a gap that’s been very difficult until now,” said Sharbel. Marrying biological science with the power of automation and computers will enable scientists to run many tests in parallel, rather than manually

conducting them one at a time, enabling the rapid production and testing of thousands of gene and protein variants for development of new products and plant varieties. More than 20 researchers across campus are part of the user team that will employ the new platform for crop improvement and health applications, including food, nutrition and pharmaceuticals. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to apply engineering biology to address real-world problems in agriculture and food production. For instance, USask pharmacy researcher Jane Alcorn will use the platform to create compounds for discovering new drug candidates. USask nutrition researcher Carol Henry will use new protein variants produced at the facility to improve the nutritional quality

File Photo of foods. Agricultural researcher Bobbi Helgason will use the facility to enhance plantmicrobial interactions that help plants with stress tolerance. Key researchers from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the National Research Council, and the private sector will also use the platform. The centre’s technology platform—which will comprise separate “suites” for engineering biology, proteomics and genomics, and metabolomics (the study of small molecules in an

organism)—will be integrated into the workflow of GIFS’s existing technology platforms, which include the Omics and Precision Agriculture Laboratory (OPAL), Data Management and Analytics, and Cell Biology. With its focus on agriculture and food, the new centre will be an important node within the Canadian Engineering Biology Network which includes other universities, research organizations and companies in Canada. The centre will enable

collaboration with other Canadian universities that have biofoundries, as well as with industry and international partners such as the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Singapore. Creation of an engineering biology “platform” for innovation in agriculture and food products is aligned with the vision in the national steering committee’s November 2020 white paper which identifies food security as one of three sectors where Canada can lead in the application of engineering biology.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Canada’s farm incomes on track for record year MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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Agriculture continues to be a strong driver of Canada’s economy, with our farmers playing a key role in ensuring Canadians have access to affordable, highquality food. Agriculture and AgriFood Canada has completed an analysis of farm income for 2020 and 2021, and the results show that Canadian farm income and the value of farms is expected to be at an alltime high. This puts many farmers and farm families on a stronger footing and positioned to contribute to Canada’s economic recovery. Last month, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, shared the results of the analysis while speaking at the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

“Despite all the challenges they have faced because of COVID-19, the men and women in the agriculture sector have stepped up to keep our grocery store shelves stocked,” said Bibeau. “Today’s farm income forecast and our strong export performance last year are welcome signs that Canadian farmers are finding success during these unprecedented times.” The agriculture sector is expected to see significant growth in key financial areas for 2020 and 2021. In spite of recent challenges, notably COVID-19’s impacts on the food supply chain, the growth in farm income shows that the sector is weathering these disruptions well and adjusting farming decisions accordingly. Net cash income (NCI) is forecast to have grown by 21.8 per cent in 2020, from $13.5 bil-

lion in 2019 to $16.5 billion in 2020. In addition, farmlevel income is also forecast to have increased in 2020, with average net operating income (NOI) per farm increasing by 25.4 per cent, from just under $76,000 in 2019 to approximately $95,000 in 2020. Average farm family income is forecast to have increased by 8.6 per cent to just over $194,000 in 2020, driven by increases in NOI from farming. The grains sector had a very strong year, contributing to an 11.9 per cent increase in overall crop receipts. However, disruptions to the workforce, shifting international trade patterns, and fluctuating commodity prices have caused challenges, including for some parts of the crop sector, such as horticulture. Livestock receipts were forecast to have

File Photo declined 1.9 per cent, largely due to negative impacts of COVID-19 on the red meats sector. Looking ahead to 2021, there continues to be uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. However, based on the expectation that the current situation continues to return to normal market conditions, NCI is forecast to further grow in 2021 by 6.8 per cent to $17.6 billion. Average farm-

level NOI is forecast to increase 8.5 per cent to approximately $103,000 per farm, and average farm family income is forecast to grow 7.2 per cent to just under $208,000. Net worth is forecast to reach $3.5 million per farm, up 2.9 per cent from 2020 levels. Building on this income forecast, the sector also had a strong export showing in 2020, reaching nearly $74 billion up from $67 billion

in 2019. This brings the government close to achieving its target of $75 billion in agri-food and seafood exports by 2025. The sector has shown resilience in posting a record performance for agriculture and agrifood exports, despite COVID-19 and its challenges. The agricultural sector is an engine of growth, helping to restart the Canadian economy.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Attracting investment through irrigation expansion MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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

The Alberta government is modernizing the Irrigation Districts Act to increase competitiveness and attract new investment into irrigation. If passed, Bill 54, the Irrigation Districts Amendment Act, will allow irrigation districts to borrow funds for large-scale expansions of their irrigation works, increase confidence for financial lenders, and lead to more consistent, secure access to funding for irrigation districts. Last fall, Alberta’s government announced an $815-million investment in irrigation modernization and expansion in partnership with eight irrigation districts and the Canadian Infrastructure Bank (CIB). “It’s an exciting time to be in Alberta’s agriculture industry,” said Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Devin

Dreeshen. “Our farmers and ranchers are growing safe, high-quality food, not just for Alberta families but for families all around the world. Bill 54 will help finalize the $815-million investment to modernize irrigation. This legislation will pave the way for even more agriculture investments across the province, increasing our c o m p etitiven ess an d driving Alberta’s economic recovery.” The proposed bill also makes small amendments to strengthen board governance by allowing irrigation districts the option to create bylaws to limit the number of consecutive terms a board member can serve. “Alberta’s irrigation districts are economic drivers that work hard to support farmers that put food on all of our tables,” said chairman, Eastern Irrigation District Jason Hale.

File Photo “Modernizing the Irrigation Districts Act would ensure that irrigation districts have the tools needed to support future expansions while also strengthening board governance.” Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by

protecting livelihoods with Alberta’s Recovery Plan, a bold, ambitious long-term strategy to build, diversify and create tens of thousands of jobs now. By building schools, roads and other core infrastructure we are greater benefiting our

communities. By diversifying our economy and attracting investment with Canada’s most competitive tax environment, we are putting Alberta on a path for a generation of growth. With more than 1.7 million irrigated acres

in Alberta, the irrigation industry generates about $2.4 billion in annual labour income and supports about 56,000 jobs. The irrigation industry contributes up to $3.6 billion annually to Alberta’s gross domestic product.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Working from home? There’s a tax deduction for that

he COVID19 pandemic means many of us have been working from home part or all of the time. But did you know that you could be eligible to claim a deduction for home office expenses on your 2020 tax return? The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has introduced an easy way for employees who worked

from home because of COVID-19 to claim these expenses, called the new temporary flatrate method. Eligible employees can claim $2 for each day they worked from home, up to a maximum of $400 for the year. You can use this method if: - You worked more than 50 per cent of the time from home for

at least four consecutive weeks in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; - You are only claiming home office expenses and not any other employment expenses; and - Your employer did not reimburse you for all your home office expenses. A different option you can use to calcu-

WHISPERS FROM THE PAST FROM PAGE 14

est rates. With new goods arriving daily, Cameron & Cumming offered quite a selection of building supplies, basic groceries, fabrics and household necessities. A recently received item of note was a full railcar of much needed cook stoves. The Johnson–Leacock Land Company advertised 250,000 acres of wild and improved farm land for sale. These real estate, investment and financial brokers also offered choice lots for sale in town.

The Wholesale Liquor and Cigar Store on Broadway offered goods of the best quality. Its new owner, Mr. W. Rendell, continued to keep in stock the finest products at the best prices. Choice cigars were available in quantities of 10s and 20s for gifts. From a dot on the untamed prairie to a bustling town with an assortment of businesses, Lloydminster grew quickly in a very short timeframe. Their hopes and dreams of settling in the west were achieved.

His advertisement included a hand holding a bag of gold overtop a pot with the words A Golden Opportunity visibly written. The Head Office for the Canadian Bank of Commerce was in Toronto and had a reserve fund of five million dollars. Branches were located throughout Canada, U.S. and England. Locally, saving account deposits of one dollar or more were guaranteed to earn the most up-to-date inter-

late your deduction if you have a larger claim is the detailed method. For this you’ll need a completed and signed T2200 form from your employer, and the

receipts to support your claim. To make this process easier, the agency has created simplified forms (T2200S and T777S) and an online calculator.

If you’re self-employed, then you’ll need to complete a different form. Fill out the “Calculation of business-use-of-home expenses” section on form T2125, Part 7. 21033AA6

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Back to business by learning MIDWEST MINUTE VERN McCLELLAND

Several years ago, I was invited to attend a “trial run” of our company’s new advanced education program for experienced “generalist” Realtors who wanted to sharpen their skills in the commer-

cial/industrial aspect of real estate. Visiting Kelowna in early spring is always nice with the bonus of being able to take in a Western Hockey League game in the arena across the street from my hotel. It was a jam-packed three days, with advice on the many aspects of managing business list-

ings, from environmental inspection requirements to estimating value on a wide variety of commercial enterprises. As with many workshops, the opportunity to share experiences with other brokers from across western Canada outside the conference room was invaluable. Representing clients who own or want to buy buildings and land for their business pursuits is significantly different than escorting a couple through a dozen houses. Personally, I like to act as a consultant to my clients. They know their business better than I do, so how can I help? By knowing my business better than they do. Our real job is to solve problems for the client. If they need more space or a better location, you help them find it. When they want to retire after a lifetime

of commitment to their business, you help them look at it through the critical eyes of the potential buyers. Or if their tenant is leaving, you help find

“

As with many workshops, the opportunity to share experiences with other brokers from across western Canada outside the conference room was invaluable.

them another one who will commit for five or more years. It involves asking a lot of questions and gathering extensive property data as inevitably, those questions will come up when discussing the listing with potential buyers. Pricing is likely the last thing we will dis-

cuss. Usually, the value becomes self-evident when properly analyzed. The hard part, and the one that separates a strong Realtor from someone who just is a salesperson, may require telling a client what they need to hear, not necessarily want they want to hear. A lot of “ma and pa” businesses are like that. There is simply not enough “meat on the bone” in the profit and loss statement to justify asking a buyer to invest. They would only be buying themselves a job with long hours and low returns. Sometimes we see p r o j e c ts w i th p o te ntial. For example, a well-built older apartment complex in a good neighbourhood, but in need of updating. Imp ro ve th e l i vi ng experience within the building and you will attract better tenants. Stable tenants are often

more willing to pay a bit more for modern interior design and a safe environment. More revenue with lower vacancy rates increases the value of the investment. Simple enough. In a regional market like the midwest, there is a wide variety of commercial enterprises from retail stores and restaurants to light manufacturing facilities and truck shops. The approaches to valuation of each are different, as is the clientele, both of which make it a remarkably interesting part of my professional practice. Vern McClelland is an associate broker with RE/MAX of Lloydminster and an active partner in his family’s livestock operation. Comments on this article are welcome either by emailing vernmcclelland@remax.net or calling 306-821-0611.

Sports Get out and play ball hockey! PAGE 37

Thursday, March 18, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

SANDRA BROWN

WRITER

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

As part of the Saskatchewan Ball Hockey League (SBHL), the Lloydminster Ball Hockey League (LBHL) is on the countdown to the approaching April 22 extended registration deadline for the Spring 2021 season. Organizers are keeping a close eye on the Sports and Activities Guidelines in the Reopen Saskatchewan plan. A later start date will see the league playing into late June or July. Dean Crossland, president of the SBHL believes, “we’ll be playing sometime in May.” Ball hockey is a fastgrowing sport in Saskatchewan. The local Lloydminster league

began in 2010 and has b e e n run n in g stro n g ever since.

“

It’s a mix of ice hockey players and those who just want to try hockey.

Ball hockey is fun, very appealing and provides everyone with an opportunity to play. It’s a sport that allows friends to be teammates and play on the same team together. A descriptive video on the LBHL website uses a fun twist on the 1960s/1970s slogan, No ice, no skates, no problem!

When asked if it’s mostly ice hockey players who are looking to stay active in the offseason, the president commented, “It’s a mix of ice hockey players and those who just want to try hockey.” Ball hockey is a more cost-effective sport than ice hockey with lower registration fees and less equipment required. The basic equipment includes “gloves, helmet and stick” although soccer or ball hockey shin pads are recommended. Ball hockey is a “good sport to try before committing to ice hockey. Players can focus on playing rather than on learning to skate.” It’s rewarding for them to develop stick

File Photo handling skills, work as a team and learn the rules.

The 2021 Youth Spring League includes players from ages 3-17

21033mm3

and runs for 14 weeks. CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

LBHL hopes to play by May

FROM PAGE 37

League divisions start with the U5 age group and gradually progress up to U18 based on the year a player is born. Typically, there are 4-6 teams in each age category who play against each other locally. A minimum of two practices and one game

is normally scheduled per week. The 2021 Adult Spring League includes men, women or co-ed divisions. Individual, group or team registrations are available. A total of 5-7 adult teams play locally and also compete at provincials. A certified low bounce ball is used and

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at the elite levels, this hard ball can reach up to speeds of more than 100km/hr. Most of the rules in effect are the same as ice hockey although there are some unique differences. There is minimal contact during ball hockey and body checks are not allowed. Although some pushing and shoving does happen as players attempt to get the ball. High sticking the ball is a phrase used when a player touches the ball with their stick at a height of greater than four feet or above the crossbar. This results in a twominute penalty. For players used to playing hockey and normally tapping the ball or puck out of the air during play, this rule is often a challenge. Slashing, cross check-

ing and other stick infractions result in a double-minor penalty. A shoot out is required if a regulation game is tied to determine the winning team. These are challenging times and team sports have been repeatedly impacted. Players are eager to actively engage in a sport they enjoy playing alongside their peers. Organizers, coaches and parents also want to experience the return of a sense of normalcy as sports are an important part of our lives. So much depends on what the next round of guidelines are and how these will directly affect this league. Team size, number of teams per division and cohort restrictions will have an impact on the schedule. Spec-

File Photo tators aren’t exempt either as one adult accompanying a player is likely to be in effect. Coordinators have done an inclusive job identifying potential situations and possible outcomes within the spring season while they wait the next announcement of Government guidelines. There are no plans at this time to revise the schedule with con-

ditioning and skills training camps. Positive steps have recently been announced this year in the Reopen Saskatchewan plan and the provincial vaccination effort has certainly ramped up. Undoubtedly, more good news will be coming soon and ball hockey enthusiasts will be back playing once again.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

PAGE 40 Thursday, March 18, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Careers

Manufacturing shipments and housing starts show strong increases MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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

On Monday, a Statistics Canada release on manufac t uring sh ip ments for January 2021 shows Saskatchewan sales were up 10.4 per cent over last year, the second highest percentage increase among the provinces

(seasonally adjusted). Also released Monday, a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report on urban housing starts for February 2021 shows Saskatchewan starts were up by 64.3 per cent over last February (seasonally unadjusted), the high-

SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The R.M. of Eldon No. 471 is accepting resumes for the 2021 season for:

EXPERIENCED GRADER OPERATOR EXPERIENCED BACKHOE OPERATOR EXPERIENCED TRUCK DRIVER GENERAL LABOURER

Preference to applicants with a class 1 A license. Only those considered for an interview will be contacted. Please submit resumes with at least 3 current references on or before April 9th, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. local time to:

R.M. of Eldon No. 471 P.O. Box 130 212 Main Street, Maidstone SK S0M 1M0 Phone: 306.893.2391 | Fax: 306.893.4644 | Email: rm471@sasktel.net

est percentage increase when compared with the other provinces.

“

This shows Saskatchewan is in an enviable position for economic recovery coming out of the global COVID-19 pandemic in the months ahead.

“Manufacturing shipments and housing starts are important indicators of economic performance, with both up substantially over the previous year,” said Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison. “This shows Saskatchewan is in an enviable position for economic recovery coming out of the

File Photo global COVID-19 pandemic in the months ahead.” Significant increases in manufacturing sales came from wood products, as well as dou-

ble-digit gains in food manufacturing and in chemical products, on an annual basis. The value of manufacturing shipments in January 2021 was $1.28 billion.

Housing starts were up 55.0 per cent, to 93 starts, for single dwellings and 72.5 per cent, to 119 starts, for multiple units on a yearover-year basis.

PAGE 41 Thursday, March 18, 2021 MERIDIAN SOURCE 306-825-5111 admin@meridansource.ca

AUCTIONS

COMING EVENTS

AUCTIONS are our business! Contact Copeland Auctions Ltd. located in Lloydminster, AB for all your auction needs. Call Russ 780-870-1181 or visit our website: www.copelandauctions.co m

FIREARMS WANTED FOR APRIL 24th, 2021 LIVE & ONLINE AUCTION. Rifles, Shotguns, Handguns, Militaria. Auction or Purchase: Collections, Estates, Individual Items. Contact Paul, Switzer’s Auction: Toll-Free 1-800-6942609; sales@switzersauction.com or www. switzersauction.com.

WARD’S & BUD HAYNES FIREARMS AUCTION, Saturday, April 24th, Edmonton, AB. Online Bidding, Live Preview April 23rd. WardsAuctions.com. Consign Now. Brad Ward 780-940-8378.

AGRICULTURE The Supreme Speckle Park Bull & Female Sale Friday, April 16, 2:00 pm at Notta Ranch Farm, Neilburg, SK

Selling Speckle Park yearling and two year old bulls, with a select group of females. These genetics are being offered by Notta Ranch, Spots ‘N Sprouts, and guests Waldner Land & Cattle and Back Country Ranch. For more information or a catalogue contact T Bar C Cattle Co. at 306-220-5006. View the catalogue online at www.BuyAgro.com. Watch and bid online at www.DLMS.ca (PL #116061)

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FREIGHTLAND CARRIERS, a tri-axle air ride flatdeck carrier is looking for Owner/Operators to run Alberta only or the 3 Western Provinces. Must have own plates, insurance & WCB. Truck gross revenue is an average of $16,000/month. Call 1-800-917-9021 or email: dispatch@ freightland.ca. FEED & SEED

2 DAY SALE! UNRESERVED ONLINE ANTIQUE AUCTION for Ken Ireland. Antique farm equipment, trucks, saddles, radios, glass and more! Bidding closes March 23 & 24. Visit premierauctions.ca. WOODWORKING TOOLS, SHOP EQUIP., WELDING EQUIP. COLLECTABLES Online Auction Mar 24 – Mar 30/21, Blackfalds, AB. Also selling Restaurant Tables, Lighting, Fuel Cubes, 1900’s Era J&J Safe, Camper, Construction Surplus & More. www.montgomeryauctions.com; 1-800-371-6963.

Classifieds

CERTIFIED SEED Wheat

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Currently accepting applications for CROP HAIL ADJUSTERS for the 2021 hail season. (July - October) Semi-retired or retired this job is for you! Competitive salary, all expenses & mileage paid, health spending account and pension plan. We provide extensive training using our industry leading crop hail adjusting program. Email: dtiefenbach@smhi.ca for application form and job overview. 306-569-1852 ext 170.

POWER UP Additives, GEN49D & ThixOgrease - manufactured as Power Up-PowerSUM and distributed by AwSUM Outcomes in Calgary. AwSUM is seeking resellers. Call 1-844512-4093; www. awsumoutcomes.com. BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269 (based on 25 words or less). Reach 90 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details. 1-800-282-6903 Ext 225; www.awna.com.

Go Early, Pintail. Oats aC JuniPEr, aC MorGan, aC MustanG, DErby, so1 suPEr oat.

Barley

aMisk, busby, Conlon, CDC austEnson, CDC MavEriCk, CErvEza, sunDrE. Peas aaC PEaCE rivEr (vEry Early yEllow), CDC Horizon (ForaGE), PolisH Canola, sPrinG tritiCalE mastinseeds.com 403-556-2609

HEATED CANOLA buying Green, Heated or Springthrashed Canola. Buying: oats, barley, wheat & peas for feed. Buying damaged or offgrade grain. “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain, 1-877-250-5252. ALBERTA FEED GRAIN: Buying Oats, Barley, Wheat, Canola, Peas, Screenings, Mixed Grains. Dry, Wet, Heated, or Spring Thresh. Prompt Payment. In House Trucks, In House Excreta Cleaning. Vac Rental. 1-888-483-8789. FORAGE SEED FOR SALE: Organic & conventional: Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Smooth Brome, Meadow Brome, Crested Wheatgrass, Timothy, etc. Star City, SK. Birch Rose Acres Ltd. 306-921-9942.

FEED & SEED

FOR SALE

NOTICES

SERVICES

FOR SALE: 2015 VOLVO and 2017 grain bulker B-train. For more info phone 306-3387006.

Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

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MISCELLANEOUS

HEALTH / FITNESS GET UP TO $50,000 from the Government of Canada. ALL Ages & Medical Conditions qualify. Have a child under 18 instantly receive more money. CALL THE BENEFITS PROGRAM 1-800-2113550 or send a text message with your name and mailing address to 403-9803605 for your FREE benefits package. HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING? The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help. 1-844-453-5372. LAND FOR SALE VERY INEXPENSIVE 2 QUARTERS OF PASTURE LAND, Central SK, for sale. 8 other good quarters may be available. Requires fencing. Great hunting $74,900. Call Doug at 306-716-2671.

PERSONALS NOTICES

FARMER & BUSINESSMAN looking for a female companion. Mail letter to: Henry Dyck, 21 Arburn Bay St., Suite 114, Calgary, Alberta T3M 2A9. SERVICES CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer employment/licensing loss? Travel/business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US entry waiver. Record purge. File destruction. Free consultation. 1-800347-2540. www. accesslegalmjf.com

Approximately 120 acres of farmland, 3LSD’s. Nine miles south of Lloydminster, SK. Power & Gas cross property. No oil or gas leases to contend with. Taking offers. Ph: (306) 821-7608

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GET YOUR MESSAGE SEEN ACROSS Alberta. The Blanket Classifieds or Value Ads reach over 600,000 Alberta readers weekly. Two options starting at $269 or $995 to get your message out! Business changes, hiring, items for sale, cancellations, tenders, etc. People are increasingly staying home and rely on their local newspapers for information. KEEP people in the loop with our 90 Weekly Community Newspapers. Call THIS NEWSPAPER now or email classifieds@awna.com for details. 1-800-2826903, 780-434-8746 X225. www.awna.com.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Obituaries & Memoriams

STEVENS: Barbara Lee Stevens passed away suddenly at Lloydminster Hospital, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, February 26, 2021 at the age of 72 years. Barb is survived by: her loving husband, Frank Stevens; sons, Paul (Kim) Bailey and Michael (Katie) Stevens; daughter, Christine (Blake) Shepherd; grandchildren, Alliye Bailey, Steven Bailey, Jordan Bailey, Noah Stevens, Haven Stevens, Shepherd Stevens and Matilda Shepherd; adopted grandchildren, Ryan Racette, Taylor Racette, Brady Racette, Ben Racette, Emily Bigelow and Madison Olynyk. She is predeceased by: her father, George Hunt; mother, Alma Hunt (nee, Brock); step-mother, June Hunt (nee. McGinn); father-in-law, Bernard Stevens; mother-in-law, Lilian Stevens (nee, Read); son, Gregory Bailey; as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Throughout Barb's many years of teaching and summers traveling with her family and friends, there were many people who became like family, including but not limited to, Francois Laniel who was loved like a son, and Colleen Chell who became the sister she never had. The Memorial Service for Barb was conducted from McCaw Funeral Chapel, Lloydminster, Alberta on Friday, March 5, 2021 at 2:00 PM. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the service was by invitation only. The service was live streamed and is posted on McCaw Funeral Service Website under Barb's obituary. The eulogy was given by Betty Tomlinson, Colleen Chell, Katie Stevens and Steven Bailey. The urn bearers were Steven Bailey and Noah Stevens. The interment will be held at a later date. In Lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Barb may be made to Heart and Stroke Foundation or Canadian Cancer Society. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster, Alberta administered the funeral arrangements. CARD OF THANKS The Stevens family would like to thank all those who showed their support.

WORD CLASSIFIEDS *DEADLINE for Thursday’s issue is Tuesday at noon. (306) 825-5111 or drop off at 5921-50 Avenue, Lloydminster, SK

AD HEADING:

NAME:

1 FOR $15 OR 2 FOR $25 *Based on 20 words - additional words 15¢ each *Prices do not include GST

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Obituaries & Memoriams

Thursday, March 18, 2021

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Memoriam or Obituary in next week’s issue Obituaries.... 20¢ per word plus $15 to include photo

All obituaries will also be added to our website! meridiansource.ca/obituaries/ $2.50 e-edition charge per issue

(306) 825 5111 5921 50th Avenue, Lloydminster, SK meridiansource.ca

Church Directory

WAYNE NEWPORT

May 10,1952 – March 18, 2020 Time passes, memories stay loved and remembered everyday. Love Peggy, Luke, Monica & families

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Local Business Directory

BECOME DEBT FREE • Reduce your debts up to 80% • Keep your Car, Home & RRSPs • Stop Harassing Creditor CALLS immediately • Get the largest debt reduction that is fair

Advertise your services in our Business Directory! Call our sales team today!

• Consumer Proposal, Bankruptcy & Budgeting • Free Consultations • Here to Serve YOU!

306.830.5449 | beth@credit720.ca

Celebrations

306.825.5111

Thursday, March 18, 2021

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

March 11 Answers

ACROSS 1. Passing mark 4. Baby’s father 8. Source of fiber 12. Young chap 13. Long poem 14. Daft 15. Humpty Dumpty, e.g. 16. ____-do-well 17. Deeply impressed 18. Quick-witted 20. Sound organ 22. Start a card game again 24. Transfer sticker 28. Bottles 31. Period in history 32. Sis’s sibs 35. Storage box 36. Stain

March 11 Answers

37. Fool 38. Accompany 40. Horrible 42. Restaurant employee 46. Go downhill 48. Hang loosely 49. Ballerina’s short skirt 52. Computer food 55. Quilting or spelling 56. On the briny 57. Impostor 58. Governed 59. Ring 60. Is mistaken 61. 19th letter

DOWN 1. Unclouded 2. American bird 3. Approached 4. Of the teeth 5. Copy 6. Playing cube 7. Estate unit 8. Blast 9. Line 10. King topper 11. Auction signal 19. Umps’ kin 21. Some are personal 23. Chemists’ research rooms 25. Beret or beanie 26. Gone by 27. Give the go-ahead to

29. Attack! 30. Recognize 32. ____ constrictor (snake) 33. Uncooked 34. Not on 36. Fuss 38. Antlered animal 39. Detecting devices 41. Customary 43. Furniture item 44. Fencing swords 45. Marsh plants 47. Dormant 49. Hit lightly 50. Apply 51. Social drink 53. Broadcast 54. Roofing material

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS Introduce your new addition here in next week’s issue for FREE! Come in and fill out a form or email admin@meridiansource.ca Deadline is Tuesday at noon for the Thursday edition.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Share your jubilations, love and best wishes in the Meridian Source newspaper. Call 306-825-5111 To celebrate the happenings in your life.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, March 18, 2021

HOME

AWESOMENESS INGENUITY EXCELLENCE LAND

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Thursday, March 18, 2021

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Thursday, March 18, 2021