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Square One announces upcoming ‘Walk for Warmth’ community fundraiser
Maxton Eckstein, the co-ordinator of Square One Community Inc., announced further details on the organization’s upcoming annual Walk for Warmth fundraiser with proceeds going to strengthen its supportive housing initiative this winter.
Walk for Warmth 2025 is set to take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Square One Community office on Thursday, Mar. 13.
This year’s walk will start at Square One and conclude at Zion United Church, and participants can expect to hear church bells peeling in support during the evening.
“The reason we’re doing this walk is, number one, to raise awareness about the situation of those who are unhoused and sleeping outdoors in such a cold time of year,” Eckstein said.
“(The walk is also meant) to show solidarity with those individuals so that they can see a community that’s wrapped around them, cares about them, and that is working very hard to hopefully make this the last winter they have to experience living and sleeping outdoors.”
The Walk for Warmth is Square One’s largest annual fundraising event and Eckstein described last year’s walk as another “great success,” with over $8,000 raised for the cause. This year’s goal is to surpass this and raise $20,000.
“It’s just a wonderful way for us all to band together to show that we care,” he added.
Eckstein estimated that the walk will take around 30 minutes to complete and said participants will focus on the downtown core and the perimeter of Crescent Park.
“I would encourage anybody participating and registering their organization for this event to make sure you dress very warmly, as these Saskatchewan winters are quite difficult,” he said, noting that “we can experience, just for a few minutes, what some people are having to experience all day.”
This physical, outdoor endeavour is likely to be eye opening for many participants. “It’s just a window into the challenges that someone may face,” Eckstein said.
Eckstein shared that when a vulnerable individual feels supported by an organized community, it can play a crucial role in their recovery.
“It’s an important step for someone to feel comfortable reaching out to the community for resources and to seek assistance in changing the way things are for them,” he explained. “When they can see that people are out there for them and speaking with them, talking, and offering them kind things, it really changes someone’s mindset.
“We can’t underestimate the power of a caring and loving community, and this is just one of the ways that we do that. We are really hoping to show the love of the community for
those in this tough situation at this cold time of year.”
Square One is currently seeking businesses, organizations, and individuals to support both the walk and its ongoing community initiatives. Businesses and organizations can get involved through varying tiers of corporate sponsorships with further details available on Square One’s website or by calling 306-691-0720.
To register for the walk, a pledge form is available on SquareOneHousingMooseJaw.com and also on its Facebook page. Participants may sign up on the day of the walk but it’s advisable to register in advance.
To learn more about Square One visit SquareOneHousingMooseJaw.com, follow ‘Square One Community Inc. Moose Jaw’ on Facebook, or email CommunitySquareOne@ gmail.com. You can reach the organization by phone at 306691-0720.
Walk for Warmth participants will take their first steps at William Milne Place located at 138 Fairford Street West.
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‘We’re tired’: Health care workers picket for contract progress
After nearly two years of negotiations, many Saskatchewan health care workers are still without a renewed collective agreement. In response, SEIU-West union members held a public information picket to raise awareness about their ongoing situation.
To help spread their message, one information picket was held in Biggar, Sask., with a second held concurrently at Extendicare in Moose Jaw on Jan. 15.
“We’re having an information picket to let the public know that health care workers and frontline workers are tired. It’ll soon be two years that we haven’t had a contract,” announced Brenda Berry, an executive board member of SEIU-West representing members of the former Five Hills Health Region that includes Moose Jaw.
The union’s previous contract ended on Mar. 31, 2023, and SEIU-West served a notice to hold a bargaining meeting in January 2023. According to Berry, the meeting was delayed until October 2023, likely due to the government having only one bargaining team since the contract expired.
“That (bargaining team) covers all three unions (in the province), so we’re lucky if we get to meet with them once a month,” she noted.
Berry said the health care system is facing staffing shortages, making overtime the norm.
One of the biggest concerns Berry expressed was the looming possibility of accidents because of tired, exhausted, and overworked health care staff.
If the situation doesn’t improve soon,
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Berry warned that a growing number of health care workers could simply opt to find work elsewhere.
One of the key issues SEIU-West members would like to see addressed is the introduction of safe staffing levels.
“We want safe staffing levels,” Berry said. “They have safe staffing levels for daycares, and we need safe staffing levels in long term care homes for (members who work directly with) our elderly.”
Berry suggested, “Give us a wage increase and a fair collective agreement and this will all end.”
In response to the information picket, the Ministry of Health offered the follow-
ing written statement:
“The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to building and supporting a sustainable and responsive health system today and into the future. A key priority for our government is to deliver the highest quality health care to Saskatchewan patients in collaboration with our partners and service providers.
“We value the input of the province’s health care providers and share in the common interest of providing Saskatchewan with the best quality health care system.
“We look forward to collaborating with Saskatchewan’s health-care professionals, listening to their ideas, and ex-
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
The Salvation Army is thanking the community for the support it offered during the 2024 Christmas season, as the donations supported in-need residents then and will help people throughout the year.
“This was our first year (in Moose Jaw), and not knowing what to expect, a lot of it, it went relatively smoothly for the most part,” said Maj. Byron Kean. “There’s going to be changes that we’ll make for next year, but those are tweaks and not major changes.
“So, we’re just very happy with how things went and the support we received throughout the Christmas season.”
Overall donations were down 15 per cent compared to 2023 — likely because of the Canada Post strike — but several fundraising initiatives exceeded their targets, Kean said.
The Kettle Campaign raised more
than $72,000, which was $2,000 more than the goal and up $16,000 from 2023, he continued. So, that was a great feeling.
“The support from the community (has) been overwhelming for us,” Kean remarked. “The number of volunteer hours, the people helping us with the Christmas activities and being there for us and for the volunteers on the kettles being as close as a phone call, again, it is so very much appreciated … .
“It’s above and beyond (what) we’ve seen in some places.”
The Stocking Campaign that the Moose Jaw Express ran for the Salvation Army charity raised $14,755 just short of the goal that was extended earlier in December after reaching the initial goal of $10,000.
The Stocking Campaign collected $5,485 during the 2023 season off a goal
of $5,000, so the fact the organization doubled the goal this year and collected 47-per-cent more than expected was exciting, he continued.
“It’s something that we appreciate the Express doing on our behalf,” Kean said.
Meanwhile, the community adopted 32 families, up from 16 in 2023. This program sees an individual, business, or charity sponsor a family and attempt to match what the Salvation Army gives, including a gift card for groceries and a present for each adopted child.
The Salvation Army expected to have 25 families, but even with the extra seven, it was still a tremendous success, said Kean. The sponsors demonstrated a spirit of giving, which is what the season is about.
Furthermore, the charity distributed almost 340 food-related gift cards through the hamper program, which meant it helped nearly 1,000 people, including over 300 children who received toys on Christmas Day.
Kean pointed out that 1,000 people is almost three per cent of Moose Jaw’s population. He pointed out that there were likely hundreds — if not thousands — more who used the services of other community agencies at Christmas.
“Every family circumstance is different (and) every individual circumstance
ploring opportunities to address shared challenges while ensuring we provide the highest quality care for patients.
“Last week’s meeting between the Ministry of Health and representatives of SEIU-West was productive and focused on many of our common goals.
“The Government of Saskatchewan has met with CUPE, SGEU and SEIUWest representatives to explore the idea of establishing a nursing team task force among the Ministry of Health, Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) and the Unions representing them in the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
“It is our government’s hope that a patient-focused nursing team task force will provide an opportunity to reflect on how patient care is currently provided by nursing teams across the province and to collaboratively work together to meet the needs of patients and families.”
The provincial government did not comment on any specific details of the bargaining process as this is still underway.
In the meantime, Berry said the focus remains on spreading awareness while they await a negotiation date.
“We just have to let the public know that, as frontline workers, we’re tired, and we want the government to get back to the table and come back prepared to deal.”
For more information about SEIUWest visit SEIUWest.ca.
is different. And there’s reasons why people are where they are,” he said. “We just do our part to make sure we’re providing as best we can to meet the needs that are brought to our attention.
“And we cannot do that without the assistance of the community in which we live. So we are truly appreciative of everything the people of Moose Jaw (have) provided for us,” the major continued. “Because we don’t only provide assistance at Christmas time, we do it throughout the year.”
The Salvation Army collected over 900 toys and almost 1,800 teddy bears, with Kean joking that they had teddy bears “coming out our ears.” The Teddy Bear Toss was a first for the Keans, with the major saying they required three pickup trucks to haul away everything.
The charity also provided roughly 600 gift bags to seniors at care homes and assisted-living centres, with these items reminding the older residents that they were appreciated and remembered.
Kean added that the Salvation Army will see more people use its services this year, considering some individuals and families are having trouble handling inflationary increases with things like groceries.
To donate to the Salvation Army, visit salvationarmy.ca.
Health care workers from SEIU-West hold an informational picket in front of Extendicare on the afternoon of Jan. 15. Photo by: Aaron Walker
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From crisis to hope: How Moose Jaw’s food bank endured in 2024
As Moose Jaw welcomes in the new year, the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank reflects on the challenges and successes of 2024 and its executive director, Jason Moore, explores what lies ahead during its 41st year.
“I think… our biggest obstacle in 2024 was that our (client) numbers continued to increase from 2023,” Moore said.
In 2022-2023, the food bank served around 400 households each month, and in 2024 that number climbed to over 800 households per month. Even though donations did increase, that rate was only up around 25 per cent compared to the 100 per cent increase in client visits.
Heartbroken but not broken
By July 2024, this trend continued until the food bank nearly faced a temporary closure.
“Our hampers were already looking pretty small,” Moore said. “We were doing our best… but they weren’t our full size, generous hampers that we usually hand out — just because our warehouse was looking pretty empty.
“When I made the announcement (about the possible closure), we thought we probably had enough food to last two to three weeks. Maybe, if we really stretched it, we could get into the second week of August but that was it.”
The situation came as an unexpected challenge for Moore, who had only stepped into the role of executive director two months prior.
“I know it wasn’t a result of becoming the executive director, but it sure doesn’t make you feel good when they bring on their first-ever executive director and… two months in, they’re about to run out of food,” he admitted.
By July 2024, Moore was busy looking for solutions. Recognizing that the crisis was similarly felt at other food banks across Canada, he reached out to around 20 other food banks and was inspired by a successful solution in Medicine Hat, Alta. This resulted in the new client choice shopping model launched Oct. 28, 2024, that reduced the volume of food going out by around 30,000 lbs (13,607 kg) annually.
The new model also introduced more culturally diverse food choices than were ever available at Moose Jaw’s food bank.
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Jason Moore (right) speaks during the grand opening ceremony for the new client choice shopping model at the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank on Oct. 28, 2024. This was one of the major developments for the food bank in 2024 and Moore estimates that around 30,000 lbs (13,607 kg) of potential food waste is prevented annually since its inception. Photo
by: Jason G. Antonio
Monetary donations have proven invaluable and each dollar can stretch
“twice as far,” Moore said. Despite the Canada Post strike that affected the food bank’s annual mail-out campaign that typically raises around $80,000, media outreach, donation cheques provided with the Moose Jaw Express paper, the effort of numerous groups and individuals, and a $15,000 Cargill donation and $50,000 raised from a 24-hour fast organized by Wow Factor Media came to the rescue.
“It was heartwarming to watch the number of people walk through our front door with a cheque in hand because they knew that we weren’t going to get it in the mail,” Moore said.
“Some really neat ideas were popping up and all kinds of sports teams and local businesses were doing other food drives,” he added. “It was just a blessing.”
When the Better Together Food Drive returned in October 2024, an additional 52,776 lbs (23,938 kg) of food and $11,269.84 was raised.
“This year we set another record. It wasn’t for the amount of food raised; it was for the number of people who showed up to help us out,” he said. “I showed up at 5:30 (p.m.) at (Hillcrest Apostolic Church) and the auditorium was packed. Five hundred people were sitting in the seats, all excited to go out and collect food… I was
Moose Jaw/Swift Current sees big jump in people working
By Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
The Moose Jaw/Swift Current labour market showed a nearly seven per cent increase in employed people at the end of 2024.
Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey showed this region had 61.800 people employed at year end compared with 57,900 at the end of 2023.
The increased employment comes with a 4,300 increase in the labour force. That means more people have moved here, or started looking for work again.
The number still searching for work is 2,900, up by 500 from the previous year. At 5.6 per cent this region is in a three-way tie for the lowest unemployment rate in five provincial regions.
“Based on my experience in the last six or seven months… as I put together a plan for 2025 that I’ll present to the board next week, I’m just filled with hope,” he said. “I’m not anxious about anything. I know that this community is behind us….”
A projection from Food Banks Canada suggests that 2025 will see usage increase by an additional 15 to 20 per cent — a development that Moore said he’s now ready to face.
The food bank also aims to double its volunteer base this year and is seeking 50 additional helpers to assist with food sorting, client support, and hamper deliveries. A revamped website and volunteer app is currently in development to simplify the process.
The whole experience was eye opening for Moore who worked 20 years in the non-profit sector in Saskatoon and North Battleford without a similar comparison.
overwhelmed with gratitude and joy.”
Looking ahead
Moore said he’s excited to expand the food bank’s range of services in 2025 including the new online shopping and delivery service set to open in late March with support from SaskGaming and Casino Moose Jaw.
“There’s a different heart in this community, and I think Moose Jaw should be really proud of that.”
The Moose Jaw & District Food Bank is located at 270 Fairford Street West and can be reached at 306-692-2911. For more information, visit MJFoodBank.org or ‘Moose Jaw and District Food Bank’ on Facebook.
Lowest unemployment rate is Saskatoon/Biggar at 4.3 per cent. The Prince Albert Northern rate is 5.5 per cent.
The unemployment rate in Saskatchewan was 5.4 per cent, up from 5.3 per cent while the nation-wide rate was 6.2 per cent, up from 5.3 per cent.
This was the first increase in the national unemployment rate since January 2023. Of the 921,00 jobs created in Canada in December 35,000 were in Alberta. Saskatchewan had 8,800 new jobs.
The survey indicated almost one in 11 employed Canadians is working an industry depending on the U.S. for exports.
The tie includes Regina/Moose Mountain, Yorkton/Melville and this region.
JOAN RITCHIEMoose Jaw Express EDITOR
Editor’s Note
This time of the year can be really hard on seniors. Being locked in because of the cold weather is not especially welcoming for anyone, let alone seniors who may not want to go outside in severe temperatures or icy conditions for many reasons. Did you know that as you grow older, you are more susceptible to feeling the cold due to a number of reasons. Those being a decrease in fat and thinning skin that makes it harder to conserve heat, your metabolism slows and your blood vessels may not constrict as fast as in younger years to maintain its body temperature, and cognitive awareness of temperature may change.
There are a number of safety tips for older seniors at https://allseniorscare.com/coldweather-safety-for-older-adults/ as below:
1. Keep the thermostat set at not to hot and not to cold at approximately to 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit (20-21 degrees Celsius) or warmer during the winter months. Too much higher, and your loved one could be dealing with dry, hot air, which can promote bacteria growth and lead to illness. Too much lower, and your loved one may be at risk of hypothermia and other chilly complications.
2. Encourage your loved one to use extra blankets to stay warm when sitting in their favourite chair or getting into bed.
3. Bundle Up and wear layers to help you stay warm - multiple layers of loose-fitting, waterproof clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Avoid frostbite by donning a hat and gloves to protect the extremities. Indoors, consider a cozy sweater.
4. Watch out for ice and snow because they can pose a serious threat to seniors. Cold weather can make it more likely for seniors to experience falls. Give elderly persons a supportive hand when they go out to avoid a slip and fall accident on an unexpected patch of ice.
5. Eat a healthy diet that’s high in healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, your body will take longer to digest. This longer digestion process raises your internal body temperature, warming you from the inside out.
6. Stay hydrated and make sure to drink enough water in winter (8-10 glasses a day), even when not feeling thirsty! The risk of dehydration is higher in the winter than summer.
7. Be mindful of the “winter blues.” Cold weather means that seniors stay indoors more, which can lead to anxiety, sadness and cabin fever over time. While at home, keep active and mobile to increase blood flow, raise body heat, and protect your mental health. To stay positive, take part in social activities.
For those with challenges of dementia, there are additional tips:
1. Prevent Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a low body temperature that can cause serious repercussions such as memory loss, exhaustion, slurred speech, and more. Caregivers can make sure that the individual with dementia is dressed properly with extra layers.
2. Make the most of natural daylight
Staying indoors and the decreased sunlight during the winter months can cause restlessness and sleep disturbances. Natural light and physical activity are a proven, winning combination, that help boost mood and reduce stress.
3. Stick to a routine
A change in routine can cause someone with dementia to become confused or agitated. If you do have to make changes, try to make the changes gradually.
4. Avoid the use of space heaters
Seniors living in memory care or assisted living at All Seniors Care have in-suite temperature control, so space heaters are not necessary. The systems are regularly maintained, and all suites should have carbon monoxide detectors.
Running Wild Rescue calls on the community for support in 2025
Running Wild Rescue is asking the community to lend a helping hand — or paw — to ensure its mission to rescue and rehome stray dogs and cats in the area stays on track and tails keep wagging this year.
Although the non-profit isn’t hosting its next major fundraiser until April 5 and 6 at the Town ‘N’ Country Mall, its founder is putting the call for donations out early in the hopes of seeing additional success in 2025.
“We’re looking for lots of donations money wise just to help with our vet bills,” announced Jasmin Wenarchuk, founder of Running Wild Rescue in Moose Jaw.
“We take in a lot of random animals from all over the (area). We’re mainly looking for anything from food… collars, and leashes — anything that helps our animals get started on the right track.”
In particular, she’s now seeking wet dog and cat food, along with kennels and blankets.
this year’s upcoming fundraisers, and a lot of this boils down to the need to account for new rescues that can happen at any time.
“We have (at least) four or five (fundraisers) lined up, but it changes every day. We’re always on the go (and) we’re always starting something new,” she explained.
The shelter already made its monthly visit to Aspira West Park Crossing to visit senior residents earlier this January. The next visit will take place in February with a time and date yet to be determined.
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Running Wild plans to visit Central Collegiate with a few furry friends in support of youth mental health from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. — although the event is exclusively available for students at the school.
Wenarchuk said most of the funds go directly to veterinary bills and the remainder is used to purchase pet food and similar essentials.
“We spay and neuter, we snap test all of our cats, and we have to get them vaccinated,” she said. “They get rabies vaccines and then we have to deworm them.”
A snap test refers to a quick diagnostic test administered by veterinarians to check an animal for specific diseases like Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Heartworm Disease, and others.
“We get in all sorts of situations,” she added. “Last week, we had a dog that had to go in for a C-section at 12:00 in the morning and it ended up costing $3,400. Right now, we have a cat hooked up to an IV at the Moose Jaw Animal Clinic.
“The vet bills never end, so we’re constantly fundraising to help the animals.”
Wenarchuk hasn’t determined a set time and date for
On Thursday, Jan. 23, the organization will host a public 50/50 raffle at Bugsy’s Irish Pub featuring ribs and Caesar salad in support of students in the Voyage Quebec group from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 apiece and can be purchased by calling 306-313-1558.
Running Wild is also hosting an ongoing purse and Scentsy candle fundraiser through its Facebook page, ‘Running Wild Rescue.’
The shelter attributes its success to the incredible support of the community, describing Moose Jaw residents as the “soul of the rescue.” From fostering animals to making donations in any amount, local involvement has been key to the success of Running Wild.
“Honestly, the community is what keeps us going,” she said. “Our fosters make a huge difference; without fosters, we would be nothing.”
The shelter currently houses 130 dogs including 70 newly taken in this January with 60 up for adoption. As well, 33 additional cats were taken in this month for a total of 80 with 25 up for adoption.
To foster, adopt, or donate to the cause, phone 306313-1558 or email RunningWild.Rescue@gmail.com.
Final farewell: Moose Jaw’s 4 Plants announces last day of business on Jan. 25
Following an earlier announcement that 4 Plants Gardening and Local Hidden Treasures will soon be permanently closing its doors, owner Kim White has now set the final day for the store on Saturday, Jan. 25.
She said in an earlier interview that the store will be closing due to ongoing financial stresses and added that she opted to close permanently “before things got too bad.”
The store specializes in gardening essentials including seeds, houseplants, and indoor gardening kits. On April 6, 2024, White expanded 4 Plants to feature the work of 20 local vendors who have showcased a diverse range of creations from pickled eggs and fruit leather to paintings and plant hangers.
White remains optimistic as she looks to the future, even though her next steps remain uncertain — a situation that’s not dispiriting for the local entrepreneur. In the meantime, she plans to take some time to reflect on her next venture.
“I’m an entrepreneur, so I’m definitely thinking
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about what’s next,” she said. “I think it’s hard to be in business these days, but I think it’s worthy trying to figure something else out that’s going to suit me.”
The store continues to hold a closeout sale with all plant and gardening supplies now listed at 70 per cent off, and once items are sold they will not be restocked.
White expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the community earlier, saying “I want to give a big thanks to Moose Jaw for all the support over the last six years in business here.
“It’s been uplifting, actually, just to know that I left an impact on people’s lives. I always told everybody that I had the best customers in Moose Jaw; it has been a pleasure doing business with all of them.”
The store will remain open from Wednesday to Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day until closing at the end of January.
4 Plants Indoor Gardening Supply is located at 123 High Street West and can be reached at 306-972-4769 or by email at Hydro@4plantsIndoor.ca.
You can check for additional announcements at ‘4 Plants Gardening and Local Hidden Treasures’ on Facebook.
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Simon is a Husky/Shepherd mix and is one of the 60 dogs up for adoption at Running Wild Rescue in Moose Jaw.
Photo by: Running Wild Rescue/Facebook
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Kim White is the owner of 4 Plants Gardening and Local Hidden Treasures. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Sask. Selects tournament drives multi-million dollar influx to Moose Jaw
The city of Moose Jaw scored big recently — both on and off the field.
In the wake of the recent Saskatchewan Selects football tournament held at the Yara Centre, thousands of visitors arrived in the city to support their team and brought with them a significant boost to the economy as evidenced by packed hotels and bustling restaurants.
With around 400 rooms booked over a five-night period, event organizers said approximately 2,000 room nights were booked in Moose Jaw — a recurring economic influx that happens each time Sask. Selects hosts its annual tournament.
“And that’s just us — that’s just our block,” announced Zeljko Stefanovic, the managing director of the Selects Football program in Saskatchewan.
“That’s just our teams coming in from out of the country, and that doesn’t include any of the families that are coming. There are Airbnb’s booked, there are breakfast places booked… There’s not enough rooms in Moose Jaw to be able to accommodate everyone.”
In total, he said, around 4,000 people were estimated to be in the city specifically for the tournament that ran from Jan. 9 to 12.
Sask. Selects is based out of the Yara Centre in Moose Jaw and has played host to the annual tournament each year since 2018, minus a brief pause during the pandemic.
Stefanovic said an economic impact survey was conducted on behalf of Sask. Selects around two years ago that assessed how much money its activities brought in each year the tournament is held.
The study included a survey of parents and calculated their combined spend-
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Zeljko Stefanovic (foreground) delivers an announcement during the Sask. Selects “Battle On the Prairies” football tournament at the Yara Centre on Jan. 11. Each year, the tournament is estimated to bring in upwards of $3 million to the local economy. Photo by: Aaron Walker
ing during their visit. Results suggest that the program contributes an estimated $2.7 to $3 million annually to the local economy, and around 300 families have attended around 10 weekends of practice so far.
“We’re just in January, and we are going to the end of February,” he said. “The amount of money that’s pumped into this economy is mind boggling.”
Stefanovic added that around 95 per cent of the athletes were from outside of Moose Jaw.
“They can’t just go home for lunch,” he said. “They’re buying hotel rooms here, they’re going to eat in restaurants, and (they’re) getting fuel. That’s huge for
Three Moose Jaw-area communities receive over $220K for traffic safety projects
By MooseJawToday.com
The provincial government is providing nearly $1.6 million to 79 communities for traffic safety initiatives, including over $220,000 to three Moose Jaw-area municipalities.
The province — in partnership with SGI — approved 82 applications from those 79 communities, totalling $1,583,086, with nearly three-quarters of the projects focused on speed reduction measures.
The City of Moose Jaw received $100,000, the Town of Shaunavon received $22,603 and the Town of Assiniboia received $100,000, for a total of $222,603.
Shaunavon will use its funding for a school zone crosswalk safety initiative, Assiniboia will pursue a speed awareness and youth pedestrian safety project and Moose Jaw will pursue enhanced pedestrian crossings throughout the community.
“The 2025 grant funding will go towards three to four Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) crossings — the city will provide locations at a later date,” a spokesman at city hall said by email.
The city received similar grant funding last year with one of four enhanced crossings installed at First Avenue Northeast and Manitoba Street, the email added. The remaining 2024 funding will go toward installing two RRFB crossings on Grace Street and one more at Thatcher Drive/Fourth Avenue Northwest this spring.
“There are hundreds of municipalities in Saskatchewan, and every community has specific needs,” MLA Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for SGI, said in a release.
“These grants are extremely beneficial because they fund safety improvements directly identified by each community. Thank you to everyone who took the time to apply for these grants and for working to make your communities safer.”
Grants in this round of funding range from $197 to $100,000, while the maximum amount of funding municipalities and Aboriginal lands or territories can apply for is $100,000.
Provincial traffic safety fund grants are given to communities twice a year, using proceeds from photo speed enforcement, and since the program was established in 2019, the province has provided $13.1 million for 870 projects in Saskatchewan, the news release said.
Eligible projects must focus on one of the following traffic safety issues: speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, occupant protection, intersection safety, aggressive driving, vulnerable road users, or medically-at-risk drivers.
A committee comprised of representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Prince Albert Grand Council, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Highways and SGI reviews all applications and then either approves or denies the requests.
The provincial traffic safety fund grant committee is accepting applications for the next round of funding, with the deadline being Monday, March 31.
Interested applicants should visit SGI’s website for more information at www.sgi.sk.ca/community-grants-programs.
our local economy.”
Hoping to see greater accuracy, Stefanovic said the organization’s economic impact figures are based on a detailed survey of parents and their spending habits, rather than on inflated, “pie in the sky numbers” that yield exaggerated projections that he said are commonly seen in large-scale event analyses.
“We actually surveyed parents. How much money do you spend? What did you spend last weekend? After parents go home, (we ask), ‘How much did you spend on hotels? How much did you spend on food?’” he explained. “Then we multiply the amount of weekends that we have (an event going on) times the amount of families that we have.”
Jasvir Singh, manager of the Ramada by Wyndham in Moose Jaw, said all of its 63 hotel rooms were sold out during the weekend of the tournament. This trend included all the other hotels he spoke with and he said it repeats each time the tournament is held.
“Otherwise, because of the weather conditions, (very few) people generally travel on the weekdays or (even on) the weekends,” he noted, explaining that his hotel and others might see a few company employees but around 60 to 65 per cent less occupancy.
Singh added that the next analogue event is the upcoming 2025 World Men’s Curling Championships set to take place from Mar. 29 to April 6 in Moose Jaw.
“With these kinds of tournaments, things get really changed up. You see a lot of (additional guests) in the summertime too. (It makes) a very good impact.”
To learn more about the Saskatchewan Selects Football club visit SelectsFootball.com or visit ‘Sask Selects’ on Facebook.
AVE NE
From The Kitchen
By Joyce Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
After dinner cakes satisfy sweet tooth cravings
With most of the Christmas baking now devoured or set aside in the freezer for later use, there is no denying the craving for a bit of sweet dessert to end a family meal.
This week’s recipes, from my favourite Mennonite cookbook, offer three ideas for satisfying the sweet tooth in many of us.
•
• BITTER SWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsps. shortening
2 cups soft brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Measure flour then add cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Cream shortening slightly and gradually blend in sugars that have been sieved to remove lumps. Beat eggs until light and then add to the shortening-sugar mixture, stirring to combine.
Stir in dry ingredients alternately with milk, combining after each addition.
Stir in boiling water and vanilla. Batter should be thin.
Pour into a greased and floured 8 inch square pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack. When completely cold, frost with a favourite icing, or spread melted unsweetened chocolate over the top of the cake. A nice touch is to use melted white chocolate.
• • • GINGERBREAD CAKE & ORANGE SAUCE
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulate sugar
1 egg, well beaten
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup molasses
1 cup hot water
Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar juice of 2 oranges
To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar and then add the beaten egg.
Combine the flour, soda and spices.
Combine the molasses and hot water.
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the molasses to the butter mixture, a little of each at a time. Beat after each addition until smooth.
Bake in a brown paper lined, greased and floured 9x9 inch pan, in a 350 degrees F oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over-bake.
As cake nears completion, mix the sugar and orange juice to make the sauce. Cut cake while hot, place in individual bowls and pour sauce over slices. Serve at once.
• • •
WHIPPED CREAM CAKE
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup granulated sugar
3 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
3 egg yolks
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
3 tsps baking powder
Whip the cream until thick. Beat in egg whites and add sugar.
Add the egg yolks and beat. Fold in flour, baking powder and salt and beat well.
Divide batter between two layer pans that have been greased and floured.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 35 minutes. Cool in pans. Remove from pan to a serving plate. Use a jam for pudding filling between layers. Place layers together and ice with a creamy frosting. Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel. net
Upcoming naloxone training will prepare residents to combat opioid overdoses
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Monday - Friday 9am-6pm Saturday- 10am-4pm
Community Connection Moose Jaw is inviting residents to partake in an upcoming naloxone training course and everyone’s welcome to attend the potentially life-saving educational program.
The free course will take place at St. Aidan’s Parish Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 22, starting at 7 p.m.
Each participant will receive a free naloxone kit to take home with them and, depending on how many residents attend, a few extras may be available if you need to replace an expired kit.
“I encourage anybody who interacts with the public to come and take naloxone training,” announced Crystal Harvey, a Community Connection co-ordinator. “You could potentially save a life.”
The upcoming training will be the second such course offered by Community Connection Moose Jaw and addresses a growing concern over opioid overdoses in the community.
From January 2016 to June 2024, a total of 49,105 opioid toxicity deaths have been reported across Canada, averaging 10 deaths each day nationwide in the first half of 2024. From January to June 2023, there were 291 related deaths in Saskatchewan with a projected average of 1.6 deaths per day. Of these deaths, more than 80 per cent were attributed to fentanyl use.
In Moose Jaw alone, statistics indicate that opioid overdose-related deaths have remained a concern and as of August 2023, four confirmed opioid-related deaths have been reported. This places Moose Jaw fourth overall in the province for this cause of death.
Naloxone is a commonly administered drug used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and displaces attached opioid molecules, thereby reversing their effects. It’s routinely used to treat fentanyl, heroin, morphine,
oxycodone, and hydrocodone overdoses.
“Overdoses are on the rise in our communities, and it’s important for as many people as possible to have the training and carry these kits with them,” Harvey said.
Community Connection will partner with AIDS Programs South Saskatchewan Inc. to offer the training and instruction will be provided by Erin Hildebaugh, who’ll be returning to facilitate her second naloxone course in Moose Jaw.
Participants will be introduced to the work done by AIDS Programs South Sask., and each guest will receive a kit, learn about its components, and then have an opportunity to practice administration.
“(All participants will) practice drawing the medicine up into the syringe and will then inject it into a stress ball,” Harvey explained. “Then, they can ask any questions they might have after that. People can ask questions about Community Connection and about volunteer opportunities with us as well.”
It’s important to note that naloxone can be administered either nasally or through an injection, and each kit provided at the course will feature the injectable administration format exclusively.
To help ensure enough naloxone kits are available, prospective registrants are asked to sign up well in advance of the Jan. 22 event.
For more information about AIDS Programs South Sask. Inc. visit AidsProgramsSouthSask.com or call its toll-free and confidential number at 1-877-210-7623.
To learn more about Community Connection Moose Jaw visit ‘Community Connection’ on Facebook or email CommunityConnectionMJ@gmail.com.
St. Aidan Anglican Church Parish Hall is located at 124 First Avenue Northeast.
By Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express
Seed, crop protection outfit presents growing opportunity BIZWORLD
A global seed and crop protection stock called Corteva Agriscience should be on investor watch lists.
Corteva, currently trading at $58.59 US, leads in the field as number one corn and soybean seed supplier in the United States, number two in cotton and canola and number one biological crop protection operation on the globe.
A spin-off from Dupont in 2018, growth has been spurred by margin increases, new product advances and acquisitions. In 2019 the seed business became huge with acquisition of Pioneer Seeds.
With eight per cent of revenues spent on research and development Corteva plans to continue growth by new products, (400 last year), gene editing, biofuels and a new hybrid wheat.
The hybrid wheat coming in 2027 targets 550 million acres of the crop planted annually. This strain yields 10 per cent more in regions with adequate rain and up to 20 percent more in regions with dry conditions.
Farmers have experienced more and more heat stress around the globe recently. Climate change is expected to increase demand for water-efficient seeds.
Farmers are being asked to do more to feed growing populations with less — less land, less chemical crop
protection.
The leader in biological crop protection with $500 million annual revenues and $1 billion expected by 2030, Corteva will capitalize on the transition to reduce chemical treatments that harm watersheds, beneficial insects and aquifers.
Up to 40 per cent of global crops are lost to pests, thus building a huge market.
With over $17 billion revenue the Delaware-based company is among the top global crop protection providers competing with Bayer and BASF.
Corteva has 62 per cent of the market share for seeds in North America, 17 per cent in Latin America, 16 per cent in emerging markets and the Middle East, and five per cent in the Asia Pacific region.
In crop protection Corteva has about 35 per cent of the market in both North America and Latin America, 15 per cent in emerging markets and the Middle East, and 10 per cent in Asia/Pacific.
Operating earnings were up about 60 per cent between 2020 and 2024.
Priced at a premium 22 times earnings, the shares reflect a decline in the third quarter earnings. The price fell
but after an early January investor day the shares popped about $5, indicating enthusiasm by analysts and institutional holders.
Twenty-seven analysts had a consensus share price of $58.59 within the next year The targets ranged from $50 to $74 with a post-investor day target set at $83. Technical indicators show investors are accumulating the shares.
Corteva seems well-priced with an investor premium but in the long term should show smart returns. Investors may have opportunity to buy on price dips this year as the general market is set for a good correction. Many analysts believe the market is ripe for a 10 per cent to 20 per cent decline after two years of excellent returns.
The margin and price squeezed agriculture industry may buy fewer crop protection products too.
CAUTION: Remember when investing, consult your adviser and do your homework before buying any security. Bizworld does not recommend investments.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
Prairie South School Division (PSSD) may have seen a 21-per-cent increase in injury claims from employees during the 2023-24 school year, but its insurance premium discount dropped by nearly $68,000.
The Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) accepted 17 injury claims from division staff in 2024 versus 14 submissions in 2023, an increase of three claims or 21.42 per cent, the 2023-24 human resources accountability report showed. Meanwhile, WCB accepted 18 claims in 2022 and 26 in 2021.
The claims lost last year resulted in 609 time-loss days for $131,436 in compensation and medical costs. In comparison, claims in 2023 resulted in 312 time-loss days for $123,543 in compensation and WCB medical costs.
Prairie South paid a base premium last year of $232,204 and, even with an increase in claims, received a discount of $67,726 for an overall base premium of $164,478.
Amy Johnson, human resources superintendent, said during the January board meeting that the increase in time-loss days was “a significant amount” and was due to two employees being on long-term absence. However, “a bright spot” was one employee who agreed to retrain and was now working in a different position.
The division has worked to reduce its injuries and enhance safety, particularly since 2017, when it hired BCL Consulting Group Inc. to review historical WCB claims to find savings, she added. BCL’s efforts resulted in PSSD receiving a maximum WCB premium discount of 30 per cent in 2023, while the division should receive a four-per-cent discount this year.
Staff composition
Prairie South had 1,379 total employees in 2023-24, equalling 937.32 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, the report showed. Classroom teachers had the highest FTEs at 431.6, followed by other educational staff at 266.17 FTEs and transportation at 117 FTEs.
Training and development
PSSD spent $638,328 on professional development for staff in 2023-24, with that funding covering enrolment fees and travel costs, Johnson said.
“We are a learning organization, and providing sup port to our staff to improve and grow themselves and bet ter our organization is really important,” she continued. “And continuing that is our tuition reimbursement pro gram, another thing to be really, really proud of.”
Employees who upgrade their qualifications can apply for tuition and book reimbursement annually, the report said.
Last year, 36 teachers took 98 courses and were re imbursed $73,415. Meanwhile, 28 support staff took 52 courses and were reimbursed $32,136.81. Also, the di vision approved one teacher for educational leave for a total cost of $14,833.58.
Attendance
Data for 2023-24, 2022-23 and 2021-22 showed the average number of days staff were absent due to illness was:
• Teachers with a teacher’s certificate: 25.8 / 23.2 / 22.7
• All classroom teachers: 23.1 / 20 / 19.8
• CUPE staff: 19.3 / 20.5 / 21
• Out of scope: 12.8 / 15.6 / 12.8
• Bus drivers: 10.6 / 12.7 / 12
Meanwhile, total days absent for illness in 2023-24 for each group were, respectively, 3,148.76, 1,197.21, 637.5, 68.3 and 147.5.
Labour relations
The division issued verbal warnings to three teachers and seven support staff, letters of discipline to one teacher and four support staff, suspended six support staff, investigated two teachers and two support staff, had mutual termination with one teacher and involuntarily terminated three support staff, the report said.
Meanwhile, the teachers’ union filed zero grievances, and CUPE filed three grievances, although all were resolved or withdrawn.
The report noted that one parent/guardian — on behalf of a student — filed a human rights complaint last year.
Student health
School counsellors conducted roughly 23 suicide screenings last year — three were of low concern and two
PRAIRIE SOUTH SCHOOL DIVISION
two years ago.
Johnson noted that the decrease in follow-ups was “a really good sign” since it meant students had access to more resources and services while there were no signs of actual threats.
The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 4.
Student files and personnel files from the past three decades are some documents that Prairie South School Division will soon destroy as part of a regular cull of old records.
The organization securely stores thousands of documents at its board office in Moose Jaw and at Empire School, and in accordance with appropriate provincial legislation, policies, and records retention and disposal schedules, certain records and paperwork have reached their useful purpose and will soon see the shredder.
The Local Authority and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act also requires school divisions to dispose of records with personal information after the information is no longer needed.
Prairie South will dispose of the following records as
part of this purge:
• Student cumulative record and learning files for those born in 1999; the data only needs to be retained until students turn 25 years old
• Personnel files of employees whose employment ended before 2022; that data only needs to be kept for three years
• 2024 election documents; they only need to be kept three months after the election and should be shredded by Feb. 13
• Purchase orders from 2006 to 2013; they only need to be kept for three years
During their January board meeting, PSSD trustees approved a motion to shred the documents.
Notice to Creditors IN THE ESTATE OF MATTHEW KANIGAN, LATE OF MOOSE JAW, SASKATCHEWAN, DECEASED
All claims against the above estate verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the Public Guardian and Trustee of Saskatchewan before the 30 days after 15th day of January, 2025
PUBLIC GUARDIAN AND TRUSTEE OF SASKATCHEWAN
#100-1871 Smith Street
REGINA SK S4P 4W4
ATTENTION: Breanne Johnson Trust Officer
CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES
THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS MONDAY, JAN. 27, 2025. It has become difficult for vehicles to pass each other on some streets because of how much snow has fallen this winter, which has caused some concern for one city councillor.
Coun. Dawn Luhning inquired about city hall’s snow removal efforts during the Jan. 13 regular city council meeting, pointing out that the community has received “unprecedented snow this year” that has made some streets “narrower and narrower.”
She then wondered what city administration was doing to clear some roads and whether announcements about hauling on priority 2 routes were connected to those concerns.
City crews sanded and hauled snow during the first week of January in anticipation of more snowfall but returned to plowing priority streets once more precipitation occurred, said Bevan Harlton, director of operations.
Crews will return to hauling snow later this week once they have finished plowing the four priority routes, while they will address certain streets that have narrowed considerably once priority 2 routes are completed, he added.
Downtown bathrooms
Council approved a motion in October to have city administration prepare a report about constructing washrooms downtown, along with the costs and the sources of funding to support such a project.
Coun. Heather Eby — who introduced the motion during that fall meeting — inquired during the Jan. 13 meeting about the status of that project, saying she didn’t see it in the 2025 budget document and hadn’t heard any-
City crews may soon start clearing snow-narrowed streets
thing further about its status.
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
City manager Maryse Carmichael replied that administration is working on the report but didn’t have anything ready for the 2025 budget discussions because the original motion didn’t ask for it at that time. Yet, directors are looking to present it to the council soon.
Winter maintenance policy
Council re-voted on a recommendation from its December executive committee meeting about the city’s winter maintenance policy after administration provided Coun. Chris Warren — who introduced the initial motion — with more information about those efforts.
Specifically, city hall is working to create key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure how well it is meeting its snow clearance goals.
The initial recommendations council approved were:
• No. 1: Adopting an improved communications plan and adding Thunderbird Viaduct, Fourth Avenue Southwest from Lillooet Street to Home Street, and the north end of First Avenue Northwest as priority 2 snow clearing and hauling routes
• No. 2: Rejecting all other changes that city administration suggested
• No. 3: Having administration establish and communicate key performance indicators (KPIs) for all priorities outlined in the winter maintenance policy
• No. 4: Ordering administration to take immediate actions to meet the commitments in the policy
• No. 5: Having administration report on the results of the 2024-25 winter maintenance priorities and KPIs to executive committee in September 2025
• No. 6: Ordering administration to report to the executive committee in September 2025 on options to implement an enhanced winter maintenance policy, with some options including prioritizing roads, considering environmental conditions and snow accumulations that would trigger clearing activities, plowing roads, plowing sidewalks, plowing alleys, applying ice control on roads, removing snow on roads and from around schools, timelines for activity completions, flood mitigation measures during snow melting periods, and developing KPIs for all priorities
Council initially voted on each recommendation separately and adopted them all unanimously, except for No. 2, as Luhning was opposed to that recommendation.
During the January meeting, council unanimously approved motions 1, 2 and 4, while it unanimously defeated motions 3, 5 and 6.
Council also re-voted on another December motion to purchase an asphalt recycler machine for $102,890 as part of a sole-source contract and an infrared heater for $30,000 that administration would acquire through requests for quotes.
The initial motion contained a clause that the administration must establish and communicate KPIs for pothole and excavation repairs by May 1 and must report the results of those indicators and efforts to recycle asphalt by Q4 2025.
During the January meeting, council unanimously re-approved the decision to purchase the two machines but dropped the KPI clause.
Charity seeks support from council for new daytime warming venue
Hope Ministries Moose Jaw Inc. has been addressing food insecurity issues since October and now wants support from the city for a proposed day space for residents facing housing challenges.
Representatives from the faith-based, non-profit organization spoke about their goal of establishing a warming space during city council’s Jan. 13 regular meeting. They also asked that council designate the initiative as a municipal project until Dec. 31, 2025. This would allow the city to issue charitable donation receipts to individuals and businesses and enable Hope Ministries to secure grant funding.
Council unanimously approved the request and agreed that either party could terminate the designation within 90 days’ notice.
Background
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) considers municipalities as qualified donors that can issue donation receipts for income tax purposes, a council report said. Previously, city council had designated municipal projects that have “a broad scope and benefit the general public,” with this decision allowing city hall to direct all funds for projects without further approvals.
The City of Moose Jaw has nine designated municipal projects, each requiring an accounting of funds, receipt of donations and issuance of tax-deductible receipts, the report continued. Those projects include:
• Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre (no expiry)
• Moose Jaw Arts in Motion (no expiry)
• Festival of Words (no expiry)
VILLAGE OF TUGASKE
Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Village of Tugaske for the year of 2025 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the o ce of the assessor from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the following days, Monday to Friday, January 24, 2025 to March 26, 2025.
A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.
Any person wishing to discuss the notice of assessment or potential appeal may contact the assessor at the Village of Tugaske, Box 159, Tugaske Sk., S0H 4B0. A notice of appeal, accompanied by a $50 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, must be led with the Secretary of the Board of Revision, ADR Saskatchewan Board of Revision Inc., Box 328, Nokomis, Sk., S0G 3R0, by the 26th day of March, 2025.
Dated this, 24th day of January, 2025. Daryl Dean, Assessor
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
• Tourism Moose Jaw (no expiry)
• Murals of Moose Jaw (no expiry)
• North West Community Association (no expiry)
• Pickleball Moose Jaw (expires Dec. 31, 2026)
• Hillcrest Golf Club (expires Dec. 31, 2029)
• Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame (expires Dec. 31, 2029)
Presentation
Sharon Oberding, board chairwoman, said the organization’s mission is to share the love and compassion of Jesus Christ by ensuring people can access nutritious meals in a safe and welcoming environment that offers support, resources and a sense of belonging.
“Together, we aim to create a stronger, healthier community by tackling the pressing issues of hunger and housing insecurity with compassion and action,” she said.
Hope Ministries’ vision is to establish a permanent location where it can provide food, daytime warming and the necessary support for those facing food and housing insecurity, Oberding continued. It is also working to find interim solutions for food and daytime warming space by partnering with other charities and non-profits.
Those other groups include Square One Community Inc., Willow Lodge via the John Howard Society, the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank, Hunger in Moose Jaw, the Salvation Army, St. Aidan Anglican Church, First Baptist Church and Community Connections.
Hope Ministries is pursuing its charitable status and has filed the proper paperwork with the CRA, while previously, Square One received donations on its behalf and
issued tax receipts, said Oberding. However, with Hope Ministries being established as a non-profit and applying for charitable status, Square One can no longer do that.
The board chairwoman added that having the city accept donations and issue tax receipts would be beneficial until Hope Ministries acquired its charitable status.
In response to councillors’ questions, Oberding said the donations the city receives for Hope Ministries will support food expenses while it is providing those services “all over the city.”
For example, it provides suppers in the basement of the Salvation Army main office from Monday to Friday and provides a warming space and lunches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; the John Howard Society provides lunches at Zion United Church on Mondays and at St. Andrew’s United Church on Thursdays.
All meals are cooked by Rachel Mullens, the organization’s executive director, Oberding added.
City administration later told council that it has several controls in place when handling money for these projects since the CRA periodically audits the municipality to ensure it’s following proper guidelines.
“The last audit, we were fine,” said finance director Brian Acker.
Mayor James Murdock said afterward that supporting homeless residents should be done “the Moose Jaw way,” where all groups come together and ensure less fortunate people have the resources they need. He was also pleased that Hope Ministries wants to build or buy a warming centre, which he thought demonstrated “the Moose Jaw spirit.”
CITY HALL BUDGET ’25
THE NEXT BUDGET MEETINGS ARE JAN. 15, 20 AND 23. Canadian municipalities receive less than 10 cents from every dollar that taxpayers contribute, which is insufficient to address a growing backlog of major capital expenses, city hall says.
Finance director Brian Acker presented a chart during the recent 2025 budget meeting that showed the tax distribution in Canada and how much money goes to the municipality, the province, and Ottawa, using data from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
He used this chart to discuss the capital (infrastructure projects) budget, which is facing a $59.2 million shortfall over the next five years.
The chart showed that for every $1 of taxation, municipalities receive eight cents (eight per cent), provinces receive 42 cents (42 per cent) and Ottawa receives 50 cents (50 per cent).
“That’s all good and fine, but the reality is … 60 to 70 per cent of infrastructure in Canada is the responsibility for municipalities, yet we only get eight cents of the dollar to rehabilitate them,” Acker said.
“That’s not enough. It hasn’t been enough for years and it certainly isn’t enough going into the future,” he continued. “Something that municipalities need to do is lobby to get that additional funding, and it needs to be significant.”
Acker pointed to two significant infrastructure issues that happened last year, specifically, the collapse of major water mains in Calgary and Montreal that forced water rationing in the west and a major flood in the east. He added that municipalities will face further pressure to address crumbling infrastructure if more funding does not
Budget25: City needs more money to address numerous infrastructure repairs
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
become available.
Capital budget
Over the next five years, city hall will have more capital expenses than revenue to fund them by a margin of two to one, while many municipal venues and infrastructure items are growing older and require more money to maintain, said Acker.
The total capital funding available in 2025 is $10.1 million, which is $3.6 million less than required, and $62.9 million is available during the next half-decade while there is a funding shortfall of $57,257,161, the budget report showed. Council will use $2.5 million from investment earnings to cover a part of this year’s deficit.
Acker reviewed some of the capital budget’s revenue categories, pointing out that land sale proceeds have zero income — the target last year was $1 million — because there have been no sales in the agri-food industrial park as expected.
Administration has $3.3 million worth of land development projects planned over the next five years, including phases 5 and 6 of the Westheath subdivision, city property clean-up, in-fill development and downtown parking.
Acker thought the municipality required “foresight” about where it wanted development to occur and whether it should be involved in residential and commercial development.
“Based on those decisions, we can move forward with a plan of how land sales can help fund the capital budget,” he added.
The transportation category has $54.5 million in
proposed spending over the next five years, with $25.2 million earmarked for structure upgrades like bridges — including the Thunderbird Viaduct, the report showed.
Acker said the city won’t receive as much money from Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) as expected to rehabilitate that bridge, so city administration will present a report about how to handle this situation.
Meanwhile, city hall has $6.1 million in planned capital projects for storm sewers over the next half-decade, while roughly $210 million of such infrastructure renewal is required.
Acker noted that this infrastructure is in “dire straits” since it’s underground, has been neglected for years and requires significant money to repair. He added that these repair costs will increase in the future.
Transit
City hall will provide the transit (regular and para) department with a subsidy of $1,869,999 this year, which represents 74 per cent of all costs, the report said. In comparison, in 2019, the subsidy was $1,230,715 and represented 65 per cent of costs.
Bus maintenance costs continue to increase and are higher than regular inflation levels, but one way to address this is to purchase new buses, said Acker.
Furthermore, “a significant subsidy” is required because previous city councils realized Moose Jaw is too small not to have bus service but not big enough for the service to be sufficient, he continued. However, Ottawa will start providing capital funding of $212,168 annually in 2026 to help with fleet renewal, so less municipal funding will be required.
Budget25: Proposed tax hike and other fees could add over $300 per year to bills
The City of Moose Jaw’s 2025 budget proposes adding over $50 to taxpayers’ annual bills for the municipal tax hike, but if other utility and infrastructure levies are included, that number jumps to over $300.
City hall is proposing to increase municipal property taxes in 2025 by 2.88 per cent or adding $4.46 per month or $53.52 per annually for the “average homeowner,” the budget report says.
Furthermore, taxpayers will still be paying the waterworks infrastructure levy of $8.33 per month or $100 per year to support the cast iron replacement program and the parks and recreation levy of $5.41 per month or $65 per year to support the department’s efforts to maintain its many venues.
The proposed municipal tax hike and both levies add up to $18.20 per month or $218.40 per year to prop-
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
erty bills.
Meanwhile, the Moose Jaw Police Service is asking for an operating budget increase of 7.43 per cent or an extra $909,871 over 2024. City administration says this increase will likely translate into a municipal tax increase of 2.35 per cent, since one percentage point of taxation this year is $387,402.
If council accepts the police service budget, it will add $3.64 per month or $43.68 per year to taxpayers’ bills.
Meanwhile, the budget proposes increasing waterworks utility rates and sanitary sewer utility rates by four per cent each, for a total of eight per cent.
For the “average property taxpayer,” this equates to an extra $5.55 per month or $66.60 per month for both utilities.
Furthermore, the solid waste garbage collection rate will increase by 31 cents per month or $3.72 annually and the recycling fees will increase by 10 cents per month or $1.20 annually. Therefore, this will add an extra 41 cents per month or $4.92 per year in total.
Combining the proposed municipal tax hike, the water and sewer utility increases, the waterworks and parks and recreation infrastructure levies, the garbage and recycling fees and the police service request, the total increase homeowners could face next year would be $27.80 per month or $333.60 for the year.
The Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com will have a complete breakdown of the proposed 2025 budget in the coming days and weeks, as council kicked off its budget discussions on Jan. 14.
Budget25: Council grills police service on expenses and recruitment efforts
The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) presented its 2025 budget request during city council’s Jan. 15 budget meeting, with councillors questioning the agency’s proposed expenses and recruitment efforts.
The police service is asking for operating funding of $13,155,774 this year, which is an increase of $909,871 — or 7.43 per cent — over last year. It is also asking for capital funding of $344,000.
Recruitment
The MJPS has an authorized strength of 64 officers — it currently has 58 members — although that number will increase to 72 with the eight provincially funded positions, said Acting Chief Rick Johns.
The agency has instituted “a fairly robust strategy” to encourage candidates to apply while continuing to focus on future recruitment to address the loss of members through attrition and retirement, he continued.
The MJPS will work closely with the provincial government to fill those positions and with the Saskatchewan Police College (SPC) to acquire training spaces, the acting chief noted.
The police service is also working to attract experienced members from other agencies in Saskatchewan and across Canada through transfers to fill those eight positions as quickly as possible, Johns said.
While there is competition with the provincial marshals’ services for members, other municipal policing agencies that received similar funding from the Saskatch-
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ewan government are also recruiting, he continued.
“We’re just going to continue to work to attract people and advocate for space in the college,” added Johns. Financial matters
Coun. Jamey Logan inquired about why the training and education expense category had increased to $180,000 from $100,000. Johns replied that the MJPS has an incentive program that encourages members to further their education in policing. Moreover, that line item includes funding for members to attend meetings outside of Moose Jaw.
Lisa Renwick, the MJPS’s finance officer, said it costs the agency roughly $10,000 per officer to send them to college. So, the MJPS bumped the training and education expense by $80,000 in hopes of acquiring more spots in the SPC.
Coun. Chris Warren asked why revenues were increasing this year by $997,700 over 2024 levels and whether that was connected to the eight new provincially funded members.
Renwick replied that she budgeted $747,700 from April — the start of the province’s fiscal year — to December for the eight new positions, while she included $250,000 in revenue from the federal government for a partnership with the RCMP.
“When officers are starting with training and probation, it’s (the salaries) a set amount from the government,” she continued.
“It will cover their salaries and benefits up to a certain time (and) then it will cost us because it won’t cover everything. Some (money) will (eventually) come out of our operating because of the salary increases.”
The agency also plans to spend an extra $924,187 in salaries this year because it is a young force and 25 members will advance up the salary grid, Renwick added. However, a small portion of the increase is due to collective agreement clauses.
Council also inquired about the MJPS’s capital reserve, software costs, retirement top-ups and the 911 service.
Police leadership said the capital reserve contains $80,219 and will be used for projects this year; computer software expenses are increasing to $188,000 from $78,000 due to licensing fees for programs; and janitorial supplies are increasing to $10,000 from $8,000 because the organization underbudgeted last year.
Also, retirement gratuities are increasing to $80,000 from $60,000 because four people retired last year — two were unexpected — and anyone with 25 years of service who leaves receives a gift, and, the agency is paying $231,800 to cover the 911 system because Ottawa has downloaded that cost onto the organization.
Johns noted that it could be this year or next year when the provincial government potentially funds this cost, which the federal government has always paid because it’s a national service.
CITY HALL BUDGET ’25
THE NEXT BUDGET MEETINGS ARE JAN. 15, 20 AND 23. The 2025 budget represents the shared commitment of city council and city administration of a renewed vision for Moose Jaw that is built on two foundational pillars, the city says.
One pillar is accountability and rigour in fiscal decision-making, while the second pillar is “a relentless pursuit of efficiencies to ensure that we use every dollar to its fullest potential,” city manager Maryse Carmichael said during the Jan. 14 budget meeting.
“Together, these priorities will guide us as we work to deliver high-quality services that respond directly to the needs and expectations of our residents.”
City hall designed this year’s budget as a transparent framework that not only enhances accountability but also instills confidence in how the municipality allocates and manages resources, Carmichael continued. Administration recognizes the importance of maintaining a strong
Budget25: Two main pillars will guide budget talks this year, city says
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fiscal foundation, while this budget “is a testament to our commitment to prudent, responsible spending.”
The administrative team worked closely to identify opportunities to streamline operations, eliminate redundancies and focus on important initiatives that provide the most value, she noted.
“By scrutinizing every line item, we are not only ensuring fiscal responsibility but also setting new standards for how local government can operate efficiently and effectively,” the city manager added.
One of administration’s main priorities this year is to align the city’s investments with council’s strategic priorities while being flexible in adapting to the community’s unique needs, said Carmichael. Creating a budget with accountability and rigour at its core helps the city address challenges proactively and responsibly.
This, she pointed out, means committing to programs
that deliver “meaningful outcomes, optimizing services and supporting our city’s long-term sustainability and resilience.”
The goal of council and administration is to foster a stronger, more responsive city that is built on trust, guided by principles of transparency and driven by measurable results, said Carmichael. They are also working to create a budget that reflects the “best interests of (the) community” and are laying the groundwork for a community that is prepared for today and the future.
“I extend my gratitude to city council, city staff and the residents of our Notorious City for their continued commitment to our shared prosperity,” she added. “Together, we can overcome the challenges before us and ensure that Moose Jaw remains a vibrant and prosperous community.”
Budget25: Total proposed spending to decrease by almost 14% this year over 2024
Total spending in this year’s budget will be nearly $140 million, which is a decrease of almost $20 million compared to last year or a drop of almost 14 per cent.
The 2025 budget proposes total spending of $139,902,241 versus $158,992,450 last year, a decrease of $19,090,209 or roughly 13.65 per cent, the budget report shows. This drop is because capital spending has decreased.
Spending differences between this year and last year show:
• General operating (daily spending) budget, including transit: $65,798,132 / $61,564,980
• General capital (projects) budget spending: $13,806,569 / $20,627,989
• Land development capital spending: $1,190,000 / $1,675,000
• Equipment reserve budget spending: $3,713,162 / $1,135,235
• Utility operating budget: $33,146,744 / $31,462,053
• Utility capital budget request for new spending: $22,247,634 / $42,457,193
The document shows that operating revenues will increase by $1,795,590 — or 2.89 per cent — to $64,033,529, while expenses will increase by $2,910,443 — or 4.68 per cent — to $65,148,382.
The rise is due to negotiated collective agreement increases, inflation on non-salary budget areas, funding for the police service and municipal inflationary increases being higher than general consumer price index (CPI) inflation, the report continued.
“This is a status quo budget, and what that means is new requests are to be a decision of city council,” finance director Brian Acker said during the Jan. 14 budget meeting. “So, there aren’t new requests built into this budget.
City hall plans to dredge Crescent Park’s Serpentine Creek in 2026 to restore it to its original depth, but some on city council want to see that project addressed sooner.
Derek Blais, director of community services, discussed the capital projects his department — which includes parks and recreation — intends to undertake this year during council’s recent 2025 budget meeting.
The one capital infrastructure project in Crescent Park this year is the removal of the paddling pool for $23,630, the budget report said. This venue has been closed since 2020 because of public health requirements and insufficient staffing levels.
“It is a bit of an eyesore now and a lot of maintenance. It’s continually filling with water and needs to be pumped out,” said Blais. “It (also) collects a lot of garbage and different debris … .”
The Crescent Park Foundation is interested in providing funding for a gazebo-type structure with picnic tables on that site, he continued. That initiative could happen next year.
Blais added that the foundation is a separate entity from the city, so city hall has no access to — or knowledge about — its funding.
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We haven’t added a service or program or anything like that.
“But … status quo does not mean zero (increases in expenses).”
For example, a new grader cost roughly $400,000 four years ago but is now $650,000, while a new aerial ladder fire truck cost $1.4 million over a year ago but is now $3.3 million, he continued. That means city administration must provide more money for reserve contributions to replace aging equipment.
“That is a significant cost increase. And you’ll see a number of those throughout the budget … ,” Acker added.
The general capital budget — which includes $12,194,294 in carry-forward funding — proposes:
• $19,274,700 for transportation
• $5,841,757 for parks and recreation
• $3,445,947 for other services
• $85,000 for the police service
• $782,184 for the Events Centre
• $1,998,000 for storm sewers
• $4,012,361 for land development
The equipment reserve budget — which includes $3,470,259 in carry-forward money — proposes:
• $1,870,065 for public works equipment
• $335,890 for parks and rec equipment
• $270,092 for information technology equipment
• $245,739 for the library
• $482,310 for the Events Centre
• $509,066 for all other departments and third-party groups
The utility operating budget consists of the waterworks and wastewater utility and the solid waste utility and proposes spending $15,732,782 in the waterworks division and $11,276,954 in the wastewater division, the
Many of the creek’s issues are because of water quality, so city hall had a hydro survey conducted last year that showed 40 per cent of its holding capacity was filled with sludge and debris, said Blais. This proposed project would dredge over 350 cubic metres and restore the serpentine to its original depth while improving water quality.
Blais noted that the department is working with University of Regina students to improve the serpentine’s water quality and he was eager to see what they developed. In the short term, though, last July, city crews poured biological agents into the water to clear it up. This liquid is used to improve quality in lagoons.
“So we’re hopeful that it’s going to help here … . We’ll be continuing with those treatments in the spring,” Blais said. “It’s fairly low cost (and) something we were able to do in our operating budget. (We) hope that by the hot and dry conditions in July that we see noticeable improvements.”
report said. City administration is asking council to approve four-per-cent increases in each division.
The solid waste utility proposes spending $6,137,008, which includes a proposed increase to garbage and recycling collection fees of $4.92 annually.
The utility capital budget for projects proposes:
• $12,485,234 for the waterworks division
• $33,524,750 for the wastewater division
• $9,794,400 for the solid waste division
Municipal taxation is the largest revenue source for the operating budget at 58.55 per cent, with city hall expecting to collect $37,492,473 this year compared to $36,692,578 last year — an increase of $799,895 or 2.18 per cent, the report said. In comparison, in 2015, the city collected under $25 million in municipal taxation. Furthermore, salaries and benefits represent roughly 50 per cent of all operating expenses, making them one of the biggest expenses.
Meanwhile, the document noted that commercial property appeal losses were lower last year than in the past since successful appeals led to a loss of municipal tax revenue of just $147,678. In comparison, past years saw losses of $400,000.
This decrease is due to the contractor handling Board of Revision services and the Saskatchewan Municipal Board responding to appeals more quickly, said Acker. Meanwhile, administration can cover that small loss through regular taxation efforts.
Furthermore, Moose Jaw will receive over $8 million through the provincial revenue-sharing grant program this year, which is $513,599 more than last year, he added. This formula provides predictable funding, which allows city hall to begin its budget planning process earlier than if there was no funding.
project will cost almost $500,000.
Crescent Park is a beautiful green space and a valuable downtown asset, and based on reports, it’s one of the largest in the world by square footage, Luhning said. She thought it would be a sound move by council to enhance this asset soon.
Meanwhile, what concerned her about the capital budget is it pitted projects against each other for importance, pointing to a cricket pitch that the department plans to build this year for $50,000. She would rather direct that money toward the serpentine dredging.
“When you have these facilities, they need to be maintained,” Luhning added. “(But) we get to the point where building new things is going to stretch us even thinner. … we need to start thinking about what we have to maintain and keep going.”
Coun. Dawn Luhning asked why administration didn’t pull this project into 2025 since this issue happens annually and residents usually ask questions about the water quality.
The department is speaking with cricket players about possible locations and forming a partnership — similar to the pickleball group — where players would contribute money through annual memberships, he added. He planned to present a report about this sometime in Q1. Budget25:
One capital project that community services has planned in Crescent Park in 2026 is the dredging of the Serpentine Creek for $250,000, something that caught Coun. Patrick Boyle’s eye. He wondered if the action would “measurably improve” that area.
Funding is the sticking point since not only is $250,000 required to dredge, but $190,000 is needed to repair pathways in Crescent Park that the heavy machines will damage reaching the creek, said Blais. So, the entire
The cricket pitch is a priority project for parks and rec because some residents regularly request it, while they are forced to use baseball diamonds to play, which isn’t ideal since those fields aren’t always available, said Blais.
CITY HALL BUDGET ’25
THE NEXT BUDGET MEETINGS ARE JAN. 15, 20 AND 23. City hall will use more than $6 million of investment portfolio earnings this year to support various projects ranging from infrastructure to operations to scholarships.
During its 2025 budget meeting on Jan. 15, city council voted unanimously to approve the drawdown of $6,263,986 from the investment portfolio, with $1,314,290 coming from the moderate-term portfolio and $4,949,696 from the long-term portfolio.
Money from the long-term portfolio will support initiatives such as the Snowbirds’ Scholarship Fund, capital projects for transportation and parks and recreation, operations equipment purchases and the capital reserve.
Money from the moderate-term portfolio will enhance areas such as the police service’s accumulated surplus account, the city’s accumulated surplus account, Mosaic Place and Yara Centre reserves, retirement pension supplements, contaminated site reserves and land development.
The expected annual return for the long-term portfolio is six per cent, but in 2024, it was 16.83 per cent, while the expected annual return for the moderate-term portfolio is 4.25 per cent, and in 2024, it was 11.07 per cent, a budget report said.
Last year’s performance was better than expected, so additional earnings can be withdrawn and spread throughout the budget, the report continued. City has determined there is roughly $3.1 million in extra investment earnings that could be used for other purposes, including $2.5 million to cover the capital reserve deficit.
Instead, council unanimously approved a motion directing administration to identify opportunities to use
Budget25: City to use $6.2M of investment earnings for projects this year
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$300,000 in investment earnings to support one-time projects in the operating and/or capital budgets and to present a report with those options.
Council discussion
“It’s great news that we’re seeing higher-than-expected returns on our investments … . Obviously, it’s been helping to fund our budgets and keeping the mill rate increases down,” said Coun. Chris Warren.
The $6.2 million is likely more than city administration expected to have when it began the budget process, he pointed out, and likely budgeted based on what it thought the earnings would be.
Finance director Brian Acker concurred, saying administration did not expect those types of returns in 2024 and budgeted the earnings with a status quo-type mindset. He noted that administration budgeted $2.75 million to flow into the general capital expenditure reserve and not the extra $2.5 million that it was requesting be used.
Warren thought council could use $300,000 of extra earnings to fund one-time expenses in this year’s operating or capital budgets and potentially reduce the mill rate increase; he then made a motion to that effect.
Coun. Heather Eby didn’t think council should panic and spend $300,000 by the end of January, pointing out they have 11 more months to consider projects they could fund. Moreover, she didn’t think spending that money would affect the mill rate that much.
The $300,000 represents almost one percentage point of taxation, so council should use that money to reduce the mill rate, Warren replied. Currently, the municipal tax
hike — including the police budget request — is roughly five per cent, while there are levies and utility increases on top of that.
An odd, but good year
Last year “was a pretty odd year in the markets,” but they were “really good,” while it will be interesting to see how this year pans out in light of the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, said Coun. Dawn Luhning. She noted that all signs point to another year of good markets. Meanwhile, since the City of Moose Jaw was a corporation and should technically exist forever, Luhning hoped that future councils saw the benefits of investing tax dollars because they increased over time. That meant it was important to keep the principal investment amount intact.
“This report is a prime example of why the reserves the City of Moose Jaw has (are) helpful for the budgets we do (because) 11 (per cent) and 16 (per cent increases) don’t happen every year,” she continued.
While some residents say council should spend those reserves, they should think about how detrimental that would be, Luhning added. Those earnings keep tax increases low and ensure the city can maintain programs and services that people enjoy.
The current value of the investment portfolios is over $110 million, so city administration works to protect that amount from erosion and only uses the excess earnings, said Acker. However, since $14 million of that principal is to close the landfill, the actual amount is just under $100 million.
The Natatorium’s fate has been “hanging on a hook” for 30 years, as former city councillor Brian Swanson once said, and a recent city council decision will keep that future murky.
During council’s 2025 budget meeting on Jan. 15, city administration provided an update about the proposed replacement of the Phyllis Dewar Outdoor Pool with a new $13.5 million outdoor aquatic park at the existing site.
Administration has been presenting reports to council about the outdoor pool’s replacement since 2021.
City hall updated the replacement plan because the current construction costs have been escalating, the report said. To potentially reduce the capital construction costs, administration — similar to the 2024 budget discussions — presented additional location options for consideration.
Option 1 was to allocate $50,000 to conduct a feasibility study about retaining the Nat’s front façade and main heritage elements and construct the new outdoor pool’s changeroom building on that historic building’s footprint.
If the study proved feasible, administration would conduct further analysis to determine the budgetary implications of including the Natatorium’s restoration with the outdoor pool replacement project.
Option 2 was to allocate $35,000 to re-design the changeroom building for construction on the Natatorium site and retain the water park’s planned design while demolishing the Nat for $600,000 to $900,000.
Option 3 was to allocate $40,000 to conduct a feasibility study about moving the outdoor aquatic park near the Kinsmen Sportsplex, which could save $4 million to $6 million in construction costs.
If the study proved feasible, administration would allocate another $50,000 to $75,000 for detailed design plans for aquatic amenities and mechanical systems.
Similar to the 2024 budget discussions, this year, council was attracted to option 3 but voted unanimously to receive and file the report, punting the issue into the future — again.
Competing priorities
Coun. Jamey Logan liked option 3, but only if the city reused the outdoor pool for another purpose. If council chose that option, administration would have to create new site drawings and those would not be considered shovel-ready for grant funding purposes.
Council would still be responsible for the Natatorium even if it chose option 3, while this group or the next would have to “make a hard decision” about what to do with it since demolition costs grew more expensive, said Coun. Dawn Luhning.
“While it looks on paper to be cheaper (to build near
the Sportsplex), it probably isn’t. We have lots of decisions to make as to how we’re going to handle the outdoor pool,” she added.
The Natatorium is “a classic Moose Jaw facility in the downtown core,” but council must also fund the $66-million Crescent View Lift Station project and $22-million Thunderbird Viaduct/Fourth Avenue bridge, said Coun. Patrick Boyle.
He thought they should wait for new federal funding streams to become available — which would likely happen with a new government.
Finding a new location
Derek Blais, director of community services, said administration reviewed where the outdoor pool could go if it were built near the Kinsmen Sportsplex, and the pool could fit north, south or east. Furthermore, a contractor that builds pools has visited the Sportsplex and determined there is extra room in the mechanical room to install equipment for the outdoor pool.
“Both those factors being considered led us to (think) this could … be a viable option,” he added.
Coun. Carla Delaurier asked whether the current outdoor pool — once closed — could be reused for activities like a skateboard park. She said she had seen other communities repurpose their former outdoor pools into some “pretty amazing parks.”
Blais replied that his department hadn’t explored that option — “It is an excellent idea” — but could see that potential.
One of the best pools
Boyle asked whether it was possible to extend the Kinsmen pool’s swimming lanes to 50 metres from 25 metres for competitions since the proposed outdoor venue would be smaller. Blais replied it was not something he would recommend since a community the size of Moose Jaw didn’t need such a venue when Saskatoon and Regina already had them.
Coun. Heather Eby pointed out that the Flying Fins spoke to council several years ago and they said even with 50-metre lanes, they wouldn’t hold more than one meet here in the summer.
“So that, to me, says it’s not really worth (expanding the Sportsplex pool),” she said, before asking whether Fins could host events with 25-metre lanes.
Moose Jaw has one of the best pools in Saskatchewan to host swimming events since it has 10 lanes, Blais said, and even at 25 metres long, the Sportsplex can hold several events because of its ability to accommodate spectators.
Funding shortfall
Finance director Brian Acker pointed out that the new outdoor aquatic centre is an unfunded project because city hall doesn’t have the money to build it. Instead,
the city is facing a $60-million capital deficit over the next five years and doesn’t even have enough funding to refurbish the Thunderbird Viaduct/Fourth Avenue bridge.
Moreover, there is a capital budget deficit of $3.66 million this year, but that has been reduced using $2.5 million in investment earnings, he continued. Administration is proposing the creation of a stormwater utility this year, which would generate revenue and cover the remaining deficit.
“(The) reality is, for the City of Moose Jaw, we are struggling to do the basic rehabilitation and replacement of items, let alone the major items,” Acker said.
The municipality needs more money from other sources to build the new CVLS, renovate the bridge and construct a pool, he added. Council could borrow some of that money, but those three projects alone cost nearly $100 million.
Personal thoughts on why Trump probably won’t exempt oil from tariffs
When president-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Canada most Canadian observers believed oil and natural gas would be exempt.
Canada supplies a major part of oil and natural gas consumed by the United States.
In 2022 crude oil imports from Canada amounted to 60 per cent of US consumption and allowed exports of oil by the USA.
About 20 per cent of US consumption of natural gas is imported from Canada. That allows the US to export huge volumes of natural gas into the more lucrative export market, especially with compressed LNG getting three times the price of gas in America.
In short, Canada’s exports of oil and gas provide consumers with low cost energy and allow thriving US exports.
The United States buys our oil at a discount of $10 to $15 a barrel simply because we have had no other market. Eighty per cent of our oil goes south.
Right now that’s sold at about a discount of 15 per cent discount, costing oil producers and government billions annually.
The Trans-Mountain Pipeline so far hasn’t made much of a dent in the oil discount, but gives Canada a
market other than the USA.
One wonders why Trump wouldn’t exempt oil and natural gas from tariffs.
The U.S produces 13 million barrels of oil a day but consumes 21.8 million. Canada supplies four million barrels of that deficit with the rest from the Middle East and Mexico.
Tariffs on Canadian oil and gas are about his pursuit of vengeance on those he thinks have done him wrong.
Much of the Canadian oil exports are sold to the Koch Oil refineries which are specially built to process heavy oil.
Trump seems to not like the Koch Oil billionaires.
In 2016 and 2020 the Koch billionaires were heavy financial supporters of Trump election races.
By 2024 they decided not to fund Trump at all, instead putting funds in support of what they believed were key Senate and Congressional races. Trump seemed to be outraged.
The only alternative supply for Koch refineries is Venezuelan oil, currently embargoed, and Iran, also sanctioned.
He doesn’t seem to care who is hurt by his actions.
With 99 per cent of our natural gas exports and 80 per
By Ron Walter For Moose Jaw Express
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
cent of crude oil exports to the USA, tariffs would cripple our oil and gas industry.
Drilling for oil would stop, production would be turned off. Thousands of jobs would be lost.
Americans would find energy more expensive.
Tariffs on Canadian oil and natural gas threaten many of the 130,000 Albertans working in the industry or supporting operations In Saskatchewan that includes 30,000 jobs.
The oil and gas industry is a driver of the economy and particularly of exports.
Such tariffs make no sense at all. Then much of Trump’s ideas are muddled and make no sense.
Trump may do much worse to the Canadian oil and gas industry than Trudeau’s emission caps.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
Phoenix Academy students learn about the trades using virtual reality
Students at Phoenix Academy recently had the opportunity to try out various trade programs through Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA), including using an excavator to dig a hole — virtually.
Mandy Derr, an SYA consultant, brought a virtual reality (VR) headset to the school and let the youths experience what it’s like being a heavy-duty machine operator. With the VR device over their eyes, the students used two handheld joysticks to dig, drive and answer a phone call from their virtual boss.
Other programs students could access included plant geneticist, medical lab technician, sheet metal worker, robotics technician, pipe fitter, crane operator and aquaculture technician.
Derr brought the VR program to Phoenix Academy because she had visited the school a month earlier to talk about the trades, SYA’s programs, employment opportunities and career advancement, explained teacher Christa Lapointe.
“Skilled trades are in demand, and it’s a skill set that will carry these kids wherever they want to go across Canada, so it’s always important to get exposure to different career options,” she said.
Der mentioned the VR headset and its capabilities during her first visit, which was exciting since today’s youths are technologically savvy and have used virtual reality elsewhere, Lapointe continued. So, letting them use this technology to test different trades and hopefully
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
since most make good money. Moreover, he likes some programs, such as being a heavy-equipment operator, because workers are prohibited from drinking or smoking, which is important to him.
“Staying sober is important in some trades, which is amazing,” he remarked, noting he wants to go into plumbing since he enjoys working on pipes.
Almer added that using VR to demonstrate the trades was a better option than watching a video since its handson focus could convince youths to consider a program.
Ayden, a Grade 11 student, also thought the trades were an exciting industry since some programs did not require students to pay tuition. Instead, they allow youths to learn and then put that knowledge to work during internships or work terms.
“Me personally, I’m going to university to become a chemical engineer because I think that’s really interesting to me,” he said. “But trades are a way that people can get a really cool job that pays well without … worrying about how they’ll pay for university.”
690-4992.
spark an interest in their future employment was neat.
Phoenix students will go hands-on with certain trades soon, as Lapointe plans to take the students to Regina next month to work with a bricklayers’ union, where they will help build a wall. She also plans to arrange a trip for students interested in hairstyling.
Lapointe noted that these experiential, hands-on activities connect students’ interests with a meaningful education that hopefully guides where they want to go in life.
“The more variety you can give students, the better,” she added.
Almer was the first student to slip on the VR headset and thought it was a cool experience since it was almost like operating an excavator. Furthermore, he appreciated how the program’s artificial intelligence guided him and offered tips on how to manage the machine.
The student is interested in going into the trades
The youth thought using VR to try some trades before committing to any of them or a post-secondary institution was a great experience; he had used this technology before but not to operate a construction vehicle.
Students who register with SYA are expected to complete 12 challenges of varying difficulties — like interviewing a journeyman — over three different levels before they complete high school, said Derr, who noted that over 300 youths are registered across Saskatchewan.
Once students complete the three levels and register as apprentices in a designated trade within five years, they will receive a registration fee waiver, their first level of technical training tuition for free, and 300 hours of trade-time credit, she added.
Visit saskapprenticeship.ca/youth_apprentices for more information.
Police arrest man for possessing handgun against court orders
By MooseJawToday.com staff
The Moose Jaw Police Service arrested 31-year-old Michael Tufano on Jan. 16 following a police operation on the 1200 block of Vaughan Street.
Tufano was on a mandatory prohibition order after being convicted on Nov. 8, 2022, for causing death by criminal negligence with a firearm and drug-related offences. He was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition for 10 years.
Following his incarceration, Tufano was granted parole, which he subsequently breached and a Canada-wide warrant was issued for his arrest on Jan. 2, 2025, for being unlawfully at large.
On Jan. 16, Tufano was located and arrested at a residence on the 1200 block of Vaughan Street with the assistance of the MJPS’s tactical response team (TRT) and was
taken into police custody without incident. Following the arrest, police executed a search warrant for the residence. As a result of the search, police located a loaded handgun and charged Tufano with:
• Possession of loaded and restricted firearm
• Breach of weapon prohibition (twice)
• Possession of a weapon dangerous to the public
• Careless use of a firearm
• Possession of an unauthorized firearm
Tufano appeared in Moose Jaw Provincial Court on Jan. 17.
Anyone with further information should contact CRIME STOPPERS at 1-800-222-8477 or the Moose Jaw Police Service at 306-694-7600.
Cutline: Rylen, a Grade 11 student at Phoenix Academy, expertly drives an excavator in a virtual reality program, as part of a demonstration of different trades by Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Oh Clark’s
Welcome Week inspires education and involvement at Sask. Polytech
Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Moose Jaw campus launched the winter semester with a lively welcome week that blended fun activities, helpful resources, and community connections to make students feel at home while showcasing the school’s mission to “inspire success in every learning journey.”
“The main focus (was) to get students settled and connected for most of their academic journey. Just getting that initial connection to the campus is an opportunity for our staff to meet with their new students and faculty to create that initial relationship…,” explained Ben Gamble, the school’s manager of student experiences.
The welcome week began on Jan. 6 with staff members stationed at the campus entrances to greet students.
“We had snacks for them and greeted them as they came in, and then offered to take them to their orientation if they didn’t know where they were going,” Gamble said, adding that these greeters offered a “friendly, welcoming face when (students) first walked in.”
Gamble said the highlight of the week was the campus and community services fair that came one day later on Jan. 7. The event featured internal groups such as learning services, the campus bookstore and library, as well as external organizations including St. John Ambulance and therapy dog teams.
One measure of the event’s success was the large student turnout, which Gamble said was between 300 and 500 students eager to support their academic success and strengthen a connection to the broader community.
On the final two days of the week-long
Aaron Walker -
event the school held its campus kickoff.
In Moose Jaw, Sask. Polytech hosted the event on Jan. 8 alongside the Prince Albert campus, and on Jan. 9, the Saskatoon and Regina campuses followed. The Moose Jaw campus partnered with its student union, the Sask. Polytechnic Students’ Association (SPSA), to host the event.
The day included free pizza courtesy of Pizza Hut along with prize giveaways, inflatable axe throwing, soccer, badminton, jewelry making, and even a tie-dye station.
The winter welcome week is smaller than the analogue fall event, which traditionally kicks off the academic year with live entertainment such as The Pile of
Bones Brass Band show in 2023. Planning for the next fall orientation begins shortly after the winter events wrap up, Gable said.
The winter semester orientation was made possible by title sponsor SaskMilk, and secondary sponsors Innovation Federal Credit Union and SaskTel.
What’s upcoming in winter 2025
Undecided about Your Future: The Moose Jaw Sask. Polytech campus will be hosting a free online workshop for students in partnership with career counselling staff designed to help participants clarify their future goals and career paths on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Returning to Learning: Prospective students can explore education paths, con-
nect with high-earning job opportunities, and discover careers they love on Tuesday, March 11 in Moose Jaw.
Students are also encouraged to check the school’s monthly newsletter for further information.
Gamble offered a quick word of advice to this semester’s returning students.
“I would say, ‘Get involved,’” Gamble suggested. “I think that, especially (during) that first week, it’s very easy. I’ve went through it, and it’s easier said than done, but just putting yourself out there and getting involved… and really getting an understanding of what supports are available… creates a lasting impression for your… post-secondary career.
“There are so many supports at Sask. Polytechnic and there’s so many friendly staff and faculty members. You will get (the most) out of your student experience by creating that connection with everyone on campus.”
To learn more about the school and its range of program options visit SaskPolytech.ca.
The Moose Jaw Sask. Polytech campus is located at 600 Saskatchewan Street West.
Moose Jaw Express
Students are welcomed back to classes to start the winter semester at the Moose Jaw Sask. Polytech Campus earlier this month.
Photo by: Saskatchewan Polytechnic/ Facebook
Photo by: Saskatchewan Polytechnic/ Facebook
Photo by: Saskatchewan Polytechnic/Facebook
Photo by: Saskatchewan Polytechnic/Facebook
accessories on sale now!
Share your team’s news, pictures and results with us! email: editor@mjvexpress.com
Swift Current Outlasts South Hill Comeback Bid
After a slow start the South Hill Royal Falcons turned in a big second half as they fell just eight points short against the Swift Current Colts on Tuesday evening January 14. The visiting Colts would see a large half time lead drift away defeating the Royal Falcons 87 - 79 in a crowd-pleasing game.
The win sees the Colts remain unbeaten with a 4 - 0 record.
The loss sees the Royal Falcons move to 2 - 2 or fourth place in the senior boys city basketball league.
The game started slow for the Royal Falcons as they struggled to make baskets when they had second, third and even fourth rebounds under control only to miss largely in the First Quarter.
The Colts on the other hand managed to make many of their baskets on single shots and layups in the first half of play.
The Royal Falcons managed to temporarily take control of rebounding in the mud portion of the Second Quarter but the Colts regained control.
The Third Quarter saw the Royal Falcons push back against the Colts. South Hill jockeyed for position and often passed the ball around to achieve the best shot.
The Fourth Quarter saw the Royal Falcons play their best basketball of the night.
The Royal Falcons used three pointers to close the score gap.
South Hill
managed to outplay Swift Current which found itself in major foul problems with just under for minutes remaining in the final quarter.
With just over two minutes remaining in the game the Colts lead had dropped to ten points.
“It was a fun game. I was really happy with how the boys played,” Royal Falcons head coach Kalen Senecal said, adding “we came out a little flat on the weekend in our last game and this is a really good rebound game.”
Over the past weekend the Royal Falcons were playing in the Assiniboia senior boys tournament where they came in second.
“We shot the ball well in the fourth quarter (today) and left a few points out there but besides that I think we executed our offence. Our defence could be a little bit tighter but over all I’m happy with the game,” Senecal said.
Tuesday night’s game was a game of missed opportunities for the Royal Falcons.
“I don’t even want to know what we shot from the free throw line today,” he said. “I don’t think that wasn’t our best shooting from the free throw line.”
He estimated the Royal Falcons additionally left behind ten points on the floor from missed layups.
“That’s tough.”
The push since January has been for the Royal Falcons “to play a little bit crispier rebounding and finishing, those are the kind of things we’ve been working on and cleaned up by March. If we can do that, we should have a really good playoff run.”
Tuesday’s game was a stellar effort by South Hill as they did no allow Swift Current to take total control of the game.
“I hope we can keep going with that moving forward.”
Referring to free throws, Senecal said, “It’s easiest to score when there is nobody between you and the baskets.”
The Royal Falcons forced the Colts to take fouls that helped in keeping pace with Swift Current.
Quarter Scorers:
First Quarter
South Hill 19
SC Colts 31
Half time
South Hill 30 SC Colts 52
Third Quarter
South Hill 51 SC Colts 72
Final Score South Hill 79 SC Colts 87
South Hill Top Scorers:
Cooper Gregor 28
Wyatt Craik BB- 33
Swift Current Top
Scorers:
Griffin #5 - 15 points
Duncan #10 - 10 points
Marcus #4 - 8 points
Photos and story by Robert Thomas
Carl Paulhus honoured as January’s Special Olympian of the Month
The Moose Jaw Warriors Hockey Club honoured January’s Special Olympian of the Month, Carl Paulhus, during a Jan. 3 match against the Prince Albert Raiders.
Despite the Warriors falling 3 — 2 in a nail-biting shootout, the night still belonged to Paulhus who was recognized just before the start of the game.
“I went out to centre ice and I dropped the puck,” Paulhus recalled. “That was good because it’s good to get recognized… and it’s also good to put awareness on Special Olympics in general.
“It shows that any athlete can do anything, and it doesn’t have to be in one specific sport,” he added. “Any athlete, if they’re willing to try hard and do what it takes, can certainly become Athlete of the Month as well.”
Since 2015, the Moose Jaw Warriors in partnership with WINMAR Property Restoration Specialists have celebrated local Special Olympians through the WINMAR Special Olympics Athlete of the Month program. Each month during the regular hockey season, one athlete is selected and honoured during a Warrior’s home game, given a personalized jersey, and asked to participate in a ceremonial faceoff.
Launched by former Warriors captain Brett Howden to raise awareness for Special Olympics Moose Jaw, the program celebrates their achievements and also strengthens the hockey team’s bond with the community.
Paulhus said he was likely chosen because of his overall involvement with Special Olympics.
He has been with the Special Olympics program for as long as he can remember and has played in a wide range of sports including bocce, bowling, floor hockey, and golf. His goal for 2025 is to try his hand at coaching.
“My goal is to become a coach for Special Olympics bowling, and… (I’m)
not stepping away from competing, but (I would like to try) coaching (and) maybe help out the next round of athletes.”
The Special Olympics program has provided a life-changing experience throughout his career.
“It’s done me very well,” he said. “Of course, I’m part of the Moose Jaw Special Olympics board, and I’m also the ambassador for Moose Jaw’s athletes as well. So, that kind of puts stuff in perspective (regarding) what it takes to achieve your dream of becoming an Athlete of the Month.”
When asked about his proudest moment in the program, Paulhus cited two other memorable experiences.
“My proudest moment was helping develop and get more athletes involved in bowling, and getting more coaches and volunteers to come out.
“My other (recent) accomplishment was (winning) gold at a bocce ball tournament in Regina,” he added, referring to the tournament held at the Canada Games
Paulhus also competed in a bocce ball tournament back in 2017 during the
Special Olympics Saskatchewan Summer Games held in Moose Jaw and MCed the 2022 SaskTel Awards Celebration.
Paulhus said he was thrilled to be recognized for his work and wished to extend his thanks to the Moose Jaw Warriors, fellow athletes, and to the community.
“I just want to say it’s always an honour when the Moose Jaw Warriors get together with Special Olympics and honour athletes of the month, and then come out and play floor hockey with us,” he said in his concluding remarks. “I take a big honour in that.
“I hope that every athlete in Moose Jaw reads this, (so) they know that they can do what they can to become Athlete of the Month (too). It doesn’t matter what sport you’re (playing), as long as you do good in it and have a good attitude.”
To learn more about Special Olympics Moose Jaw call 306-780-9247 or visit SpecialOlympics.ca or ‘Special Olympics- Moose Jaw’ on Facebook.
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Carl Paulhus (second from left) drops the puck at centre ice to start the Moose Jaw Warriors hockey game against the Prince Albert Raiders on Jan. 3. Photo by: Special Olympics Moose Jaw/Facebook
Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.
Sudoku #5 - Challenging
4 3 6 7 4 8 2 1 5 7 4 2 7 6 2 9 3 8 4 3 6 3 5 6 1 7 1 4 3 2 4
ABOUT, ADULT, AFFECT, AGENCY, BEGIN, BOOST, CHOIR CONCENTRATE, DEFINITION, DEPENDABLE, DESIRE, DRINK, GIFT, HOUSE, INCOME, LOSS, MANIA, MARKET, NIGHT, RESIST, SHADE, SINGLE, STING, STRONG, STUDY, THINK, TOWER, VICTIM, VOWEL, WATER, WELCOME, WENT, WINDY, WONT, YOUNG
Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9. If you use logic you can solve the puzzle without guesswork. Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle. Use it to identify the next square you should solve. Or use the answers page if you really get stuck.
ACROSS 1. Distressed cry 5. Scour 10. Any thing 14. Reflected sound 15. Aircraft 16. Detective ____ Wolfe 17. Shipbuilder 19. Baby’s bed 20. Be mistaken 21. Washer cycle 22. Impales 23. Individual meal portion 25. Andean animal 27. Picnic insect 28. Seizure disorder 31. Musical genre 34. Coffee shops 35. Frozen water 36. Cut back 37. Asian aquatic plant 38. Chew on 39. American Dental Association
40. Committee 41. Sail supports 42. Skew 44. Accomplished
45. Hag
46. Smooching
50. Bird sound
52. Innocent 54. Automobile
55. A rounded projection
56. Coldest part of the year
58. L L L L 59. Diner 60. Away from the wind 61. What we walk on 62. Highly favored 63. Long and open portico DOWN
1. Affirmatives 2. Earth tone 3. Fan’s sound
Chop off
Run very fast
Adhere
Tatters 8. Uncooperative
Wager
Revenue 11. Web-footed turtles 12. A Great Lake 13. Disorderly groups 18. A twisting squeeze
22. Ladies 24. Windmill blade
26. Prevaricates
28. Consumed
29. “Go away!”
30. Evergreens
31. Junk E-mail
32. Dry riverbed
33. Cantankerous
34. Friendly
37. Been in bed
38. Wanders restlessly
40. Raindrop sound
41. Cheapskate
43. Apprehend
44. Reroute
46. Flying toys
47. In an unfriendly way
48. What we are called
49. Welcome
50. Musical staff symbol
51. Puncture
53. Initial wager
56. A spider’s home
57. Levy
205 WANTED
Seeking Born Again Christian Business partner with potential ownership in Second Hand and Flea- Market business. Male, Female or Family must be interested in Salvation, Healing and Deliverance Outreach Ministry . Serious enquiries only please. 306-684-1084, 5 pm- 8pm ONLY (because of scam calls)
I pay cash for unwanted firearms, ammunition, and other firearm related items. Also, free pick up of unwanted yard, garden, and acreage equipment, chainsaws, atv’s, snowmobiles, etc.. Call of text 306641-4447.
Looking for outdoor TV antenna, 5’x6’. Please call 306-693-4704.
Looking To Rent - Garage/warehouse/ or unused semi-trailer unit. Prefer downtown area. Will consider other options. Can be reached at 306-684-1084.
210 SERVICES
Moving jobs done reasonably: appliances, furniture, dump runs. Call to do it all. $45.00 a load. 306-630-2268
Need work done? Contact Bill at 306630-2268 . Interior/exterior, renovations, formwork, framing, finishing, tiling, paint-
ing and all construction, roofing/sidingno job too big or small. Reasonable rates, 30 years experience.
Cleaner with 20 years experience, professional and bondable, please call Rebecca at 306-990-0387
Junk to the dump in and around Moose Jaw, $60 and up. Will pick up, move, haul, and deliver any appliances, TV’s, furniture, or anything large in and around Moose Jaw, $45 and up. 45-gallon plastic barrels, great for rainwater, $20 each. 1000 Litre plastic totes - $60. Dry cut up firewood 10 - 14” lengths - Split wood - $50/row, Not Split - $35/row, one row across truck box. 306-681-8749
135 TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
6 metal poles 14’ x 3” heavy wall steel only $100. each, it’s a steal of a deal. Call 306-694-1322.
Year Try a New Fresh Look
Aaron Walker, With submission by Sheree Nicolay - Moose Jaw Express
The Xi Theta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Moose Jaw recently presented the First Moose Jaw Pathfinders Unit of the Girl Guides of Canada with a generous donation at the group’s recent enrolment ceremony.
The donation will help support the Girl Guides’ upcoming trip to Europe set to take place in 2026 and was made on the week of Jan. 13.
“Good luck girls with your future endeavours!” wrote Sheree Nicolay on behalf of Xi Theta Beta.
To learn more about the First Moose Jaw Pathfinders Unit and the Girl Guides of Canada call 1-800-5658111, visit GirlGuides.ca, or follow ‘Moose Jaw Girl Guides’ on Facebook.
160 MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE - Sunset Cemetery Last Supper Cremation Plot #212. Asking $1600, open to reasonable offers. Please call 306-693-2003.
190 PETS Weimaraner puppies for sale. Call 306641-4315.
For sale: double mattress and box spring, $75 OBO, please call 306-631-6928.
Keyin J�y Robbin�
Eighteen years, our hearts still ache, For the precious son we could not wake.
Though your time was far too brief, You brought us love, beyond belief.
You never took a breath, a cry, But in our souls, you’ll never die. A love so deep, a bond so true, Our hearts forever belong to you
Eighteen stars now light the sky, Each one a tear, a whispered why. Yet in our hearts, we feel you near, Your silent song, so bright and clear.
On your birthday, we send our love, To you, our angel up above.
Our precious son, our endless light, Forever whole, forever bright.
Love forever & always
Mommy, Daddy, Cody, Kadin & Kasia
Residents called to reflect on the value of life for Sanctity of Human Life Day
Aaron Walker, With submission by Ron Hardy - Moose Jaw Express
Happy 18th Birthday in Heaven
Keyin J�y Robbin�
They say there is a reason
They say time will heal; Neither time or reason will change the way we feel
You were very special from the very start
We held you in our arms
But mainly in our hearts
We think of you in silence
We often speak your name
All we have is memories
And your picture in a frame 18 years ago today you went to play with Angels in Heaven up above
Until we meet again, we send you
All our Love
Mère & Père Corbett
Moose Jaw Right to Life and other spiritual leaders are calling on the community to honour the inherent value of human life this month as Canadians pause to reflect during the annual Sanctity of Human Life Day.
This year’s Sanctity of Human Life Sunday will be observed on Sunday, Jan. 26.
“We hereby proclaim and declare the sanctity of life of every person, from the moment of conception until natural death,” Moose Jaw Right to Life’s proclamation
“We affirm our commitment to protect the God given right to life of every human person.
“We call upon the Church in Moose Jaw to gather on that day in their homes and places of worship to give thanks for the gift of life, to ask for His grace and mercy, and to pray for the gracious favour of Almighty God for the protection of every person to whom He has granted life.”
To commemorate the day, a proclamation has been signed by the following spiritual leaders:
TRINITY UNITED CHURCH
Scott Elger: Pastor of the First Baptist Church
Father John Bingham: Rector at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church
Rev. Jason Schultz: Pastor of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church
Father Adelberto Lillo: Pastor of St. Joseph Parish
Father Felipe Faustino: Assisting parish priest at St. Joseph Parish
Deacon Lamont Dyck: Pastoral assistant at St. Joseph Parish
Rick Cartman: Elder at the Church of God
Elizabeth Cartman: Elder at the Church of God
Rev. Richard Wendel: Senior pastor at the Sunningdale Community Church
Father Nestor Gregoire: Pastor of Church of Our Lady
Dr. Michael B. Pawelke: President of the Briercrest College & Seminary
Cory Havanka: Pastor of Firm Foundation Ministries
Lee Behrns: Principal of Cornerstone Christian School
Adam Driscoll: Spiritual director at Cornerstone Christian School
Stella Richards: President of the St. Joseph’s CWL
Vicki Mayer: Co-president of the Church of Our Lady CWL
Karl Gross: Grand Knight of Father Lawless Council No. 1534
Lawrence Wionzek: Grand Knight of Father Gilpin Council No. 9760
Jean Landry: President of Moose Jaw Right to Life
Ron Hardy: Vice-president of Moose Jaw Right to Life For more information about Moose Jaw Right to Life call 306-694-4111, email MJRTL@sasktel.net, or visit ‘Moose Jaw Right to Life’ on Facebook.
Mulberry Estates community helps support first responder’s hygiene drive
Earlier in January, Moose Jaw’s first responders partook in a campaign to collect donations of personal care products for young local residents through a community hygiene drive that concluded on Jan. 15.
The hygiene drive campaign was launched by the Moose Jaw Police Service, Moose Jaw Fire Department, Saskatchewan RCMP, Medavie Health Services West, and the Saskatchewan Conservation Officer Service with drop-off locations available at the physical address of each of these essential services.
One retirement home community, Atria Mulberry Estates, also participated as residents and staff spent the first half of the month collecting items and donated roughly four boxes of products on the morning of Jan. 15.
“We’re always looking for ways to give back to the community,” announced Tricia Oblander, the marketing manager at Atria Mulberry Estates.
Oblander said the home routinely seeks out community projects similar to this and staff and residents pride themselves in their continued community involvement.
“(This is something) we look to do as a community, to help people in Moose Jaw and the area,” she said. “Anytime that I come across (a situation or cause) where we can give back, whether it be donations to the food bank or to this special cause… (we’re glad to help out).”
As denoted in an official statement by the Moose Jaw Police Service, attention has been drawn to the fact
that some youth in the community have been consistently living without the necessary personal care products. On learning about this, several first responder services decided to team up and host a collection drive in support of these young people.
The list of requested hygiene products included deodorant, soap and body wash, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, brushes, combs, and similar essentials.
In her concluding remarks, Oblander wished to thank the residents and staff at Mulberry Estates for their valuable role in making Wednesday’s donation possible.
“We want to thank the residents at staff of Mulberry Estates for their kind, generous donation towards the youth in Moose Jaw,” she concluded.
Moose Jaw residents are called to honour the inherent value of life on Sunday, Jan. 26. Photo by: Moose Jaw Right to Life/Facebook
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Atria Mulberry Estates residents and staff pause for a photo before donating their collected hygiene products to the first responder’s collection drive on the morning of Jan. 15. Tricia Oblander, the marketing manager of the home, is second from the right. Photo by: Tricia Oblander (submitted)
Rev. Dr. John Kreutzwieser is a retired pastor from Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Moose Jaw, SK. He graduated with a doctorate degree in 2006 from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Florida.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
Cerulean
It is wonderful to live on the Canadian prairies for a variety of reasons, one of which is the magnificent blue sky we see all around us on such a wide vista and horizon. Did you know that there is a specific colour to describe the blue of the sky? It is cerulean
Cerulean has been used in English since 1599 to label the colour resembling the blue of the sky. It was derived from the Latin caeruleus, meaning dark blue. Why is the sky cerulean? As sunlight reaches Earth’s atmosphere it is scattered in all directions by the myriad gases and particles in the air. Blue light is dispersed more than the other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a cerulean sky most of the time.
Some people believe the ocean and large lakes seem blue because they reflect the cerulean sky. However, water appears blue because water absorbs colors in the red part of the light spectrum. Like a filter, this leaves behind colors in the blue part of the light spectrum for us to see. The ocean may also take on green, red, or other hues as
light bounces off of floating sediments and particles in the water. Most of the ocean, however, is completely dark. Hardly any light penetrates deeper than 656 feet, and no light penetrates deeper than 3,280 feet.
As we grow in years, our colouring graduates from a simple 8-count box of crayons to the amazing 64 sticks of differently colored wax. Coloured pencils, that started with a small box of 12, move to large containers of 72 hues and shades. We discover there is more than just one brown or orange or blue.
CSS Gradient is an online design stripe project that lets you create free gradient backgrounds for your website. They list 134 results for shades of blue. The base blue colour’s hex value in HTML is #0000FF. Shades include cyan, navy, turquoise, aqua, midnight blue, royal blue, baby blue, cobalt blue, denim, indigo, sapphire, and cerulean. Many shades of blue related to specific companies or sports teams: Boeing blue, Broncos navy, Dallas Cowboys blue, Ford blue, General Motors blue, Dodgers blue, KC Royals blue, and Visa blue.
Early blue dyes came from woad (Europe) and indigo (Africa and Asia). Woad is a yellow-flowered European plant of the cabbage family. Blue dye was extracted from the leaves after they had been dried, powdered, and fermented. A variety of plants have provided indigo throughout history, but most natural indigo was obtained from those in the genus Indigofera, which are native to the tropics, notably the Indian Subcontinent.
Blue pigments came from azurite or lapis lazuli. Azurite is a soft deep blue copper mineral produced by weathering copper ore deposits. Depending on the degree of fineness to which it was ground, and its basic content of copper carbonate, it gave a wide range of blues. Lapis lazuli is a deep-blue metamorphic rock, prized since antiquity for its intense color. The ancient Egyptians used lapis lazuli for the eyebrows of King Tutankhamun’s death mask.
During the time of the Byzantine Empire, dark blue was most commonly used to decorate churches. In Byzantine art, Jesus and the Virgin Mary were usually
depicted wearing dark blue.
Blue became the color of choice for the uniform of the German and Prussian armies in the 17th century. In the 18th century, the British adopted blue colors for their naval officer uniforms. Blue would later become the color of liberty and revolution, as George Washington declared the official color for all American uniforms to be blue and buff.
The 19th century saw blue become more of a governmental and authoritative color. This was when it became the color for policemen.
Ancient humans used blue to depict the sky and the sea which has led to the color being associated with the freedom of open spaces, imagination, intuition, sensitivity, and inspiration. Because of its connection to both the sea and sky, shades of blue also came to represent spirituality, calmness, peace, and hope. The color has also become symbolic of deep loyalty, trust, wisdom, sincerity, faith, confidence, stability, and intelligence. Yet when used in excess, blue shades can also represent impersonality, unfriendliness, and coldness as well as depression and sadness.
Colouring books for adults have become popular in recent years. Adult coloring books are often marketed as a tool for relaxation and stress relief. The act of coloring can be meditative, helping to reduce anxiety and promote mindfulness. Give it a try. When you are colouring the sky see if you can find a cerulean pencil crayon.
Columnist John Kreutzwieser loves to research words and writes this weekly Word Wisdom column for Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com. He has an interest in the usage, origin, and relevance of words for society today. Greek and Latin form the basis of many words, with ancient Hebrew shedding light on word usage.
John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com . Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.
Archaeologist discusses exciting finds from excavation in Wakamow Valley
Archaeological findings at a site in Wakamow Valley suggest the area was “an intensively used campsite” that First Nations people may have used repeatedly over the centuries, a researcher says.
Alan Korejbo, a registered professional archaeologist with Respect Inc. Heritage Consulting, gave a presentation to city hall’s heritage advisory committee — with over 70 residents in attendance — on Jan. 16 about the results that he and his team uncovered while sifting through soil during the Ninth Avenue Southwest/Highway 363 slope remediation project.
There are two sites in the northwest corner of Wakamow Valley that researchers have inspected over the decades — the Davies site and the Garratt site — with the former suggesting human occupation for 1,540 years and the latter suggesting human habitation for 2,300 years, Korejbo said.
While the Davies site has a “special nature,” it was the Garratt site — in a flood plain adjacent to Ninth Avenue Southwest/ Highway 363 — where Korejbo and his team focused.
They conducted pre-impact assessments in 2023, which included 117 shovel tests that dug 100 centimetres below the surface and uncovered 99 items of archaeological interest.
“The probability is that the entire area contains archaeological resources,” he said, noting that those preliminary digs unearthed fire hearths, intact, well-preserved and unique pottery, stone and bone tools and areas of high archaeological ma-
Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com
terial density.
The pre-impact studies also suggested that further, more refined studies — archaeological excavation — were required, so Korejbo’s team began formal investigations.
So, last year, the team conducted excavations totalling 72.25 square metres with depths 120 centimetres below the surface. Moreover, they conducted selective depth tests to 340 centimetres but did not find anything of significance.
The team discovered more than 200,000 artifacts, with most items being unidentifiable bone fragments and some stone artifacts such as knives, scrapers, projectile points, shaft straighteners, and possibly a stone hoe used for digging.
Furthermore, researchers found a bison scapula cache and stone cairns.
Preliminary research showed the bones were well-used, processed, burned and warped. They also found a bone nail and a 1917 coin.
“There is still a lot of work left to be done on this project. We still need to finish cataloguing everything (since about 50 per cent is done) before we know any exact numbers,” said
Korejbo. “And we’ll need to further work in the lab … to better understand the site.”
The site also contains main fire hearths, which suggests it was “an intensively used campsite” for over 2,300 years, he continued. Moreover, the well-preserved pottery is similar to that found in the Dakotas and southwestern Manitoba where horticulture existed, which suggests a movement of people and ideas.
Korejbo noted that there is preserved carbonized material on the pottery that could allow researchers to determine what the people ate. Furthermore, archaeologists found well-preserved seeds from soil samples 56 centimetres below the surface, which is a “very rare” occurrence.
Besides cataloguing, researchers must
conduct radiocarbon dating, residue analyses and soil analyses, write four separate permit reports and submit them to the province’s heritage conservation branch and the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
“The level of preservation and diversity of cultural remains observed here exceeds that which is generally observed in archaeological sites in Saskatchewan,” said Korejbo. “The stratified nature of the site enables archaeologists to study culture change over two millennia.”
Stratification of soil layers is common in a flood plain, where people use an area, floods cover it with silt and dirt, and the cycle repeats, the researcher remarked.
The numerous bone tools uncovered — especially the hoes — suggest people practised pre-contact horticulture, which paints a different picture than researchers have about that period in southern Saskatchewan, he continued.
Besides being bison hunters, such people may have also cultivated domestic plants such as beans, corn and squash.
“Currently, this site may be the stronger evidence of this diverging way of life in Saskatchewan,” Korejbo said but cautioned that this is still preliminary speculation.
The researcher added that an archaeological field school could be established in Moose Jaw because “this is a very rich site” of undisturbed artifacts.
Alan Korejbo, a registered professional archaeologist, speaks to the heritage advisory committee about the results from an excavation last summer in Wakamow Valley.
A map of the area, with the orange dots where researchers dug and the purple being the Garratt site perimeter. The road at left is Ninth Avenue Southwest.
Photo courtesy Alan Korejbo
Possible stone hoes. Photo courtesy Alan Korejbo
A 1911 coin featuring King George V.
Photo courtesy Alan Korejbo
Pottery artifacts. Photo courtesy Alan Korejbo
UPCOMING EVENTS IN MOOSE JAW
If you would like your notice or event added to this list, contact us at: joan@ moosejawexpress.com
Superannuated Teachers of Sask. Moose Jaw Branch Future Meetings: Wed. March 19, 2025/Wed. May 21, 2025
“The Friendly City Optimist Club presents the 3rd Annual Name That Tune event on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Place: Moose Jaw Library Theatre. Time: 7:00 pm. Cost: $20. Come and have fun while watching 6 local organizations vie to see who can identify the tunes played. All proceeds will go to supporting youth food security in the city.”
Have you heard about Foundling Homes? The Moose Jaw Branch of Saskatchewan Geological Society (CGS) will be meeting in the Moose Jaw Public Library Green Room on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7pm. Everyone welcome. CGS will have a local member share about her visit to a Foundling Home / Museum this past summer in England. Through a power point presentation, she will provide a history of the home and its purpose over the years.
The Moose Jaw Town and Country Singles Club dance will be held on January 25 at The Church of Our Lady Community Center at 566 Vaughan St. W. from 2-5:30 pm. Band is Jim Woytuik and the cost is $13 for members and $15 for non members. Refreshments are coffee and bottled water. Come on out for an afternoon of fun. Married couples are welcome! For more information call Marion at 306-630-1492.
The Moose Jaw Health Foundation (MJHF) third annual “Healthcare Rocks!” fundraiser will be held at the Mae Wilson Theatre on Saturday, March 15. Doors open for 7pm and free hors d’oeuvres will be provided courtesy of the Grant Hall Hotel. Elton John-themed merchandise will be available in a silent auction and a specialty drink called “Rocket Man” will be offered at the bar. There’ll also be “a few surprises” in store for guests. Tickets are $50pp plus applicable taxes and fees, and can be purchased online at MooseJawCulture.ca or at the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture box office at 217 Main Street North. For more information call 306-693-4700.
Square One Community Fundraiser will be held on January 30th at the Crushed Can. Dinner from 4:30-6:30pm – ribs/ baked potato/salad. Tickets $25pp. Advance Tickets required. Please contact Square One Community for additional information.
Lawn Bowling is a sport for all levels of ability. During winter, Moose Jaw Lawn Bowling club invites everyone to try it on the turf at Yara Centre now at @10amInstruction & play (at your pace) will be available Tues & Thurs mornings@ 10am. For more info phone or text 306-630-8160 or visit www.moosejawlawnbowling.com
Moose Jaw Parkinsons Support Group meet at 1:30 p.m. on the last Monday of the following months: January, February, March, April and May. No meeting in December. Call or text 306 756 2819.
The Prairie Hearts Quilters Guild is held every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7 pm at St Andrews Church until May. Learning, comradery, fun challenges, quilting and Community Projects.
New Youth Pipe Band in Moose Jaw
“The White Heather” for youth aged 8 to 12. Further information may be obtained by contacting Michelle Carline at mcarline@hotmail.com
The Moose Jaw Stamp Club will resume meeting on the 2nd and 4th
Wednesdays of the month. The first meeting will be at 6:30pm, in Lindale School staff room, 1322 11th Avenue NW (north entrance). Phone 306-693-5705 for information.
Moose Jaw Town N Country Square Dance Assoc. Winter 2024 Program on Monday nights from 7-9pm at St. Mary’s School, 720 – 5th Ave. SW. Dance in a square with family and friends. For information contact Valerie Wright at 306.691.0579. Beginners, singles or doubles welcome!
Scottish Country Dance Classes for all ages on Thursdays at 7pm at 510 Main St. N (T. Eaton Bldg). No partner required. Call Val @306.630.5790.
Nature Moose Jaw will hold their meetings on a once-a-month basis to take place on the third Friday of each month
Church of Our Lady Bingo takes place at the Church of Our Lady Community Centre, 566 Vaughan Street on Tuesday evenings. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Bingo begins at 7:00 p.m.
Are you struggling with addictions? Do you know someone who is? Or do you want to learn more about overcoming addiction to help others? Pastor Cory Havanka and his wife Brenda will be offering an in-person, small-group, course that will explore how to overcome addiction that is based on Biblical foundations. For questions - Call or text Cory at 306-6841464 or email
firmfoundationministries.inc@gmail.com
Firm Foundation Ministries provides other services as well:-Bible study - Monday evenings at 630 p.m/Prayer meetingsWednesday evenings at 7 p.m/Pastoral counselling. Check Facebook or Instagram for updates on services, events, bible study notes and words from the Lord. Nar-Anon Meetings every Monday 7—8pm (Moose Jaw Nar-Anon Family Group) is a twelve-step program for relatives and friends affected by someone else’s drug use and is in-person at Moose Jaw Alliance Church, 14 Neslia Place. Come in Main Doors – Meeting Rm 103. Your anonymity and what you say at meetings will be carefully guarded.
TOASTMASTERS organization provides communication and leadership skill training that fosters confidence building, personal and professional development in a supportive environment. Moose Jaw is home to 2 clubs: TAP and Big Country. TAP meets on line on Tuesdays@7. TAP club is transitioning to a resource for building environmental awareness. BIG COUNTRY meets Wednesdays@7 at Saskpolytech & on zoom(hybrid). For information text 306-690-8739
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly)
Weight Loss Support Group Meets at the Cosmo Senior Citizen’s Centre, 235 – 3rd Ave. N.E. The group meets every Wednesday morning. Weigh ins are 8-8:45 am. Meeting to follow. . scale weighs up to 350 pounds. Join for friendship and support on your weight loss journey. For more information go to www. tops.org
Moose Jaw Public Library (MJPL), 461 Langdon Cres. Phone 306.692.2787. Visit their website at https://www.moosejawlibrary.ca or visit ASK@MOOSEJAWLIBRARY.CA
Some library programs require registration by calling 306-692-8210 or emailing nsetter@moosejawlibrary.ca
CHILDREN’S PRGRAMMING:
BABY STORYTIME Tuesdays 10:30 am in Children’s Program Room Ages: 0 to 2 and their caring adults! Drop-in Program. PRESCHOOL STORYTIME Wednesdays 10:30 am in Children’s Program Room Ages 2 to 5 and their caring adults! Dropin Program.
DAYCARE STORYTIME Thursdays 10:30 am in Children’s Program Room Ages: 2
to 5 and their caring daycare providers! Drop-in Program.
LEGO WEEKENDS! Every Saturday and Sunday Open hours in Children’s Department Ages: 4 to 12 self-guided activity.
FAMILY LITERACY DAY Saturday, January 25 @9:30-12pm in Reading Room Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to join us. Drop-in program.
*Sponsor - MJ Literacy Network*
CSA TOOLKITS & ACTIVITIES Available in the Digital Library Check out toolkits and curriculum linked learning activities for youth and educators like OBJECTIVE: Moon. Learn about the moon from an Indigenous perspective, command a rover in a simulated environment and more!
YOUTH PROGRAMMING:
DIGITAL D&D Fridays Time: 4-6pm at MJPL Youth Discord Channel Ages 16-25 Registration required Email youth@mjlibrary.ca to inquire.4
Bath Bomb Making for Teens Wednesday, January 29 6:30- 8:30pm Ages 12 to 19. Registration Required. For more information call the Library at 306-692-2787 or email youth@mjlibrary.ca
HOOPLA Retro Crush BingePass - Relive the golden age of anime with the RetroCrush BingePass on hoopla digital. Whether you’re nostalgic for Astro Boy or seeking out Martian Successor Nadesico, stream your favorites and discover something new!
TEEN ANIME+ CLUB Wednesday, January 22 @6:30pm in MJPL Theatre Ages: Ages 12-19 Drop-in program
Show: Wistoria: Wand and Sword
MOVIE MATINEE Saturday, January 25 @2:30pm in MJPL Theatre Ages: All ages Drop In Program Movie: The Mummy (1999) (PG 13)
ADULT PRORAMMING:
DOCUMENTARY NIGHT Thursday, January 30 @6pm in MJPL Theatre Ages: Adults Drop-in program Movie: Moonage Daydream
TECH TIME Available by appointment
Time: Open hours Location: Main Library Ages: Adults By appointment only - please call the Library at 306-692-2787 to schedule an appointment. MAGIC
THE GATHERING Saturdays, January 25 @2pm in Reading Room Ages: Ages 13 and up. Drop-in program
GET INSPIRED WITH KANOPY Films for New Year’s Resolutions! Explore inspiring documentaries and instructional videos on Kanopy that will ignite your passion and elevate your spirits as we head into 2025! Access this collection with your library card today.
The Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 59 Moose Jaw, 268 High St W Moose Jaw Contact: 306-692-5453 Facebook @ ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION-Branch 59 Moose Jaw Instagram: @Royalcanadianlegion59 BINGO – Monday @ 6pm CRIBBAGE –Tuesday @ 1:30 pmPlease sign-in by 1pm MEAT DRAW & CHASE THE ACESaturday @ 3pm - Everyone welcome
Moose Jaw and District Seniors: For more information Call: 306-694-4223 or Email: Email: mjsenior@shaw.ca . The centre is now open Mon-Thurs 8am –8pm.
Fitness Level & Indoor Walking Track open M-Thurs 8am-8pm and on Fri 8am4pm
Wood working area – Mon- Fri 8am –4pm
Timothy Eaton Cafe open Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cinnamon Buns on Thursday’s. Tuesday is pie day. Everyone is welcomed. Billiards daily 8a.m. – 4p.m.; Monday & Thursday evenings 4:30 – 8 p.m.
Pickle Ball – Monday & Thursday mornings @ 9a.m/Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday afternoons @ 1 p.m./Monday & Thursday evenings @ 7 p.m./ Weds pickleball @5pm Fitness- Chair/Low Impact Fitness Tuesdays 11:30 & Thursdays @ 1:00 p.m. Cribbage – Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.; Whist – Tuesday @ 9:30am; Hand &
Foot Card Game for Beginners – Thursday @9:30 am.; Mah Jong – Wednesday @1 p.m. Beginners is Monday @1pm; 500 Cards – Thursdays @ 1 p.m; Spades – Tuesday and Fridays 1pm ON HOLD
Full Body work out – Monday’s 10am Scrabble – Monday’s at 1pm
Line Dancing – Tuesdays @ 10 a.m.
Intro to Line Dancing – Wednesday’s @ 11am
Art & Crafts – Monday, Tuesdays & Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.
Floor Shuffleboard – Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 1 p.m.
Paper Tole – Tuesdays @ 1 p.m.
Circle Dancing – Thursday 2:15pm
Nickle Bingo – Fridays @ 1 p.m.
Quilting – Every Friday 9am to 4pm Lounge – Friday’s from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jam Sessions – Friday’s 9 a.m.
Texas Hold’em - Thursday @ 6:30pm
Floor Curling – Wednesday and Fridays @1pm
Floor Curling – Wednesday and Fridays @1pm New to the Centre is BINGO every Monday at 1:30pm
Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Centre Weekly Activities – 235 3rd Ave. N.E. Phone 306.692.6072 or email cosmo@sasktel. net Check them out on Facebook. Monday: 9:30am-Pickleball/1pm-Floor Shuffleboard/7pm-Camera Club – only on the 2nd Monday of the month Tuesday: 9:30am-Jam Session/1pmPickleball/7pm-Friendship Bridge/7pmBeginners Only Pickleball
Wednesday: 8:30am-TOPS/8:30amPickleball/1pm-Floor Shuffleboard
Thursday: 10am-Line Dance/1pmPickleball
Friday: 9:00am-Beginner Pickleball/1pmRegular Pickleball
Moose Jaw ANAVETS: Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit #252 – 279 High St. W, Moose Jaw. 306.692.4412 or anaf252@sasktel.net
Every Wednesday, open 12-6 pm, Smear – Starts at 1 pm Every Thursday, open 12-7 pm, Smear – Starts at 1 pm, Crib starts Sept. 5th; registration at 1 pm; Crib starts at 1:30 pm. Bring a partner or sign up as a spare. Every Friday, open 1-10 pm, drop in shuffleboard. Register at 1 pm. Play starts at 1:30 pm. Bring a partner. Drop in pool and darts. Register by 6:30 pm. Play starts at 7 pm. Bring a partner. Every Saturday, open 1-7 pm. Meat draw starts at 4:30 pm, 10 meat draws, 4 free draws, gift card and 50/50. Everyone welcome. Hall rentals available – book now!
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES #3395
EVERY THURSDAY: Ladies Auxiliary “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 5:30 pm, draws start at 6:00 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, “Chase the Ace”
EVERY SUNDAY: Aerie “Meat Draw” –ticket sales start at 2:30 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, Mystery Draw, “Chase the Ace” MONDAY THRU SATURDAY – DROP IN POOL – 1:00 pm to 1:30 start time. Singles and Doubles. Partners draw from those attending to play.
FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAY – Aerie meeting – 11:30 am
FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY – Ladies Auxiliary meeting - 7:00 pm
DROP IN DARTS - Every Wednesday evening and continues until April, 2025$2.00 per person, draw for partners, starts at 7:00 pm.
DROP IN CRIBBAGE - Every Monday evening and continues until April, 2025 - $2.00 per person, registration between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm – play starts at 7:00 pm.
Western Development Museum; 50 Diefenbaker Drive, Moose Jaw. For more information, visit the museum’s website at WDM.ca/Moose-Jaw. Call 306-693-5989 or email ajones@wdm.ca
Record-breaking agri-food exports propel Sask. global leadership in 2024
As 2024 draws to a close and Moose Jaw’s agricultural community welcomes in 2025, local producers and industry stakeholders are bracing for a new season of evolving economic conditions, dynamic crop trends, and a climate that is proving to be less predictable each year.
Here’s a look at some of the trends producers can expect to face in the new year. Economic trends
Saskatchewan’s value-added agriculture sector is on track to achieve the provincial Growth Plan target of $10 billion in revenue by 2030, according to the Government of Saskatchewan.
This sector has experienced “signif-
clude crushing 75 per cent of all canola grown in Saskatchewan and processing 50 per cent of pulses grown in the province.
As of September 2024, Saskatchewan’s agri-food export sector has shown continued growth. Three key commodities have each surpassed the $1 billion export value mark including non-durum wheat ($1.7 billion), canola seed ($1.3 billion), and canola oil ($1.1 billion).
Research conducted by the Global Institute for Food Security indicates that Saskatchewan’s net carbon footprint for major crop production is “significantly lower” than in comparable regions, with one example being canola, which is 67 per cent lower than in comparable regions.
For further information visit https://tinyurl. com/k6zkac8h.
A virtual economic outlook presentation by Farm Credit Canada will be available on Thursday, Jan. 23. For more details visit FCCFAC.ca or call 306-693-4077.
Crop trends
and is best suited for cereal crops including wheat and barley, oilseeds including canola and mustard, and pulses including lentils and chickpeas.
Due to a reduced rainfall from July onwards in the 2024 growing season, an increased risk of herbicide carryover is expected to affect the 2025 planting season. Producers in the region are advised to consult the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s herbicide carryover risk maps and consider local rainfall data to assess any potential impacts.
For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/2jnbcazn.
Government supports
Due to inconsistent weather patterns during the 2024 growing season, there was a reported increase in crop insurance claims that led to a 25.1 per cent increase in agriculture-related expenses across the province. In response, the provincial government emphasized the importance of programs like crop insurance to protect producers from adverse conditions.
In 2025, agricultural producers in the region have access to several government programs designed to support and enhance their operations.
Program (RALP): RALP provides funding to agricultural producers so they can increase the environmental resiliency of agricultural land through the adoption of beneficial management practices to improve the quality of water, soil, and biodiversity.
Animal Health and Biosecurity Program: This program is designed to assist producers in various sectors including apiculture, beef cattle, bison, cervids, small ruminants including sheep and goats, dairy, poultry, and swine, with the goal of enhancing animal health and biosecurity measures.
Agriculture Development Fund (ADF): This fund helps support the growth of Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry by funding research projects to develop solutions to emerging problems in the industry with the goal of increasing production and value-added processing.
icant growth,” with annual revenue increasing from $3.5 billion in 2012 to an estimated $7.5 billion by the end of 2023. The sector remains one of the fastest growing sectors in Canada and comprises more than 300 processors employing over 6,000 individuals.
The Growth Plan objectives also in-
The 2025 Crop Planning Guide published by the provincial government indicates that, based on achieving 80th percentile yields, 13 major crops are projected to yield a positive return over variable expenses. Specifically, six of these crops thrive in the dark brown soil zone where Moose Jaw is situated.
This zone is characterized by moderately fertile soils in a semi-arid climate,
Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program (FRWIP): This program offers rebates to develop secure and sustainable agricultural water sources including wells, dugouts, pipelines, and dams.
Resilient Agricultural Landscapes
These programs are part of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) launched by the federal and provincial governments. Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $485 million investment that aims to support strategic initiatives for agriculture in Saskatchewan.
For detailed information on each of these government programs and to learn about eligibility criteria, visit Saskatchwan.ca and search for the specific program by name.
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Saskatchewan’s value-added agriculture sector is on track to achieve the provincial Growth Plan target of $10 billion in revenue by 2030, according to the Government of Saskatchewan.
Photo by: Farm Credit Canada/Facebook
