By Charlene Tebbutt

SUMA summit

Mayor optimistic following SUMA convention

Feb 7, 2019 | 12:49 PM

Prince Albert’s Mayor is optimistic more money will soon be coming to the city following a successful round of discussions this week at the annual Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association convention.

Greg Dionne said the event in Saskatoon this week was probably the best one he’s ever attended, with engaging discussions on everything from roadways, government funding, taxes and policy. The convention is a well-attended event, with delegates from cities, towns and villages across Saskatchewan participating.

“The government now knows, clearly knows, that Prince Albert is not a sleepy hollow, we are the third-largest city in the province and we want to be treated like that.” _{Mayor Greg Dionne}

“It was very positive, there was lots of stuff that will help our community,” Dionne said. He added meetings with several government ministers were fruitful and he’s confident the needs of Prince Albert are being heard.

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“The government now knows, clearly knows, that Prince Albert is not a sleepy hollow, we are the third-largest city in the province and we want to be treated like that,” he said.

One of those meetings was with the Ministry of Highways, as local representatives push for funding to pave the service road south of the city, especially in light of recent news about a boat manufacturing company expanding to Prince Albert.

“They went from ‘no,’ to saying they’d look at cost-sharing,” Dionne told paNOW. “So it’s a positive, because for all the businesses on that road, we have to get that road fixed. There’s lots of opportunities out there.”

The SUMA event also featured a trade show with the latest information and gadgets. Dionne said the city will apply to fund new traffic calming signs, which were on display at the event.

“They’re great tools to have, but when it gets 20 below [Celsius], and the batteries freeze on them, or the solar-powered pack won’t work, the signs are useless to us and we want a product that’s going to work,” he said.

Talks of a new hospital were also positive, Dionne said, and he’s confident more news will come out in the province’s 2019 budget announcement, slated for March 20. Dionne said the wider community will be tasked with raising money for new furniture once news of a new medical facility is announced.

“They won’t share much, but they asked if I’d be at the budget meetings on March 20 and I said ‘Yes, I would,” he added. “They said there’d be more information there to share.”

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt