By Alice McFarlane

Rural councillors in Saskatchewan question members of cabinet at annual convention

Mar 17, 2022 | 3:36 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – A wide variety of topics were covered during the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) convention.

Premier Scott Moe and several ministers participated in the bearpit session answering questions from delegates on issues ranging from surface rights legislation to policing.

One question dealt with the minimum income requirement for the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program.

RM of Argyle councillor Kristin Gillis is a part time farmer with 40 head cattle. She said she put in an offsite watering system that cost roughly $7,500.

“We went to apply for this particular program. There is a cap, and you have to make minimum is $50,000. I looked on my taxes and I made $47,000 last year,” Gillis said. “I tried to see if they would give us some leeway and they said no, because they don’t want to set a precedent.”

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Agriculture Minister David Marit said he sympathized with her concern but the threshold has been set.

“I can’t say whether we would look at moving it now because of the drought,” Marit said. “I think it’s something we’d have to look at down the road, but it was set there for a reason to really support the primary ag industry and that was your primary source of income.”

RM of Kellross Reeve Thad Trefiak asked if cabinet had heard of any commercial interest in building a nitrogen fertilizer plant especially considering rising prices.

Minister of Trade and Export Development Jeremy Harrison said a few companies have been inquiring about incentives being offered by the provincial government.

“I can tell you even as recently as a couple of days ago Minister Marit and I met with one company that is looking at making investments and we’ve met with a number of other proponents over the course of the last number of months,” Harrison said.

The convention wrapped up in the afternoon.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW