EAST CENTRAL — From the announcement of a multi-billion dollar mine to the end of a show created by a Tisdale-born comedian, 2021 was a busy year. Here's the top stories of the year, in no particular order, as chosen by the East Central Recorder's staff.
BHP going ahead with first phase of Potash Mine
BHP said it will invest $7.5 billion (US$5.7 billion) for the first stage of the Jansen potash mine.
The mine represents BHP’s first foray into the potash business.
“This is an important milestone for BHP and an investment in a new commodity that we believe will create value for shareholders for generations,” said Mike Henry, BHP’s CEO, in a Aug. 17 media release.
“In addition to its merits as a stand-alone project, Jansen also brings with it a series of high returning growth options in an attractive investment jurisdiction.”
BHP said the first stage is expected to produce approximately 4.35 million tonnes of potash per annum. The mine is expected to operate for 100 years.
Construction of the mine is expected to take around six years, with the first ore targeted to come from the ground in 2027. That will be followed by a ramp up period of two years.
Michael Behiel, Humboldt’s mayor, said he was very happy and excited to hear the announcement.
“I think it’s going to be a superbly exceptional move forward,” he said. “I know that both sides will reap many benefits in the years to come. I’m very excited about the potential for this to increase our economic tax base and the resulting increase in size and benefits for the community.”
The mayor added that BHP’s been an outstanding community member, contributing to a number of causes.
Melfort CT scanner unveiled
Eleven years after the province promised it to the city, Melfort now has its first computed tomography (CT) scanner operational and serving patients at the hospital.
The announcement was made at a Melfort press conference on Sept. 2, being joined by Todd Goudy, Melfort MLA; hospital staff; Rick Lang, Melfort’s former mayor; and Everett Hindley, minister of mental health and addictions, seniors, and rural and remote health.
Until now, Melfort residents typically travelled to Prince Albert or Saskatoon for CT services.
“This is an important piece of equipment for Melfort and the entire northeast,” Hindley said.
“We managed to get it operational just in the last week or so and it’s already accepting patients. It speaks to the importance of having a piece of equipment like this, diagnostic equipment, here in a city like Melfort that serves the northeast.”
While the city began lobbying for the machine after it was promised to them in 2010, the province didn’t announce funding, which came to $2.25 million, until 2020. The funding was also allocated towards renovations at the Melfort Hospital Medical Imaging Department and operational costs.
The 2021-22 provincial budget included an additional $950,000 in operating funding, for a total of $1.2 million annually, for the Melfort CT scanner.
Conservative incumbents win in region
The region’s Conservative incumbents, Kelly Block of Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, Randy Hoback of Prince Albert, Cathay Wagantall of Yorkton-Melville and Gary Vidal of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, were reelected again with commanding numbers.
“I’m very grateful to the voters of Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek for once again putting their confidence in me and, I would say, in our Conservative platform, knowing that we introduced it as early on as we did,” she said at around 9:50 p.m. on Sept. 20.
“We worked very hard. We got out there, we were connecting with voters in every corner of the riding, and it paid off.”
While the Conservative Party received the majority of the votes for the ridings, the same wasn’t the case through ridings across Canada with the Liberal Party securing a minority government.
Hoback called the national results “frustrating.”
“We were hoping for a breakthrough whether it be a minority or majority government. We were dreaming of a majority but hoping for a minority,” he said. “I think lots of analysis will go into it and see what exactly happened.”
Corner Gas Ends
After 17 years, the brainchild of a comedian born and raised in Tisdale is coming to an end.
The animated version of Corner Gas will be having its series finale on Monday, Nov. 1.
In an interview with the East Central Recorder, Brent Butt said CTV told him they wouldn’t be renewing the show, which focuses on a gas station in Dog River, a fictional town in rural Saskatchewan.
“Psychologically, you get to prepare yourself, but it’s still very bittersweet. It’s one of those things. We’re sad to see it go but at the same time, we had this amazing run that none of us thought [possible]. When I first wrote the treatment for this show at a gas station in Saskatchewan, I didn’t think anybody was going to watch it. Here we are, 17 years later,” he said.
“It’s been an amazing blessing and one that none of us anticipated, but it’s still sad to see it go.”
Helicopter Stops At Tisdale ice cream shop
A LeRoy man landed his helicopter in the Tisdale RECplex parking lot — illegally — to allow his passenger to pick up an ice cream cake from the nearby Dairy Queen.
Tisdale RCMP received a complaint on July 31 at around 5 p.m. When it landed, the helicopter blew up dust and debris through the area. The RECplex includes the local high school, a branch of the local college, the arena, the public library, the swimming pool and a daycare.
Police said their investigation determined the landing was not an emergency: a passenger of the helicopter exited the aircraft and entered a nearby restaurant to buy an ice cream cake. Officers found out that the pilot, a 34-year-old man, was licensed to drive the helicopter, but that it was illegal to land it where he did.
The charges were later dropped.
Campaign for a Broncos tribute facility unveiled
A facility to honour the 2017-18 Humboldt Broncos could include a second ice surface, fitness centre and tribute gallery.
A nationwide campaign to raise money for a Humboldt Broncos Tribute and Memorial Centre was launched on the front steps of the Elgar Petersen Arena on
April 5 by representatives of the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Committee and the City of Humboldt.
“If we don’t find a way to inspire others and create something positive for the community, the families and the nation, then that would be a tragedy,” said Christina Haugan, the wife of 2017-18 Broncos coach Darcy Haugan.
The project is in its initial conceptual stages. To be built at the Uniplex site, features to the facility could be added or removed depending on the success of the campaign. The second ice surface could be a smaller rink for minor hockey or a bigger one that could become the main home of the Broncos. The tribute gallery would display some of the items donated after the April 6, 2018 collision.
“Although we are far from the final design, we are looking forward to working with our residents and other stakeholders,” said Coun. Rob Muench.
“We will do the best we can to fulfill our responsibility to pay it forward by telling the story of how in 2018 the world came to a standstill to express the love for the 29 families and for Humboldt.”
Early estimates place the cost of the facility in the $35 million range.
DCG Philanthropic Services of Saskatoon has been hired to help conduct the campaign.
Gronlid Central School To Close
Due to low enrollment the North East School Division (NESD) board has passed a motion initiating a school viability review process for the potential closure or grade discontinuance at Gronlid Central School.
Amy Hedin, chair of the Gronlid School Community Council (SCC), said that they will provide consent for the closure, which they have the ability to do at any time.
The SCC is made up of elected and appointed volunteer parents and community members.
“Our SCC believes it is our responsibility to do what is in the best interest of our children, families and staff,” Hedin said. “We understand the impact school closure has and the process it takes to transition our children into an alternative school.”
Since Gronlid School meets all criteria outlined for going under review, Hedin said the SCC has concluded that closure is inevitable.
“This was a very difficult decision for the Gronlid School Community Council. We are a group of parents, teachers, staff and community members that have dedicated countless volunteer hours to make Gronlid School the most unique, versatile and adaptive school within the division.”
In the meantime, Hedin said the SCC will be focusing their time celebrating the rural school, what it has had to offer and the people that have been a part of its journey.
Carrot River Mill going ahead with $100 million expansion
A $100 million expansion at the Dunkley Lumber sawmill in Carrot River is expected to create 240 new direct and indirect jobs through growth in lumber sales and exports.
The Government of Saskatchewan announced on Sept. 10 that they approved timber allocations to support the proposed expansion. The province allocates timber through the Ministry of Energy and Resources.
While the province is allocating some of the additional timber required for this project, the majority of timber will be secured by the company through commercial agreements negotiated with Indigenous timber allocation holders and private landowners.
Brennan Hall, Carrot River’s administrator, called the development “huge” for the community.
According to Rob Novak, president with Dunkley Lumber, the sawmill will add a second saw line and increase production over five phases of development by the fall of 2023.
“Saskatchewan is clearly open for business and refreshing to work with,” Novak said. “We really appreciate the response from the province in the form of a timber allocation increase to help support our capital investments in Carrot River.”
The expansion is planned to increase lumber production capacity by 75 per cent, from the current 130 million board feet of lumber annually to 230 million board feet, requiring approximately 821,000 square metres of softwood timber.
New playground at Water Ridge Park
A citizen group in order to install a play structure and a pickleball court at Humboldt's Water Ridge Park.
Breanna Landry, the president of the Water Ridge Playground Committee, said having a playground at the park was something she was thinking of for the past few years. The park has green space, walking trails and the local spray park.
“Now that I have a little one – I’m on mat leave – a bunch of us young moms have been walking through that park and I had brought it up a few different times, so then we just decided to take the idea to the city and see if they’d be open for a new structure there.”
The original goal of the project was $150,000. The fundraising campaign raised $200,000.
Federated Co-operatives Limited’s Co-op Community Spaces program donated $90,000 to the project. The City of Humboldt committed to match up to $75,000.
The pickleball opened in August, while the playground opened in September.
A citizen group is also raising money to replace the playground at Bill Brecht Memorial Park.
Area co-ops exploring merger
Three local co-ops are exploring a merger.
Beeland Co-op, Parkland Co-op and Carrot River Co-op announced Oct. 27 they are in discussions to combine and create a new co-op.
Todd Svenson, Beeland’s general manager, said two major reasons the three co-ops are looking at a merger is an opportunity for growth and mitigation of risk.
“By partnering together our co-ops will be more resilient to increasing competition, and we will have more resources and talent to pool together in order to innovate,” a media release from the three co-ops said.
“Most importantly a new co-op will be more sustainable and better able to leverage opportunities and manage risks in the ever-changing retail services marketplace.”
The goal is for the members to benefit through greater access and convenience, as well as maintain and expand the products and services the co-ops provide while keeping up with technology. Employees are expected to benefit from having a broader network and expanded career opportunities.
Nipawin’s historic bridge closes to traffic
Shirley Phillips says she is “shocked” to see a Nipawin bridge spanning decades of local history indefinitely closed to traffic.
She was surprised when the Ministry of Highways suddenly closed the almost century-old “crooked bridge”, citing its “rapidly deteriorating conditions” in a prepared statement.
Phillips, 85, a founding member of the Nipawin Heritage Society, wants the structure preserved and repaired.
“If you have trouble with your house, you don’t move out. You repair [it],” she said.
An inspection late last week recommended the Old Highway 35 bridge close to traffic immediately, according to the ministry. The report revealed that heavy traffic has worn down the approaches to the bridge, which fell short of safety standards, ministry spokesman Patrick Book said.
No concerns were raised over the bridge’s rail line, and the structure will stay in place.
The bridge was built in 1931. When it was built, the 580-metre span was one of the largest steel bridges in Western Canada, noted a 2008 statement of historical significance by architectural historian Ross Herrington. Locals were eager to use it.
G3 Canada to build grain elevator near Melfort
Melfort council passed a motion, allowing G3 Canada Limited to move ahead with their proposed build for a grain elevator and rail loop track, which has an estimated construction value of over $55.8 million.
G3 is a Canadian grain company, headquartered in Winnipeg, which operates a network of grain elevators in Western Canada.
The proposed primary grain elevator is planned to have 42,000 tons of storage capacity, a 17,700 ton main house, three 8,3000 ton steel bins, 150 car loop track, rail shipping at 1,600 tons per hour, as well as grain drier and cleaners.
Murray Vanderpont, director of project engineering with G3, said it’s expected to create about 12 to 14 permanent full-time positions.
The build is expected to be in service for the 2023 harvest season.
$500,000 budgeted For Quill Plains Centennial Lodge
The provincial government allotted $500,000 in funding through the 2021-22 budget for planning on the new wing at the Quill Plains Centennial Lodge and renovation of the east wing.
The facility, which serves over 20 municipalities, includes long term care, palliative care, physician services, public health services, respite care, therapies, diagnostic imaging, a dietitian, and integrated wellness co-ordinators.
Norma Weber, Watson’s mayor and chair of the Quill Plains Health Care Foundation Inc. estimates that the additions are about two years away from any build.
“We are very excited about this; we have been working quite a while on it,” Weber said. “We have worked on raising funds [and] we have commitments from several municipalities. People from around here in the district also realize the needs.”
The goal of the foundation is to raise $2.2 million by 2022, a goal Weber said they’re “well on their way” to, with about $500,000 separately raised since 2018.
