ESTEVAN — The City of Estevan held its inaugural Coffee with Council on Feb. 21 at the Buzz Liquor Lounge in Affinity Place, giving residents an opportunity to engage directly with municipal leaders. Mayor Tony Sernick, city councillors Dave Elliott, Mathew Dubowski and Brian Johnson, along with city manager Jeff Ward, met with a few community members in an informal setting to discuss local concerns, ongoing council initiatives and future plans.
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Estevan Mayor Tony Sernick, city councillors Dave Elliot, Mathew Dubowski and Brian Johnson, and city manager Jeff Ward visited with residents during the first Coffee with Council on Friday.
The event also drew provincial politicians. Saskatchewan NDP MLAs Aleana Young (Regina Â鶹´«Ã½AV Albert) and Jared Clark (Regina Walsh Acres), the opposition's shadow ministers for environment and municipal affairs, came to visit with the municipal government members.
Saskatchewan NDP MLAs Aleana Young (Regina Â鶹´«Ã½AV Albert) and Jared Clark (Regina Walsh Acres), the opposition's Shadow Minister for Environment and Municipal Affairs, joined the Coffee with Council.
Discussion, joined by Pipeline Online editor Brian Zinchuk, quickly turned to the future of the energy sector, a key issue for the Energy City.
A major point of discussion was Saskatchewan's energy transition, particularly the potential phasing out of coal, the high costs of nuclear power, the feasibility of natural gas, and other nuances. Zinchuk pointed out that while SaskPower has been publicly exploring nuclear small modular reactors (SMRs), concerns about affordability and feasibility have cast doubt on the province's ability to move forward with the technology.
When Young asked about what Estevan would like to see moving forward and what the city wants from SaskPower as its biggest employer, Ward and Sernick said the main thing the Energy City needs is certainty.
"Certainty is what we've been missing in the last decade," Ward said.
While the provincial Sask. Party government has emphasized an energy transition earlier, recent comments from SaskPower officials suggest that coal could remain part of the province's energy mix. And the uncertainty is what affects the city's future plans the most, city officials pointed out. Although SaskPower's considerations about longer life for coal-fired power are definitely welcomed by Estevan, those present were skeptical about announcements.
"There's been so many promises made … but until I see the first boiler start being rebuilt, [I'm not going to get too excited]," Sernick said.
Community members emphasized the need for clear planning and stability in provincial energy policy and tax approach to ensure Estevan remains viable. The unpredictability of government policies and shifting energy strategies have left many hesitant to invest in the community.
The city plans to continue with the Coffee with Council monthly meetings. The location and the time of the event will change and will be announced at a later date.
"Next time, we might bring a topic," Sernick said. "Communication is always the number one issue that everybody talks about. … So we want to create another opportunity for people to come ask their questions or express concerns."
