Rural Saskatchewan residents have long complained about their internet speed, but just how poor is it? The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan last week launched a speed test survey to get a more accurate picture. Jeremy Welter, who chairs the APAS Rural Connectivity task force, said hard data will help the push for better broadband […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
AgriStability talks could dominate meetings
Ag ministers will likely focus on removing reference margin limit, but different cost share arrangement may be needed
Prairie agriculture ministers may be under pressure to pay up as they head into the first of two federal-provincial-territorial virtual meetings this week. The agenda for the annual meetings on Nov. 20 and 27, delayed from July due to COVID-19, hasn’t been released but will include discussion on the perennial problem of AgriStability and how […] Read more
Gerry Ritz elected reeve in Sask. RM
Former federal agriculture minister makes a return to the political arena — this time at the local level
Gerry Ritz is back in political office. The former Saskatchewan MP for Battlefords-Lloydminster and federal agriculture minister was elected reeve in the Rural Municipality of Mervin during the Nov. 9 municipal election. Ritz defeated Evelyn Bloom 517 votes to 480, according to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities election results website. Incumbent Tom Brown did […] Read moreSask. cabinet shuffled; Marit still ag minister
David Marit remains Saskatchewan agriculture minister after Premier Scott Moe announced his new cabinet Nov. 9. Donna Harpauer retains her finance portfolio and is now deputy premier. Also keeping their portfolios are Christine Tell in corrections, Jeremy Harrison in trade and export development, and Bronwyn Eyre in energy and resources. Nine MLAs with new duties […] Read more
COVID outbreak declared in Sask. meat plant
A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Thunder Creek Pork plant in Moose Jaw. The Saskatchewan Health Authority declared the outbreak on Nov. 16. It does so when two or more people in a non-household setting test positive. The plant employs about 250 people and is owned by Donald’s Fine Foods. It’s unknown how […] Read more
Indoor masks now mandatory across Sask.
Masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces in Saskatchewan effective Thursday, Nov. 19. The government announced more restrictions today as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise and hospitalizations increase. As of Tuesday there were 2,055 active cases in the province, with 71 in hospital and 15 of those in intensive care units. There have […] Read more
Sask. MLAs resume sitting Nov. 30
The first session of Saskatchewan’s new legislative assembly will begin Nov. 30 with a speech from the throne. The assembly has been reconfigured to create more room between MLAs and plexiglass shields are being installed on desks, said a government news release. Members will all wear masks in the assembly, and the number of MLAs […] Read more
Sask. expands mandatory mask order
Masks must be worn indoors in 59 more Saskatchewan communities, effective Monday, Nov. 16. A new public health order was issued Nov. 13 and is in place until at least Dec. 4. Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert were already covered by a mandatory mask order. Health minister Paul Merriman and chief medical health officer Dr. […] Read more
‘Messy’ fields may help bottom line
A University of Calgary scientist says fields that contain wetlands or bush are more productive than many farmers think
Paul Galpern would like to see a lot more messy fields. The University of Calgary landscape ecologist and data scientist said fields that contain wetlands or bush are more productive than many farmers think. His research has shown this. “Wooded areas, wetlands, pasture area, shelterbelts, those are the wild places, what I call the messy […] Read more
Federal high-speed internet initiative receives $750 million funding boost
Ottawa added $750 million to its Universal Broadband Fund Nov. 9 in a bid to speed up Canadians’ access to high-speed internet. Budget 2019 had allocated $1 billion to the fund, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how critical it is that Canadians in rural and remote areas get better […] Read more
