PLAY PARKS CARNIVAL
DUSTIN PRATT MEMORIAL
Fun event for children
A6
A14
Tournament attracts golfers
Issue 18
SERVING THE ENERGY CITY SINCE 1903
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
www.estevanmercury.ca
Mailing No. 10769 | Publication No. 40069240
Council approves business incentives program By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
Dwight Bramble believes that the new business incentive program for the City of Estevan is unprecedented for the community. Estevan city council approved the incentives plan during Monday night’s council meeting. Bramble, who is wrapping up his first year as the city’s economic development co-ordinator, expects the incentives will play an important role in bringing new businesses to the community, while retaining those already in place. “I believe it will go a long ways in really instilling confidence, not only in the existing businesses, but in the prospective businesses who want to come to Estevan,” said Bramble.
them that time and give them that support,” said Bramble. Another key concept is a commercial property within city limits that has undergone storefront façade and other improvements, including parking lot paving, can receive a property tax exemption equivalent to 25 per cent of the costs of the improvement, or $15,000, whichever is the lower amount. The exemption would be applied the calendar year after the improvement has been completed, and will be spread over three years. “The objective of that is to really spruce up the city, and … improve the appearance of the city, particularly the business community, which of course would be attractive to new and prospective businesses as well,” said Bramble. Parking lots were added to the document during Mon-
We don’t have any time to wait as far as trying to fast-track an improvement of the business environment here. - Dwight Bramble
The plan has three key components. The first is that any new or existing business that constructs a new location within city limits can receive a property tax exemption for the next three years. Those operating within the city’s five priority investment areas – agri-value or processing, greenhouse technology, manufacturing, warehousing, and geothermal and other renewable energy sources – can receive a five-year property tax exemption. “This exemption applies to permanent new buildings or facility development, and is not applicable to building renovations, expansions or taxes levied on lands,” said Mayor Roy Ludwig while reading off the report during Monday’s meeting. Bramble said three years was selected as the length for the exemption because it usually takes three years for a business to establish itself and see meaningful results. “We just wanted to give
day’s meeting, a move that was warmly received by council. “I think the addition of the parking lots in this is very good, because parking lots in a lot of businesses could use some improvements, and it’s also very costly to do so,” said Councillor Shelly Veroba. Finally, the city will partner with community foundations, business enterprise centres, Community Futures Development Corporations and other entities to identify and support business retention and transition opportunities. The city will support a business incubator to provide business support and services. “The city would not be running it per say, but the city would support it,” said Bramble. “The details of that support have not been determined yet.” Councillor Travis Frank also applauded the new incentives program and how they could stimulate growth in the community. Bramble believes the
business incentives program can improve the quality of life in Estevan by stimulating development and making it an attractive place. “The focus is on providing a very clear and enhanced plan for economic development for community groups,” said Bramble. The business incentives plan required a lot of research and time, Bramble said. Draft recommendations were presented to the economic development board, and then the final version was presented to Estevan city council. Bramble started working on it several months ago, prior to SaskPower’s July announcement that it would eventually retire Units 4 and 5 at the Boundary Dam Power Station. SaskPower’s decision has caused a lot of uncertainty in the community. “One of the things that I have been proposing since I came as the economic development co-ordinator – and city council and the economic development board have adopted the same approach and mindset – is we have to diversify the economy of Estevan,” said Bramble. It means creating other choices and opportunities to enhance growth in the city. “We don’t have any time to wait as far as trying to fasttrack an improvement of the business environment here so that we can attract businesses, and we can continue to support the ones which are already here,” said Bramble. Bramble doesn’t know of any business incentives that have been in place like this in the past. There was the CANDO incentives program that was introduced in 2005 and was in place during the economic boom years. It provided incentives for the construction of new residential and commercial buildings. But there hasn’t been an incentive program that was geared towards businesses. “They are unprecedented, as far as I know,” said Bramble. “There has never been anything like this in Estevan before.” While there isn’t anything in this document for residential construction, Bramble said that could change in the future. “Our focus at the moment is the business sector, because we feel that we need to prioritize business growth A2 » RESIDENTIAL
No more Mr. Nice Guy Rock and roll legend Alice Cooper strikes a pose while performing at Affinity Place on Aug. 26. Cooper opened the show with an electrifying performance of his hit song Brutal Planet. See story on Page A3. Photo by Brady Bateman
Committee meets with Carr to discuss highways By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
It didn’t take long for Lori Carr to have a meeting with the Time to Twin committee. Carr, the Estevan MLA who was appointed as the new minister of Highways and Infrastructure two weeks ago, met with the committee last Friday to discuss the future of Highways 39 and 6. The Time to Twin committee has been lobbying for nearly a decade to have Highways 39 and 6 twinned from North Portal to Regina. And while committee co-chair Marge Young was encouraged with the meeting, Carr said the government is still looking at a combination
of twinning and passing lanes for the highways from Estevan to Regina. “I thought Lori was really receptive to the things that we had to say. She’s a good listener,” Young told the Mercury. “She gave us 40 minutes.” The meeting was an effort to bring Carr up to speed on the committee’s efforts since their formation in September 2009. Young said that each time they have to deal with a new highways minister, they feel like they’re starting over. Carr is the sixth minister the committee has dealt with. “The new ones don’t seem to know what the previous ones have done with us,” said Young. Carr has been part of
meetings with the committee in the past, and she had some familiarity with their previous work. But the committee still presented her with lots of background information, including results from an Estevan Mercury online poll a few years ago showing tremendous support for twinning, and a petition the committee created back in 2013. They also reiterated stories of their experiences on the highways in the past. The MLA said the meeting went well, with the committee discussing their goals and Carr offering the government’s stance. “It was a lot of the same stuff, but nonetheless all very important stuff,” said Carr. A2 » BOTH
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