Estevan Mercury 20231213

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Sending our warmest Christmas greetings and celebrating Christmas

Christmas Greetings 2023.

Find this special B section in this week’s Mercury.

The Estevan Mercury is proud to present our annual Christmas greetings special.

The staff at the Mercury looks forward to celebrating Christmas each year, and that includes piecing together this special keepsake publication for you, our readers. We have often described this publication as our "Christmas card" – and it's a bright, beautiful and colourful Christmas card, too, with participation from people and businesses in the Estevan area.

Each year we put a lot of thought and time into deciding how we can make this publication special, so we hope you enjoy it. We want to thank you for your support over the last 12 months, and this publication allows local businesses and organizations to express their thanks as well.

We've made a switch for this year's Christmas greetings. You're going to find articles on Christmas from around the world. There will be stories about how people celebrate Christmas in Russia, Germany, Mexico, England and Ukraine.

We have an article on how a FrenchCanadian family celebrates Christmas.

You're going to see articles about Christmas in other countries as well.

And you can expect to find photos of homes that are brightly decorated for Christmas for this year.

We always enjoy thoughts on Christmas from people in the area.

We hope you're looking forward to Christmas this year, that you're anticipating spending time with family and friends, enjoying some good food and drink, and creating new fond memories.

We also understand that this is a difficult time for a lot of people. Maybe it's the first Christmas spent without a loved one. Maybe it's a time of loneliness or isolation, or perhaps people can't afford to purchase gifts for family or the food for a big Christmas supper.

Let's be mindful of that and remember it's not a joyous time for everybody. If you can do anything to help out, please do.

If you're travelling out of town, then we hope you'll travel safely. And regardless of what you're doing, please be smart and don't drink and drive.

We hope you enjoy this year's Mercury Christmas card. Hold onto it for a while. If you have friends and family visiting from out of town, we hope you'll encourage them to take a look.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

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French ambassador presents Estevan veteran with country’s highest order of merit

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Christmas wonderland.

Garden on Fourth ready for holidays.

Details on PAGE A3

Support for maternity ward.

TeleMiracle keeps delivering donations to benefit health care in Sask.

PAGE A5

Downtown fun. Business association entertains with activities, holiday spirit and great deals.

PAGE A7

It’s back. St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary turns back to traditional tea and bake sale.

PAGE A10

French Ambassador to Canada Michel Miraillet travelled from Ottawa to Estevan to personally thank, recognize and honour local Second World War veteran Jim Spenst.

The French delegation arrived at the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch on Dec. 5. Participating in a meet and greet were Spenst’s family and friends, legion members, the Estevan Police Service, local RCMP and Canada Border Service Agency members, as well as Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen, Mayor Roy Ludwig and authorities.

The ambassador came to Estevan to officially present a Rank of Knight with the National Order of the Legion of Honour in France – the highest French order of merit, both military and civil – to Spenst for his efforts to help liberate France from German forces nearly 80 years ago.

The recognition was announced and presented to the veteran on Remembrance Day in 2022, but the French representatives couldn’t be there at the time. Nevertheless, once an opportunity arrived, the French side wanted to ensure Spenst knew how grateful the country was for his service.

“Dear James Spenst, to-

French Ambassador Michel Miraillet presented Second World War veteran Jim Spenst with the Rank of Knight with the National Order of the Legion of Honour in France, the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. day, as ambassador of France to Canada, I am proud to proceed with this decoration ceremony as part of this exceptional campaign.

Through you, on behalf of my compatriots, I would like to honour all of the Canadian

heroes who have served my country.”

The medal sy mbolizes the recognition by the French Republic of Spenst’s contribution to the liberation of France during the Second World War. Being only 17

years old when he decided to join the Royal Canadian Service in November 1943, Spenst was sent to France in July 1944, a few weeks after the Normandy invasion off the French coast to support the advance of the

Canadian army.

“France remembers the sacrifices made by all Canadians helping to liberate French soil. And France will always remember the personal involvement of your A2 » FRANCE

Mayor Ludwig not seeking re-election in 2024

By David Willberg 2024 will be the final year on Estevan city council for Mayor Roy Ludwig.

Ludwig confirmed last week in a phone call with the Mercury and SaskToday that he would not seek another term as mayor in the 2024 civic election. Ludwig has been at the helm of Estevan city council since the 2012 vote, and prior to that, he served as a councillor from 1994-2012, which means he will have spent 30 years on council when he retires.

His 12 years as mayor give him the longest consecutive tenure in Estevan since Harry Nicholson in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s.

“I’ve enjoyed serving the city of Estevan as first of all a councillor and then mayor. It’s been a … great privilege to be able to do that. But now after 30 years of serving the people of Estevan, I feel it’s probably

Mayor Roy Ludwig will retire at the end of his present term. File photo time to move onto other things, and spend more time with my wife, with my family and with my grandkids.”

He expects that he will also spend more time travelling.

Ludwig said he gave the decision to retire from city politics a lot of thought. He has enjoyed the challenges that have come council’s way

over the past 30 years, as well as the chance to work with the different staff, the opportunity to serve with the other council members and the time he spent with previous mayors.

“I think it’s time to step aside and let someone with a new vision – probably a younger person … with fresh ideas – to take over and have

the willingness to do the very best they can for their community,” said Ludwig.

He believes those in municipal politics have a greater contact with the people they represent. The MLA for Estevan has other communities to represent besides the Energy City and spends much of their time in Regina, while the MP for Souris-Moose Mountain has a vast area to cover and has to travel to Ottawa.

“People come in off the street if they have an issue,” said Ludwig. “They talk to you. You’re truly in touch with the people you represent,” said Ludwig.

As for his replacement, he knows of a couple of people on council who are interested in stepping into the mayor’s role.

“I think it’s very helpful and advantageous for people with experience on how council runs to run for the mayor

position. People … have run for the mayor without having prior experience, but I believe it’s a disadvantage to be dropped into the mayor’s chair with no experience,” he said.

In his final year on council, Ludwig hopes the city can complete as much infrastructure work as possible and pay down the city’s debt. If there is a high debt load, it means more taxpayer dollars will be sent in that direction.

At this point, Ludwig said he’s pretty comfortable about the decision to retire, and he doesn’t foresee a situation that would cause him to change his mind.

Ludwig retired from the local coal mines in 2021 following a 45-year career. From 2012-2021, he balanced his duties at city hall with his mining career.

The next civic election is scheduled to take place on Nov. 13, 2024.

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‘France remembers sacrifices made by Canadians’ « A1 fellow Canadian soldiers in the liberation of our country,” Miraillet said in his speech.

He also touched on the history of the medal, which was started in 2014 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Débarquement de Normandie – D-Day – to recognize 300 Canadian veterans who took part in the liberation of France. After the honour was announced, more and more veterans who played their role in the liberation of France were found and recognized.

“Ten years later, more than 1,200 Canadian veterans were identified, notably with the support of Canadian authorities and remarkable personalities, such as Mr. Kenneth Turner [of Midale] and Craig Bird [of Estevan] ... Thank you … for the exceptional work that you have carried out here in Estevan, particularly to the museum inaugurated here a few years ago, which contributes to bringing to life and perpetuating the memory of the exceptional commitment of Saskatchewan

people,” Miraillet said.

In his speech, Miraillet also recalled the service of Spenst’s brother, who enlisted with the Royal Regina Rifles and lost both of his legs in France, and who would also be honoured with a similar medal if he was still alive.

Miraillet also noted that next June, French and Canadian authorities, as well as Second World War veterans, and maybe even Spenst himself, will be commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen also offered a word during the ceremony.

He thanked the local legion for supporting local veterans after they returned home, and also thanked Spenst for his service and other veterans for risking their lives to protect the world order.

“It’s an honour for me to have known you for all those years,” Kitchen told Spenst. “I recall when I was a CIC [Cadet Instructors Cadre] officer, you would come up from the

legion, and you would teach our cadets as we were trying to teach them just basic life skills and life lessons. You came willingly to teach them so many things.

So thank you very much and congratulations.”

One of the last surviving Second World War veterans in southeast Saskatchewan, Spenst served as a private with the Canadian Army during the Second World War. Spenst joined the North Battleford Light Infantry reserve unit while still living in his hometown of Meadow Lake.

More than two years later, on Nov. 11, 1943, Spenst enlisted for active duty with the service corps, and he went to Red Deer, Alta., for his training.

He was only 17 years of age when he joined the army, and like many in his generation, he lied about his age to serve his country.

After Red Deer, he was sent to Truro, N.S., and then Debert. They boarded a New Amsterdam ship and sailed to Scotland, and then they were transferred to northern England during the German invasion.

Spenst was eventually deployed to France in July 1944, a few weeks after the Normandy invasion off the coast of France.

He was involved with the lib-

Pictured here are, from left, Craig Bird with the Estevan legion, French Ambassador Michel Miraillet, Second World War Veteran Jim Spenst and Estevan legion president Jim (Frosty) Forrest. eration of the Netherlands.

He was with the Canadian Occupational Forces in Germany when he was discharged on March 4, 1946.

Craig Bird with the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and the South East Military Museum said the process for Spenst’s latest recognition started a while ago. They submitted Spenst’s paperwork and service record, and then the French government approved it, but because

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there wasn’t anybody available last year, the legion ended up presenting the medal to Spenst themselves.

And they still continue to search for veterans who are eligible to be recognized through this honour.

“When we applied, we weren’t sure whether that was still an active program that the French government was doing.

They said yes, and everything started to roll. Otherwise, they have no way of finding the World War Two veterans that served in France,” Bird said. “So, we’re still on the hunt to see if there’s anybody still around and if we can get the award for them.”

Spenst said it was nice that the ambassador made it to Estevan, and after the speech, presented Miraillet with a baseball hat saying HMCS Regina FFH 334, which is a Halifaxclass frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Navy since 1993.

Bird presented the ambassador with the museum’s challenge coin, Estevan legion president Jim (Frosty) Forrest handed him a plaque of ap-

preciation and Estevan Mayor Roy Ludwig gave Miraillet a city pin.

Just like some of the liberators, guests were treated to champagne and also cheese platters. Bird noted the drinks used to greet liberators varied depending on the region, and while champagne was one of the most popular celebratory options, calvados became the regimental drink for the Royal Regina Rifles after they were in the Calvados department of France.

Spenst has been a member of the legion for more than 70 years. He held several positions on the executive and was a mainstay in the kitchen, preparing meals for legion banquets and community events.

Before meeting the French ambassador last Tuesday, Spenst stopped by the legion kitchen for a quick inspection and left satisfied.

He received a Meritorious Service Medal from the legion for his contributions to the Estevan branch, and was also involved with coaching and umpiring baseball in the community.

Christmas Bingo Presents:

Pick up your Bingo Card at the following participating business: Diamond Skin Solutions | A&A Jewellery | EECOL Electric | The Brick | Henders Drugs Onyx & Ivory House of Beauty | Estevan Trophy & Engraving | Orpheum Theatre | Toe Bean Co Local Buzz Liquor | Sholter Horsman Furniture & Appliance | Graphic Press | TWB Home Décor Western Financial Group | The Floor Store (Carlyle & Estevan) | Gerry Freezer Meats Pharmasave Estevan | Pharmasave Carlyle | Estevan Mercury | Carlyle Observer

RULES:

-Final Date to enter is December 17 at 11:59 pm.

-Draw Date is December 18 with the winners being contacted and their names published on December 20 in the Estevan Mercury and December 22 in the Carlyle Observer.

-Read through the Estevan Mercury on November 22, 29 and December 6 and 13, AND the Carlyle Observer on November 24 and December 1, 8 and 15 to find the winning Bingo Numbers.

Can be found on www.sasktoday.ca/other/digital-edition-links#south -You can enter to win by having a Blackout, X, Any Two Lines, Any One Line, or No Lines. All entries are eligible to win a prize. Winners will be drawn at random for each prize level corresponding to their Bingo Card.

-Numbers have to be legible in order to verify win. If we can not verify the number the card will be disqualified.

-Participants may enter more than one Bingo Card (photocopies or reproductions in any way will be disqualified).

-Participants can enter by dropping the Bingo Cards off at the Estevan Mercury and Carlyle Observer offices, or email to contests@estevanmercury.ca If you enter by email, the picture must be in colour, back and front, and must be presented in person if it is a winning Bingo Card.

-Prizes will be listed in the Estevan Mercury and the Carlyle Observer, along with all rules.

-Only a select number of individually numbered Bingo Cards have been printed.

PRIZES & WINNING BINGO CARDS GRAND PRIZE - BLACKOUT Leather-Look Fabric Rocker Recliner - Value - $1299

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Garden on Fourth is holiday-ready

By Ana Bykhovskaia The Garden on Fourth turned into a colourful Winter Wonderland for the third time, thanks to the efforts of Gale Tytlandsvik and her team of helpers and supporters of her beautification projects.

About 12 people worked at the garden for three weeks, off and on, to bring in and decorate 16 artificial Christmas trees as well as the Tree of Life trellis and all other trees growing in the little urban oasis located between the Salvation Army and SaskTel

buildings in the 1100-block of Fourth Street.

Most decorations guests will find on the trees have been donated by the community, then organized by colour and arranged on similarcoloured trees. Some trees Tytlandsvik spray-painted with donated paint in her garage.

“Everybody’s like ‘You can’t do a solid red tree’ and I’m like ‘Watch me,’” Tytlandsvik shared with a laugh.

“And a big thank you to the community because they’ve just been so supportive.”

Gale Tytlandsvik ensures every tree is gorgeous, decorations are where they belong and she restocks the trees with candy canes for the community.

Since it started, the Christmas Garden has been growing a bit at a time every year and steadily changing as well.

“I only have three more trees [than last year], but some of the smaller trees I took out and replaced with larger trees,” Tytlandsvik said, noting there are more trees to be replaced next year. “The red and green tree is completely new, the pink tree is completely new, and the red tree too.”

The Christmas theme started with Tytlandsvik’s willingness to do something in the garden in winter and the community’s generosity.

“The first year I asked for a couple of trees to be donated. And then I had like 10. I thought ‘Okay, I can do something like that.’ And then I thought ‘But I have no ornaments.’ So, I put a post on Facebook asking for ornaments, and literally, you could not get in my living room,” Tytlandsvik shared.

People keep donating, allowing Tytlandsvik to improve and make the place more and more beautiful every year. This year, local store Dolly Sue’s Marketplace donated “a huge pile of ornaments”, Tytlandsvik said. There were some other donations as well, and she was able to find some great pieces herself.

Even though she couldn’t find colourful candy canes in town, Tytlandsvik regularly restocks trees with treats for

Gale Tytlandsvik and her crew of helpers installed and decorated many Christmas trees in the Garden on Fourth for the holiday season. anyone to grab and also ensures everything is looking great in the little garden.

“Please stop in and get a candy cane. I restock it every day,” Tytlandsvik said.

The garden is open to the public 24/7 at no charge. At night, lights from the SaskTel building shine on the garden, turning it into a magical place.

The area is now under video surveillance for security and to protect the hard work of the volunteers from vandalism.

Once the holidays are over, the trees are carefully taken off their pedestals

and moved away for storage.

For the past couple of years, they’ve been stored in the basement at the Wicklow Centre. Tytlandsvik noted that she is grateful for that opportunity, but by the time bigger trees make it up and down the stairs, and in and out through numerous doorways, they are mostly ruined and they have to be redecorated the next year, so she is searching for other potential storage options.

“The space we have is a great space but it’s downstairs and there are many doorways.

So, if somebody had some

shop space on ground level that they were willing to let us use, especially close by or just in town, that would be awesome,” Tytlandsvik said.

She also said that now that this community beautification project is up and running, she is ready to have someone to take over it, which would free up some time for her to start a new project.

“I would be more than happy to help someone with the transition phase,” said Tytlandsvik.

For more, please reach out to Tytlandsvik at 306421-7803.

Orpheum hosts Cowboy Christmas’ Canadian premiere Jeremy Drummond and Jessica Watch are thrilled with the finished product for A Cowboy Christmas, their made-in-Saskatchewan movie.

Estevan's Orpheum Theatre hosted the Canadian premiere of the western-romance flick on Friday night. Drummond, who was the director of the movie, and Watch, who was the producer, were in Estevan for the screening and participated in a question-and-answer session after the closing credits.

The movie was filmed and set in Maple Creek, and a special showing was held in the small town in October, but this was billed as the Canadian premiere.

Watch said they were looking for a theatre where they could debut the movie, and the Orpheum reached out to them, saying they had an opening.

"Jocelyn [Dougherty, who owns the theatre with her husband Alan] has been so wonderful at opening her arms to us and giving us this opportunity that we never thought we would have," said Watch.

A Cowboy Christmas tells the story of Ella Wade, an ambitious marketing executive at a New York firm whose latest assignment is a remote ranch near Maple Creek. Her plans

shift when she meets Cole Reesor, the ranch owner.

The movie was filmed in 12 days in late February and early March in southwest Saskatchewan. A lot of the movie is set at Historic Reesor Ranch south of the town. They also used Maple Creek's Main Street, some of the businesses and its park.

Everybody in the town and at the ranch was eager to work with them.

"We needed a town. We needed a ranch. Everything was there and everybody wanted to do it. So that really made us want to go there, and just made us so happy to be there," said Watch.

The town, which promotes its western heritage, also had the right look.

"In rural Canada and Saskatchewan small towns, a lot of them have lost their Main Street, and Maple Creek's is absolutely in tact. It's postcard perfect. A lot of the businesses have been there for decades," said Watch.

All of the actors in A Cowboy Christmas are from Canada, and the majority are from Saskatchewan. The mayor of Maple Creek makes a cameo appearance and all of the extras are

from the town.

A total of 742 individual shots are in the movie, which also showcases the scenery of the Maple Creek area.

As for the Orpheum, Watch and Drummond came away marvelling at the theatre because they don't see many venues like it any longer. They loved watching the crowd view the movie.

"I haven't been to an older theatre in a very long time," said Watch. "It was so refreshing to come down here and see something in such impeccable shape, give you that oldschool feeling of being at the movies and having the posters up and everybody being together."

"They've torn most of these down across the country and put up the multiplexes and everything, and that has its own vibe, but you can't really recreate this," added Drummond.

Everyone was so happy to have them in Estevan that it has made it easier to be here and talk to people, Watch said, and she was pleased that everyone was eager to hear what they had to say.

"I can't believe there was so many questions," said Drummond.

During their visit to the southeast, they toured the region and came

Director Jeremy Drummond, left, and producer Jessica Watch were on hand at the Orpheum Theatre for the screening of A Cowboy Christmas. away particularly impressed with the Roche Percee area. Drummond said it could be a good site for a romance or even a thriller movie.

A Cowboy Christmas is expected to be broadcasted in Canada in time for Christmas 2024 on a number of different platforms. It has already aired in the U.S. Both expressed their gratitude to Creative Saskatchewan for provid-

ing funding for the project. The film industry has bounced back in the past year and a half thanks to support from the government, and Watch said it is great to be able to make movies throughout the year.

"We just want to communicate that this time around, so that everyone understands how much work, how much employment, how much impact it has," said Drummond.

Holiday Menu Soup

Lobster Bisque Small or Large

Appetizers

Baja Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers Stuffed with cream cheese wrapped in bacon with a Jumbo Shrimp topper...served with ranch.

Pico de Gallo Freshly made to order; tomatoes, onions, lime and cilantro. Served with corn chips.

Spinach Dip A delicious blend of baked spinach and cream cheese. Served with pita triangles.

Entrees

Prime Rib

10oz - 14oz - 16oz Our AAA Canadian Prime Rib is slowly roasted and perfectly seasoned Served with our Au Jus sauce.

(To ensure freshness, while quantity lasts).

Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu

Our elegant home-made Chicken Cordon Bleu Chicken Breasts stuffed with ham and swiss cheese, topped with our Red Pepper Sauce.

Steak & Lobster

Our AAA Canadian beef is cut to order and prepared your way Served with 6 oz Lobster Tail.

Seafood Delight

Seafood Lovers will enjoy this medley.

6oz Lobster Tail, accompanied with a Salmon Fillet and Butterfly Shrimp.

Entrees are served with your choice of our homemade soup of the day or a salad (Caesar or Tossed), Choice of Potato (Fries, Rice or Mashed and after 4pm Baked Potato) garlic toast and hot vegetable.

Homemade Desserts

Gourmet Cheesecakes made in-house (ask your server about the Holiday Cheesecake Options).

Check out the WINE & DESSERT MENU to complement your dinner...

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| Wednesday, December 13, 2023 | www.SASKTODAY.ca

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Mayor Ludwig’s announcement the first domino for the next civic election Nobody should be surprised that Roy Ludwig won’t be seeking another term as mayor.

He’ll have spent 12 years on the job when the next civic election occurs in November 2024. That’s a long time in this day and age; in fact, the last time we had a mayor serve that long was Harry Nicholson in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s.

Ludwig also spent 18 years as a councillor before taking his first crack at becoming mayor, so he’ll have spent 30 years on council.

To put it in perspective, when next November hits, the six current councillors will have 32 years of service combined.

The other clue that Ludwig was likely retiring next year was attendance. He’s missed a number of meetings this year while travelling. That’s not to say his commitment to the community has waned, nor are we suggesting that he shouldn’t have sought re-election in 2020, but he has spent more time outside the city since retiring from Westmoreland Mining LLC a little more than three years ago.

Regardless of what you think of the job he’s done as mayor or the decisions that have been made during his time on council, you can’t deny his commitment. Thirty years of service is laudable. And he managed to keep

getting re-elected as both a councillor and mayor, usually with very comfortable margins, so he clearly was doing something right.

Now that we know Ludwig’s time as mayor is entering its final months, our thoughts will turn to who might be his replacement, the traits the person should possess, the challenges that person will face, and the composition of the next council.

Each election brings change. Most years there will be at least a couple of new faces.

This council has four first-time members. The council from 2016-2020 had three. But it’s different when you have a new mayor. That person is the face of council and, to a certain extent, the city.

It’s going to be a difficult and challenging time for the next mayor and council. It’s certainly very different than when Ludwig became mayor. Those were boom times. The biggest challenges facing the community revolved around building housing and trying to catch up with the demands of a surging city.

The next mayor, and the next council, will have to chart a course while we continue to deal with transition. We’re the Energy City. We’re a city that’s leaned heavily on oil, mining and coal-fired power production.

It’s important for the next mayor, and

the next council, to continue to advocate for what we have here when dealing with other levels of government, because we should be proud of our assets, but that next council also has to prepare for the day when those options face stricter regulations or are no longer available.

We’ve seen this present council and its predecessor work hard to diversify our economy, but it’s time for things to materialize with only a few years remaining until 2030, when conventional coal-fired power generation is slated to come offline.

In addition to the traits associated with a mayor – a good work ethic, a listening ear and the willingness to put the best interests of the community at heart – the next mayor is going to have to be someone who can sell and promote our community. The new mayor is going to have to be someone that new councillors can turn to for guidance.

Regardless of who the next mayor is, it’s going to be a weird feeling next November when council holds those first meetings and Ludwig isn’t there.

Not just from the mayoral perspective, but with council as a whole.

After all, 30 years in council chambers is a long time.

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For decades, buying a home was one of the central goals for most families and individuals.

And before it turned into “buying a house”, building one was part of a life plan for every man, as an old proverb suggests.

At the same time, renting a place has always been an option as well. But as people became more independent, as our individual comfort and success became more valuable, home ownership has been dominating the life to-do lists for several generations.

However, the rapid, implacable growth of housing prices in pretty much every corner of the world left many people, especially younger families, reconsidering the “rent or buy” question.

Several families around me have been on a hunt for their first home for the past couple of years, so even though I’ve never bought one, willing or not, I also started to delve into the subject.

The situation those families find themselves in is a bit different than for many Canadians – they are newcomers, so they have no backup, heritage or extended credit history here; they are older than most locals when they start thinking about their first house; but they are also further in their careers and businesses, even though they had to partially restart here.

And it seemed to me that those circumstances, which make it more difficult for them to get into buying a house it, also makes them look way closer into what they are to do. Even though they are looking for a house in very different communities – size and even provincewise – some questions that have to be answered to decide if they actually should go all the way and become homeowners are very similar.

The average price of a home in Vancouver was $1.3 million in October, which is hard to grasp since the average wage in the same city is

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About… just over $69,500, which means home ownership is out of the question for most people there. The average in Calgary, which was traditionally considered one of the most affordable major cities in Canada in the sense of real estate, was $546,000 the same month.

When compared to others, Saskatchewan looks more affordable, with an average home sitting at about $296,000 in October. And Estevan looks even more affordable with a variety of options available in the $175,000-260,000 price range, even in winter.

However, when comparing the house prices to income level now and 40-50 years earlier, the gap is much wider than it used to be, no matter if you are in Estevan or Vancouver.

Renting is often seen as throwing money away, as you write a cheque to a landlord every month without building any equity in your home, which is true. On the other hand, if you look closer at buying a home, you realize there is a lot of money thrown away as well. (Some experts like David Leonhardt, author of Ours Was the Shining Future and a New York Times writer, say it’s even more than when you rent, especially if you buy a house to sell it soon).

Outside the high real estate prices, there are many other traps and pitfalls we put into the equation when buying a house. One is the mortgage rate. As of Dec. 10, major banks and credit unions in Saskatchewan had a prime rate of 7.2 per cent, according to Wowa Leads. And

even though interest rates have been up for a while, home prices have not come down as much.

And usually, in the first few years of owning a house, the buyer almost entirely pays the interest.

There is also a real estate agent’s commission, between two and eight per cent in Saskatchewan, which is technically paid by a seller but is often built into the house price. This money the home buyer will never get back, as well as the interest on the mortgage.

Houses also come with their needs, and when owning a place all repairs, small and big, become the owner’s responsibility. Ideally, you find your perfect home and just enjoy it. Realistically, most cases I’ve seen included some renovations upon purchase and in the years following. And even though the value of the house grows over time, so do all other prices, and improvements don’t become a major factor in price formation.

And even though with growing real estate prices a house seems like a good investment, apparently if you take your downpayment and invest in the stock market, while it is riskier, over time that investment will make a positive, and more substantial return, according to Leonhardt’s data.

But since for years buying a house was a measure of success and almost an intrinsic move everyone had to make, we often want to buy no matter what, even when we can’t really afford it.

It might be the case of the need to be perceived in a particular way. Or it might just be the inability to do things off the grid.

One way or the other, purchasing a home has become almost out of reach for so many millennials and following generations. It might be the time to change our perception, at least for now.

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David Willberg Willberg’s World

Return of film industry welcome news For most of the past decade, there has been little activity in Saskatchewan in terms of the movie and TV industries.

When the provincial government axed the film tax credit back in 2012, it virtually wiped out any activity we had.

At the time, I voiced support for removing the credit, at least for big-budget projects. For the smaller-scale productions, the ones with a budget of six figures or low seven figures, a grant system could still carry benefits.

Losing the film tax credit was every bit as damaging as the industry predicted it would be. It forced studios to pack up and head elsewhere, and those that were looking at Saskatchewan turned to another province or state.

It happened during the boom times for the province’s economy. It didn’t happen at a time of austerity when the province was cutting all sorts of services in an effort to come close to balancing the books; this was a time when the province was still raking in big money from the energy sector.

Saskatchewan was the one province to not have some form of support for movie and TV industries. In hindsight, that wasn’t a good thing.

Should big-budget movies receive grants? Maybe not. If we don’t give them out, somebody else will. At the same time, having a successful project filmed in your backyard can certainly make a big difference for tourism. I’m a big fan of the hit TV show Yellowstone, and I’ve thought to myself how cool it would be to go down to that part of Montana to see the exquisite scenery.

Last week the Orpheum Theatre hosted the Canadian premiere of A Cowboy Christmas, a film created by a Saskatchewan company, with a largely Saskatchewan cast that was filmed in Maple Creek. Afterwards, director Jeremy Drummond and producer Jessica Watch credited Creative Saskatchewan for making productions like this possible.

It’s likely the type of production that would check all of the boxes for why grants and support should happen.

I was thrilled to hear Cowboy Christmas was filmed in Maple Creek. I have family down in the area and have spent a lot of time in the southwest since I was a child. It’s a great area. The Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park remains my favourite tourist attraction in the province.

I’ve never been to the Historic Reesor Ranch, but I’ve been to some of the other buildings seen in A Cowboy Christmas, and always enjoyed a chilled beverage at The Daily Grind.

It’s great to see the town get some exposure in the movie, and that those responsible kept the name, rather than giving it some hokey fictitious moniker like Cypress Grove.

It’s far from a guarantee that A Cowboy Christmas will result in a big tourism surge for Maple Creek, since we don’t know how many people will take the time to watch the movie, but there would have been a considerable economic spin-off from all the people in the town for the 12 days of filming, and there is the morale boost for the area from hosting a project like this.

Furthermore, every person who was at the screening on Friday night in Estevan likely thought “It would be really cool to have a movie filmed here at some point.”

The movie and TV industry is like any other: the government has to strike a balance in terms of what it offers. The incentives need to be competitive enough to entice people to want to be here, or the studios will just go somewhere else. And Saskatchewan might have to offer a little bit more to bring people here. We’re competing with other provinces and states. But you can’t take a program so far that it becomes wasteful.

Film is never going to be as powerful in Saskatchewan as agriculture, mining or oil and gas when it comes to industries.

Southwest B.C., southern Ontario and even southern Alberta will always be preferred. w But you can still have a healthy industry down here that creates opportunities for Saskatchewan people; gives something for Saskatchewan actors, directors and cast members to aspire to; provides jobs for those in and connected to the sector; and showcases areas of our province.

And that is money well spent.

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TeleMiracle made major donation to St. Joe’s maternity ward A generous donation has been made to the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation thanks to the Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation.

Following a successful grant application, the Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation has made a donation of $31,095, supporting the purchase of a new Panda infant warmer and resuscitator for St. Joseph’s Hospital. The new piece of equipment offers health-care staff simple and easy-to-use features such as hands-free alarm silence, full-colour display, and an integrated scale, allowing them to focus on the most critical aspects of their job – caring for newborns and their families.

“Thanks to the generosity of TeleMiracle donors, we are honoured to fund the purchase of this essential, state-of-the-art infant warmer and resuscitator that will help improve the quality of care for infants at St. Joseph’s Hospital,” said Raelynn Nicholson, chair of the Kinsmen Foundation board of directors. “This gift shows how TeleMiracle proceeds are helping people every day, right here at home in Estevan and the surrounding area.”

Nicholson noted that the donation was made possible after their record-breaking TeleMiracle in 2022.

“That TeleMiracle raised $8 million, and we made a pledge to the people of Saskatchewan to donate $1 million or more back to health care in Saskatchewan through various foundations and facilities buying equipment to improve the services for all the people of Saskatchewan,” Nicholson explained.

St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation applied for funding for the maternity ward from

From left, Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation board chair Raelynn Nicholson, acute care manager with St. Joseph’s Hospital Katie Bell, St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation executive director Lori Gervais, Estevan Kinettes Raelene Fieber, Chelsey Istace and Susan Colbow, and Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation executive director Richard Kies checked out the sponsored infant warmer and partook in the cheque presentation at the newly named Kinsmen Foundation Delivery Room. the Kinsmen Foundation. As a thank you for their support, St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation has awarded the Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation the naming rights to the primary delivery room. It will now be known as the Kinsmen Foundation Delivery Room.

“Kinsmen TeleMiracle has become huge supporters of our hospital over the years, and we wanted to have a special way of saying thank you. We thought the naming rights of the delivery room would be a great way to do just that,” said Lori Gervais, executive director of St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation.

The Kinsmen Foundation supported many other healthcare projects after the 2022 TeleMiracle.

“We funded a million dollars to the Saskatchewan Cancer Foundation to replace their breast cancer screening bus. We

funded an AED for a senior centre, we funded a Handi Van in Swift Current. We funded a med dispensing system in North Battleford, rehab equipment at the Saskatoon City Hospital, an anesthesia gas machine in Saskatoon and an x-ray suite at the new Urgent Care Clinic in Regina. We tried to spread it all over the province,” Nicholson said.

The Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation and the local Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs are no strangers to supporting the local hospital. TeleMiracle has funded new beds in both Unit A and the maternity unit while the Estevan Kinettes have given $65,000 for their naming rights agreement of the obstetrics and surgical department.

“TeleMiracle and the local Kinsmen and Kinettes Clubs have been so generous.

They have donated hundred of

thousands of dollars to St. Joseph’s Hospital and have made a huge difference in local health care in our community. We cannot thank them enough,” said Gervais.

TeleMiracle is entering its 48th year in 2024. Through the proceeds of this annual telethon, the Kinsmen Foundation is helping people every day in Saskatchewan, to improve their independence and quality of life through gifts of mobility and medical equipment, or funding for medical travel, that they otherwise could not afford.

TeleMiracle also helps fund new and innovative equipment that improves access to quality health care in Saskatchewan.

TeleMiracle 48 will take place Feb. 24-25, 2024, but donations can be made online, anytime at telemiracle.com.

Safety and well-being group makes progress The Estevan Community Wellness Committee continues to make progress on a pilot project to address safety and well-being in the city.

The pilot project, which began in October, brings together stakeholders from such sectors as the City of Estevan, education, non-profit organizations, seniors, the Estevan Police Service, health and mental health, community and social services, and children and youth services.

It is the mission of the Estevan Community Wellness Committee to work collaboratively across all sectors to create and enhance community safety and well-being in the city. The vision is for the community to sustain safety and well-being for all generations.

In October and Novem-

ber, the committee has met extensively to identify priority areas to focus its combined efforts and funding to improve the quality of life in the community. There have been four priority areas identified: substance abuse and addiction, mental wellness, education and employment, and victimization.

Over the next several months, combined courses of action and initiatives will be developed to improve the community's safety and well-being.

The Estevan Community Safety and Well-Being (ECSWB) planning process is being supported by the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) branch. The branch works with communities across Saskatchewan to provide a variety of

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supports around community safety and well-being planning and development.

Estevan is one of four rural communities being supported as part of a rural CSWB planning pilot. The other three are Nipawin, Humboldt and Outlook.

According to the committee, the department contracted the Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance (SEDA) to implement the rural pilot.

In its role as the exclusive nongovernmental organization dedicated to provincial community and economic development in Saskatchewan, SEDA empowers communities and organizations with the necessary skills, knowledge, resources and programs to foster a sustainable future.

"SEDA actively pursues

a mandate of accelerating generational prosperity and wellbeing," states a press release from the committee. "The most resilient economies are those that adopt a solutions-based approach and work to address complex issues using an inclusive lens that transcends sectors and systemic bias" The official Estevan Community Safety and Well-Being Plan will be released in 2024.

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UMWA donates to safety patrollers The United Mine Workers of America Local 7606 continues to show support for the School Safety Patrol program. Each year, the union purchases bright yellow toques from CAA and provides them to all of the students in Estevan and Bienfait schools who participate in the safety patrol program.

Between 150 and 200 toques are handed out to the excited students. The toques help patrollers be more visible, keep warm and stay vigilant while at their posts. Photo courtesy of the Estevan Police Service

Miracle on Fourth brought many downtown

By David Willberg Shopping, family activities, free movies and other attractions were part of the Estevan Downtown Business Association's third annual Miracle on Fourth.

The 1100 and 1200 blocks of Fourth Street were shut down for several hours for Saturday's event, allowing people to easily move to the different businesses and enjoy activities in the middle of the road. Most of the businesses on Fourth Street were open Saturday and had instore specials to entice shoppers.

"The businesses today had a great day," said Robert Godfrey with Lemon Wedge Marketing, which is part of the DBA. "There was a lot of traffic, steady throughout the entire event, which was great to see.

"What was really cool is, in talking with the different businesses, there was a lot of out-of-town people that were at the event today. Some were in town for hockey and saw

this event and took part. Some people travelled to Estevan from some of the surrounding communities to check it out."

It proved to be a great way to show the diverse business community that Estevan has to offer, he said.

"I think a lot of people don't realize just how many things you can get locally right here in Estevan," said Godfrey.

They couldn't gauge the actual number of people who attended, but Godfrey said a couple hundred people attended each of the matinees at the Orpheum Theatre, and the Estevan Lions Club reported serving hot chocolate and hotdogs to over 750 people. "They ended up running out early," said Godfrey.

He believes well over 1,000 people went through downtown Estevan over the course of a few hours.

Also during the day the Souris Valley Museum offered carnival and Christmas games for families and Santa Claus interacted with children. Graham

Collie brought his Clydesdale horses for sleigh rides down Fourth and Fifth Streets, and Godfrey said there was a line-up of people throughout the event.

The Estevan Great North U18 AAA Bears and the Estevan Primec Controls Canada U13 AA Bruins played street hockey with kids.

"There was just a lot going on, and it was great to see and it just gets everybody into the holiday spirit, getting to take part in these events," said Godfrey.

New for this year were a few outdoor fire pits in the 1200-block of Fourth Street where people could warm up or prepare marshmallows and smores. The Estevan Fire Rescue Service held its annual Stuff the Truck toy drive downtown.

People could drop by with a toy donation for the Estevan Community Hamper Association's Angel Tree program, and take a look inside the fire vehicles and an Estevan Police Service car, as the EPS helped out with the drive.

"In talking with the members that were there, they said they had a great turnout and a lot of people came and donated," said Godfrey.

(For more on the toy drive, please see Page A(?).

Gale Tytlandsvik had the Garden Park on Fourth open so people could see the Christmas trees that had been decorated by Tytlandsvik and others. She was also taking photos. (For more on the Garden Park, see Page A(?).

Godfrey noted the DBA was nervous on Friday when

Damian Gervais, left, and Jesse Gervais cooked marshmallows at one of the fire pits. a snowstorm rolled through the southeast, bringing a few centimetres of snow on top of rain that fell late Thursday and early Friday. But the sunshine returned on Saturday, the temperatures were above normal and the wind diminished.

"The snow added a nice festive touch to the event," said Godfrey. "We want to give a

major shout-out to Hayley Deconinck and her roads and drainage crew [with the City of Estevan]. It was a big job taking care of the snow and ice on Fourth Street. This event would certainly have not been possible without their hard work in preparing the street for us," said Godfrey.

He praised all of the

businesses that are part of the DBA for putting on events like Miracle on Fourth Street. Not only do they allow people to see what downtown has to offer, but they also provide another fun community activity.

The DBA is already discussing options for next year to make Miracle on Fourth Street even bigger.

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St. Joe’s auxiliary brings back tea and bake sale The St. Joseph’s Healthcare Auxiliary brought back its Christmas tea and bake for the first time since 2019 last Wednesday.

The event was held at the cafeteria at St. Joseph’s Hospital and attracted many staff and Estevan residents, who stopped by to enjoy the tea and treats, and also to stock up on Christmas baking.

Instead of a traditional silent auction, this year the auxiliary went with a quilt raffle, which saw a lot of interest as well.

Auxiliary president Valerie Hagel, secretary Karen Johnstone and treasurer Darla Wilhelm spoke to the Mercury and SaskToday.ca about their club, activities and future plans.

Since the last event, the

The St. Joseph’s Healthcare Auxiliary Christmas tea and bake sale was organized by the members and took place at the café at the hospital this year.

club lost about 10 members, Wilhelm said, and gained a couple, but is still down in membership.

“We have 28 members now, and we’ve been very fortunate that we had an awful lot of staff at the hospital here and friends that donated [baking towards the sale],” Wilhelm said. “We’re working on a new project. We haven’t got a project yet that we’re going to be putting our money towards, but by January, the hospital decides on different projects, they bring them to us and then we pick which one we want to do. So we will be starting another project and that’s what we’re raising the money for now.”

Wilhelm noted that since the beginning of the pandemic, it was a little harder for the auxiliary to stay as active, but they decided to keep going and keep doing what they love.

“We’ve had the auxiliary for 85 years, and we don’t want to fold. Valerie stepped forward. She’s never been a member before, and she stepped

Hundreds of people stopped by the auxiliary’s annual Christmas tea and bake sale on Wednesday. forward to be our president.

And Karen was an associate member that worked in the gift shop, but was active in the auxiliary as such, and she stepped forward to be our secretary. So, I think we’re doing okay. We want to be here to support our hospital the best that we can,” Wilhelm said.

Irene Krieger and Elaine Meckler are in charge of the gift shop, which is a part of the auxiliary and is open again at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

The club always welcomes new members. They meet every third Monday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

City Hall: 1102 4th Street 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800

Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880

Mayor’s Message

The Holiday Train will be in Estevan on December 17th, 2024 at 3:00pm located east of CP rail station on 7th Street. Please come out for the entertainment and bring a non perishable food item for the food bank.

PUBLIC NOTICE The Council of the City of Estevan pursuant to the Cities Act that the Council of the City of Estevan, gives notice of its intention to implement a bylaw to regulate buildings within the City of Estevan On November 13, 2023 meeting the first reading of the Bylaw 2023-2076 was passed and the final readings is expected to be on November 27, 2023 for implementation of January 1, 2024.

This bylaw will be the new Building Bylaw and some of the changes will be: Ø Service fees, deposits, and construction valuations will now be found in the City of Estevan Service Fees Bylaw Ø Moving and demolition permits expiry dates will be reduced . Ø Permit extensions will be now available if deemed acceptable by the Building Official. Ø Legislative changes updated.

The proposed Bylaws 2023-2076 may be inspected by any person in the City Clerk’s Office, on the main level of City Hall, between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday.

Dated this l4th day of November, 2023.

Judy Pilloud City Clerk 1102 4th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0W7

MEMBER AT LARGE NEEDED! THE ESTEVAN BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS The City of Estevan invites interested citizens to sit on The Estevan Board of Police Commissioners.

If you are interested in becoming a Member at Large, please send a letter explaining your qualifications and what past experiences you have that could benefit this board in writing to: Judy Pilloud, City Clerk, City of Estevan • 1102, Fourth Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan, S4A 0W7 cityclerk@estevan.ca Criminal Records Check may be required upon request.

PUBLIC NOTICE The Council of the City of Estevan pursuant to the Cities Act that the Council of the City of Estevan, gives notice of its intention to implement a bylaw to establish Fees for Service rates and statutory authority of the City of Estevan On November 27, 2023 meeting the first reading of the Service Fees Bylaw was passed and the final readings is expected to be on December 18, 2023.

The proposed Bylaws 2023-2077 may be inspected by any person in the City Clerk’s Office, on the main level of City Hall, between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday.

Dated this 28th day of November, 2023.

Judy Pilloud 1102 4th Street Estevan, SK S4A 0W7

PUBLIC NOTICE The Council of the City of Estevan pursuant to the Cities Act that the Council of the City of Estevan, gives notice of its intention to implement a bylaw to establish statutory authority to amend the zoning bylaw 2022-2061 to provide for a change of legislated updates and correction of errors.

On November 28, 2023 meeting the first reading of this bylaw was passed and the final readings is expected to be on December 18, 2023.

The proposed Bylaw 2022-2078 may be inspected by any person in the City Clerk’s Office, on the main level of City Hall, between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday.

Dated this 28th day of November, 2023 Judy Pilloud 1102 4th Street Estevan, SK S4A 0W7

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Swift support for the Salvation Army Swift Oilfield Supply business development manager Conrad Pearce, left, presented a cheque for $2,000 to Estevan Salvation Army community ministries director Ronza Reynard on Thursday. The money will be directed towards the Salvation Army's Christmas campaign, which supports the food bank and more.

December land sale exceeds $17 million in revenues The Government of Saskatchewan's latest Crown petroleum and natural gas public offering, held on Dec. 5, raised $17,230,215 for the province.

Of the 70 parcels posted for this offering, 40 received acceptable bids, encompassing 15,594 hectares. Thirty-three of the 57 leases posted had acceptable bids, generating $2,779,838 for 5,086 hectares, or $546.80 per hectares. Seven of 13 licences posted received acceptable bids for a total of $14,450,377 over 10,508 hectares, or $1,375.13 per hectare.

The southeast region generated the most interest, bringing in $11,277,440 for 17 leases and one exploration licence totalling 2,443 hectares. The 17 leases brought in $1,193,058 for 1,147 hectares, or $1,039.74

per hectare, while the licence generated $10,084.381 for 1,296 hectares, or $7,778.89 per hectare. The value per hectare available amounted to $4,614.64.

Millennium Land (555) Ltd. was awarded the exploration licence, located eight kilometres west of Alameda, within the Steelman Frobisher Beds Oil Pool. It accounted for the majority of the revenues generated during the sale.

The highest bonus bid and highest dollars per hectare received on a lease in this area was $175,312, or $2,781.58 per hectare. This 63.026-hectare lease was awarded to Millennium Land (555) Ltd. and is located near Oxbow, within the Alameda Midale Beds Oil Pool.

Bids for leases and licences

in the Lloydminster area raised $3,552,733. Thirteen of the 27 leases were gobbled up, with a value of $1,372,796, while all three licences available were purchased for $2,179,936.

The highest bonus bid received on a parcel in this area was $1,504,793, or $1,387.77 per hectare. This 1,084-hectare exploration licence is located east of Lloydminster and near the Northminster Sparky Sand Oil Pool and Aberfeldy South Sparky Sand Oil Pool. This lease was awarded to Scout

Energy Ltd. The highest bonus bid received on a lease in this area was $1,006,000.00, an average of $5,171.23 per hectare. This 194.538-hectare lease is located two kilometres west of Maidstone, within the Maidstone Mannville Sands Oil Pool. The successful bidder was CanExpo Energy Inc. Acceptable bids in the Kindersley area generated $2,400,041 for three leases and three exploration licences totalling 9,232 hectares. There

8 new licenses issued to Monday, December 11, 2023 308242

Crescent Point Energy Hz............... 15-4-10-19

310104

Whitecap Resources Hz ................... 5-15-6-7

310130

Harvard Resources Hz .................... 14-26-5-16

310041

Burgess Canadian Vert .................... 8-24-43-4

310044

Burgess Canadian Vert .................... 7-24-43-4

310045

Burgess Canadian Vert .................... 2-24-43-4

309956

Burgess Canadian Vert .................... 1-24-43-4

310034

Burgess Canadian Vert .................... 1-24-43-4

Rig Report 301953 Stampede Drilling............Pemoco Ltd...............3-21-9-33 304939 Betts Drilling............Anova Resources...............9-34-3-2 303782 Betts Drilling.............Anova Resources.............13-12-4-2 304312 Horizon Drilling..............Rok Resources............4-15-2-34 307441 Trinidad Drilling.........Tundra Oil & Gas...............9-31-4-4 307445 Ensign Drilling..............Tundra Oil & Gas............4-32-4-4 307811 Panther Drilling.............Caprice Resources.........8-4-7-14 308887 Horizon Drilling..............Rok Resources.............13-24-2-1 306747 Betts Drilling.............Villanova Energy.................13-7-6-5 308560 Foraco Drilling.............Burgess Canadian............8-24-43-4 274707 Stampede Drilling...........Tundra Oil & Gas............16-7-1-7 235008 John Kmita Whitecap.......Resources ..................6-27-5-13 286431 Stampede Drilling.........Whitecap Resources ......7-10-5-6 296569 Stampede Drilling............Surge Energy ..............6-30-6-2

Saskatchewan residents now have access to newlyrenovated addictions treatment spaces in Estevan, following a $950,000 investment from the federal and provincial governments.

Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser; Social Services Minister and Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) Gene Makowsky; and Mental Health and Addictions Minister Tim McLeod announced the completion of

renovations and opening of the St. Joseph’s Addiction Recovery Centre’s housing units.

The investment was made through the Canada Community Housing Initiative.

Through SHC, the Estevan Housing Authority provided St. Joseph’s Addiction Recovery Centre with a multi-unit apartment building.

This project provides posttreatment housing to 32 individuals who have completed inpatient addiction treatment and require supportive housing for a period of time to maintain

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their recovery and start their next chapter.”

“The Government of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Housing Corporation are proud to support St. Joseph’s Addiction Recovery Centre in the transition of 32 units to support addictions programming in Estevan,” Makowsky said.

“Positive partnerships are essential to effectively meet the needs of the people we serve today and anticipate the needs of the future. We will continue working with our community partners to provide greater access to housing and supports for individuals who need more than a home to stay connected to housing.”

“Saskatchewan residents will now have better access to the care they need to recover from addiction challenges,” McLeod said. “These new posttreatment spaces at St. Joseph’s Addiction Recovery Centre are part of the Government of Saskatchewan’s commitment to adding 150 addiction treatment spaces across the province, a commitment we recently increased to a new target of adding 500 total addiction treatment spaces over the next five years.”

St. Joseph’s was home to an addictions treatment centre for many years until the 1990s.

The program returned to Estevan in the fall of 2020.

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and strengthen the gains made during treatment. Funding for the post-treatment spaces was announced by the province earlier this year as part of a commitment to add 150 addictions spaces.

Through the renovation and repurposing of underutilized housing units, these new spaces will provide housing and connection to services to improve long-term recovery success.

Saskatchewan residents have access to addictions programming and supports from St. Joseph’s Addiction Recovery Centre staff through a partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The spaces are open to residents from across Saskatchewan.

“The federal government is working with partners across the country to provide safe, affordable homes for those who need them the most,” said Fraser. “I am proud that we could support a project which will give 32 people a stable new home where they can continue

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was $100,599, or $128.89 per hectare. This 780.508-hectare lease is located 22 kilometres southwest of Eatonia. Millennium Land Ltd. was the successful bidder.

After five of six public offerings this fiscal year, the province has received $65,464,000 in revenue. At this time last fiscal year, oil and gas public offerings had generated $46,105,597 in revenue.

The next scheduled date for a public offering in Saskatchewan is Feb. 6, 2024.

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were 12 leases and nine licences posted.

The leases generated $213,982 and the licences generated $2,186,058.

Millenium Land (222) Ltd. bid $1,703,835, or $453.92 per hectare, for a 3,753-hectare exploration licence located south of Eatonia. This is the highest bonus bid and highest dollars per hectare received on a parcel in this area.

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Flashback – Dec. 14, 1977

Obituaries Lawrence Anton Zelionka 1926-2023 Lawrence Zelionka, late of Redvers, SK passed away peacefully at the Moosomin General Hospital, Moosomin, SK on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at the age of 97 years.

He was predeceased by his parents, George and Katarina; brothers, Stanley and George; sisters, Reghina and Angelica and daughter Sandra Chandler.

Lawrence is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Dorothy and children - Randy (Glenda) Zelionka, Pamela Zelionka and Holly (Jason) Adamache. He is also survived by his sister Madge McWhirter and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Lawrence’s life was held Friday, December 8, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the Dannevirke Lutheran Church, Redvers, SK with Rev. Michelle Moore presiding. Lunch followed the service in the church basement.

Those wishing to pay tribute to Lawrence via a donation in his name may do so directly to the Moosomin and District Health Care Foundation, Box 1470, Moosomin, SK S0G 3N0.

Lawrence’s family would like to thank each and every one of you for your many acts of kindness and concern at this difficult time. Your friendship will never be forgotten.

Hall Funeral Services in Redvers is assisting Lawrence’s family - Deb Heidinger, Funeral Director.

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Nine youngsters were invested as Beavers prior to a Christmas party for members of Second Estevan Beaver Colony, Salvation Army, at Salvation Army in December 1977. Front row, from left, Brian Hart, B.J. Weinrauch, Trent Whippler and Cory Suski. Back row, John Hart, Jason Krueger, Kelly Nelson, Jason Anderson and Shane Voinorosky.

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The Estevan Fire Rescue Service and the Estevan Police Service participated in a toy drive on Dec. 9 as part of the Miracle on Fourth.

Estevan Fire Rescue Service members responded to a carbon monoxide leak last week.

A residential CO alarm went off in a building at about 11 a.m. on Dec. 4. Crews responded and investigated. They found elevated levels of carbon

monoxide in the structure, so firefighters ventilated it down to safe levels. SaskEnergy was called in to further investigate the cause of the leak.

Earlier the same day, crews were called to a motor vehicle collision on the east side of the city. The Estevan

Police Service was already at the scene, and it was soon determined that the EFRS assistance wasn’t required, so they stood down and returned to the station.

On Dec. 9, firefighters also partook in the Miracle on Fourth in downtown Estevan,

where they were collecting toys for the Estevan Community Hamper Association’s Angel Tree program. This year marked the first time the EFRS moved their Stuff the Truck toy drive location from Canadian Tire to Fourth Street.

Estevan Bears end slump with OT win over the Contacts T h e E s t e v a n G re a t Nor th U18 AAA Bears snapped a six-game losing skid with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Saskatoon Contacts on Sunday after-

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Thomas Ries scored the winner with 3:34 to play in extra time to lift the Bears to the victory.

Each team scored once in the first period, with Jase McNichol potting the Bears’ goal with 2:42 to play in the frame.

Kaden Perron, who returned to the Bears’ lineup during the weekend after missing several weeks, made

26 saves to get the win.

With the victory, Estevan (12-13-3) has now matched their win total from last season. They needed 44 games to make it to 12 victories last season, but only 28 games this year.

The win on Sunday also avenged a 4-1 loss to the Contacts on Saturday. Kobe Wotta had the Bears’ lone goal roughly seven minutes

into the second period. It pulled Estevan to within one, but the Contacts put the game away with two in the third, including an emptynet goal.

Perron made 20 saves for Estevan.

The Bears will visit the defending Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League champions, the Saskatoon Blazers, on Dec. 14.

A12 December 13, 2023

www.SASKTODAY.ca

Don’t drink and drive Don’t text and drive Don’t do drugs and drive

E V I R AR VE ALI

Traffic violations remain on the rise for Estevan The Estevan Police Service saw a slight decrease in call volumes in November, but the overall number of calls remained up for the first 11 months of the year.

The Estevan board of police commissioners gathered to go through the crime statistics for November and discuss other current issues.

The EPS had 489 calls for service in November, a decrease from 513 a year earlier.

For the first 11 months of the year, the agency had 7,421 calls for service, a 21.1 per cent increase from the same period in 2022, when they had 6,123.

"The numbers are fairly consistent with last November.

Year-to-date, calls for service are up from last year but … it's in line with our five-year average. So we're setting up the pre-pandemic levels in terms of calls for service," said Estevan Police Chief Rich Lowen.

The year-to-date, fiveyear average is 7,511, which is 1.2 per cent higher than the total for 2023.

The EPS laid 11 charges under Criminal Code traffic violations in November, up from nine over the same time a year ago. Ten were impaired/ exceed-related offences, and

one was for impairment by drug.

On a year-to-date basis, this type of crime is on the rise the most. The EPS dealt with 143 Criminal Code traffic violations over the first 11 months of this year, which is a 43 per cent increase from 100 over the same period of time in 2022. Leading the way are the impaired/exceed-related offences at 111, followed by 18 impaired by drug charges and 14 dangerous driving and other.

So far this year, the EPS has handled 142 crimes against people, which is a three per

23123PS0 23123PS1

cent increase from 138 last year.

There have been 99 assaults, 31 sexual crimes, 10 assaults causing bodily harm, one attempted murder and one murder.

The attempted murder and murder were a part of November's crimes, along with seven assaults, two assaults causing bodily harm and two sexual crimes, for a total of 13 crimes against people in November 2023. In November 2022, there were 12 crimes against person in Estevan.

The EPS has had 365 crimes against property, an 11 per cent increase from the 329 in 2022. There have been 181 thefts under $5,000, 117 mischief or willful damage calls, 41 residential break and enters, 13 thefts of a vehicle, eight thefts over $5,000, two business break and enters, two arsons and one other break and enter.

November 2023 saw 25 crimes against property, as opposed to 35 a year earlier.

Included in last month's total are 11 thefts under $5,000, six mischief or willful damage calls, four residential break and enters, three thefts of a vehicle and one arson.

No charges were laid under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in November as opposed to three a year earlier.

Twenty-seven charges were laid under the CDSA over the first 11 months of 2023, a four per cent decrease from 28 last year. Included in the total are 14 charges for trafficking and 13 for possession.

• • • The monthly report for Spec. Const. Anna Volmer, who is the city's bylaw enforcement officer, shows that she responded to 101 calls for service in November, with unkempt properties (25), animal calls (23) and parking violations (22) leading the list.

In the first 11 months of the year, she had responded to 1,215 occurrences, led by 247 animal calls, 233 unkempt property inspections, 194 parking violations, 78 snow-removal notices and 256 classified as other bylaw.

For the same period a year ago, she had 1,543 occurrences.

Member at larger Bernadette Wright inquired if anything was being done with the feral cat situation at Estevan trailer parks.

"We're working right now to formulate a plan. It's nice weather right now. Winter, of course, makes it more difficult for us to go out and trap. As we work into spring, that's going to be a focus for bylaw," said EPS Inspector Warren

Morrical.

Chairman and Mayor Roy Ludwig noted that the trap-neuter-release (TNR) program funded by the city and implemented by the Estevan Humane Society continues, but not much was done last summer due to a lack of volunteers to help with it.

"They didn't do a lot last year, but I'm hoping through working together with the inspector and bylaw, we'll have more done," Ludwig said.

"They need volunteers to help them capture the cats," added city clerk Judy Pilloud.

• • • During the inquiries portions of the meeting, the board also discussed the digital speed-detecting signs. Coun.

Rebecca Foord inquired if one that was located on Highway 47 North was reinstalled, and Lowen said it was being fixed and was supposed to be put back up eventually.

He also noted that they are expecting two more speed signs from SGI, which will bring the total to five plus a surreptitious speed spy.

The digital speed signs are placed around the community to show how fast drivers are going. The locations might be changed depending on community requests.

Traffic stop leads to impaired driving investigation Members of the Estevan Police Service have started an impaired driving investigation after a traffic stop on Dec. 9.

An oral fluid device demand was made for a 34-yearold woman. The subsequent result was positive for cannabis.

Police are waiting for the results of blood samples. Her vehicle was seized and she was issued a 72-hour driving suspension.

Numerous other traffic stops were conducted and 11

tests were administered on approved screening devices. All drivers tested were sober.

In other recent police news, police received a report of a scam on Dec. 6 in which the complainant stated he was asked to deposit money into a bitcoin account and, in return, would have been able to invest the money earned.

Members received a report Dec. 8 of thefts from vehicles in the Centennial area. There was

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also a report of an individual spotted in the area during the early morning hours.The matter is still under investigation.

Police received a report of an individual operating their personal vehicle as a taxi, which is contrary to the bylaw. The matter is still under investigation.

Officers received a driving complaint regarding a black Dodge pickup truck being operated erratically near the intersection of Fourth Street and Sixth Avenue. Police were unable to locate the vehicle and the matter is still under investigation.

Members conducted a curfew check and noted the person was not home as per the conditions of a probation order.

Charges are now pending.

Police received a report of a disturbance in the Royal Heights area on Dec. 10. Officers attended and arrested a 29-year-old Estevan woman for breaching her release conditions and mischief to property. She was lodged in cells to be taken before the court the following morning.

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Tour brings top young junior curlers to Estevan The Power Dodge Curling Centre in Estevan played host to some talented young curlers on the weekend during CurlSask U18 and U15 bonspiels.

Nine teams were entered in the U18 division and six were in the U15 age group.

The U18s utilized a tripleknockout bracket, with six teams advancing to the playoffs. In the final, the Brandon Weiss rink defeated Dayne Heisler’s team 7-2 in seven ends, thanks in part to a score of three in the seventh end.

Competing out of Estevan was Team Fradette, comprised of skip Heidi Fradette, third Kalli Johnson, second Amy Fradette and leads April McMillen and Olivia Fonstad, who alternated playing the lead role. They opened with a 9-4 victory over Team Okraincee, thanks to a score of three in the sixth and a steal of two in the seventh to take over a 4-4 game.

A 6-4 loss to the Grace

Wickenheiser rink, in which Wickenheiser scored four in the fourth end, knocked Fradette down to the B event.

Fradette then lost 7-1 to the Heisler rink in six ends, with Heisler scoring five unanswered points in the final three frames.

The Fradette rink recovered to defeat the Bjornson rink 10-2, thanks in large part to a steal of five in the first end and two more in the second, to advance to the playoffs through the C event. Seeded fifth, they played fourthranked Team Simpson, and lost 8-6 in an extra end.

Fradette scored four in the second to take a 4-1 lead, but Simpson had three in the third. Fradette had a 5-4 lead through six ends, but Simpson scored two in seven to take a lead. Fradette put up one in the eighth to force the extra end, where Simpson notched the two-point score.

The U15 curlers played triples, a relatively-new varia-

tion of the sport from Curl Canada to encourage more participation from youths.

Teams are comprised of three players instead of four, and each curler throws two rocks in an end.

It also features a different scoring system. Instead of awarding points for each end, they play three sets of two ends each. A team is awarded points if they win a set, and the third set is worth more than the first two.

The six teams in the U15 event were split into two pools of three for a round robin. Estevan was represented

by NAD, comprised of Natalie Currie, Alice Mowchenko and Daane Schlamp. They went 0-2 in the round robin.

Then they played DLC, the third-place team in the other pool, and lost that one.

HND won gold over the 3 Stooges in the gold-medal game.

Scores were not tracked in the U15 division.

April McMillen, left, and Amy Fradette, right, were the sweepers for Heidi Fradette’s shot.

Estevan Bruins win back-to-back games in Nipawin The Estevan Bruins had another strong showing in their latest jaunt through northeast Saskatchewan.

Following a 4-0 defeat at the Melfort Mustangs on Wednesday night, the Black and Gold won two straight games against the Nipawin Hawks, taking a 4-2 decision Friday night and a 4-3 shootout victory on Saturday.

“I thought we played really well [in Nipawin], we outshot the opposition both games and I thought we were the better team in both of them,” said head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic.

After a scoreless first period in Wednesday’s game, Zac Somers and David Coyle scored less than four minutes apart in the second period to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.

It remained a two-goal contest until the Mustangs had goals

by Logan Belton and Wyatt Day in the second half of the third. Day’s goal was into an empty net.

“That was a game that we had a long chat about,” said Tatarnic. “So, we talked about having that compete level higher in each shift. It should have served as a good lesson for us on how hard you have to compete each game.”

Cam Hrdlicka made 20 saves for the Bruins in the loss.

Kristian Coombs stopped all 27 shots he faced for Melfort.

In Friday night’s victory in Nipawin, Zachery Burns scored twice for the Bruins, including the game-winning goal with 4:12 to play in the second.

The game was tied at 2-2 after the first period, with Burns

and Tristan Dussault scoring for Estevan. Braeden Jockims and Finley Radloff tallied for the Hawks.

After Burns’ goal in the second, it remained a 3-2 game until Owen Barrow scored into an empty net with 22 seconds to play to clinch Estevan’s win.

Estevan outshot Nipawin 42-27, with Jackson Miller stopping 25 shots for Estevan and Damon Cunningham making 38 saves for Nipawin.

Nipawin had a 3-1 lead entering the third period of Saturday’s game but Barrow scored twice, including the tying goal with 4:53 to play in the third, to send the game to overtime.

Felix Allard had the Bruins’ other goal. Landon Pappas, Maguire Ratzlaff and Braxton Buckberger scored for Nipawin.

After overtime settled

nothing, Ilia Chmelevski scored in the shootout for Estevan.

Hrdlicka started and stopped five of seven shots he faced. Eric Kahl came in and made five saves in his Bruin debut, and then Hrdlicka returned at the start of the second, stopping 22 of 23 shots the rest of the way and stymying three Hawks in the shootout.

Cunningham made 44 saves for Nipawin. He has faced at least 40 shots in all three games against Estevan this season.

Tatarnic said he had a message for the team after the second period.

“I said ‘How good is the bus ride going to feel when we win this game in the third period?’ I thought we had a ton of chances in the second. We hit posts. We missed empty nets,

and our guys kept pressuring and going at them. We did have to kill a lot of penalties.”

But he wasn’t on the bench for the third goal or for extra time. Tatarnic was assessed a gross misconduct for his response to a hit by a Nipawin player that he thought was “pretty bad” and left a Bruin player in distress. The play continued and Tatarnic said he “threw a marker on the ice” to get the referees’ attention.

Tatarnic said he expected to be suspended for a few games. The league announced Sunday night that Tatarnic was suspended indefinitely, pending an investigation by the league and Hockey Saskatchewan, and he has since been banished for two games.

Estevan (12-12-0-2) will

close out the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule by hosting the Yorkton Terriers on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m., and playing the Notre Dame Hounds on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. at Midale’s Harry O Memorial Arena.

The club also swung a couple of trades on Sunday prior to the national Junior A trade freeze that now runs until Jan. 1.

They acquired 2004-born forward Cade Kennedy from the Yorkton Terriers for forward Carter Dereniwksy and a player development fee. Dereniwksy is currently playing for the Western Hockey League’s Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The y also acquired 18-year-old defenceman Jules Delepoulle from the Grand Falls Rapids of the Maritime Hockey League for a player development fee.

ECS hosts two basketball tournaments The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs senior and junior girls’ basketball teams hosted their inaugural Holiday Classic at the school’s gymnasium. Four teams participated in a round robin in each age group.

In the senior division, ECS defeated Assiniboia Composite High School 61-50 on Friday and lost 80-68 to Indian Head School on Saturday. McNaughton High School in Moosomin was scheduled to compete but had to withdraw due to the weather.

Coach Jessie Smoliak said that in the opener, the Elecs made the right shots and drove to the hoop, but they struggled to score. The Elecs still did enough to win. Megan Porter scored 20 points, while Jordyn Tarnes had eight points and eight rebounds despite not playing a full game due to injury.

Against Indian Head, the Elecs were down by one at the

The ECS senior girls' basketball co-hosted the Holiday Classic tournament on the weekend. Photo by Jessie Smoliak half. Smoliak noted the Elecs were undersized compared to their opponents and had trouble rebounding inside the key.

Sadie Aspinall had 18 points, while Elli Wiebe had six points and eight rebounds.

Smoliak said she decided to add a tournament in December because she didn’t be-

lieve the senior girls’ team had enough home games in its beautiful gym.

“My team is still young and not used to playing in front of hometown fans. This added tournament will hopefully be helpful with the McLeod Series in February,” said Smoliak.

The Elecs have 12 players

back from last year, but just one Grade 12 and three Grade 11s.

Smoliak is pleased with their improvements. Injuries have been their downfall, she said, as two of her post players were sidelined before the season started and two more went down during tryouts. Players are getting the chance to play

different positions.

The junior girls, meanwhile, went 2-1 during the weekend, beating Prince Albert Carlton 48-38 and Moose Jaw Peacock 50-39, but losing 7545 to Indian Head.

Coach Caitlin Obrigewitsch said the team, which has six members, came to play.

She noted that ECS had a three-point lead in the first quarter against Carlton and built their advantage from there. Jane Contillo was named MVP of the game with eight points and the most rebounds.

Katie Sauder and Sydney Ross led the Elecs with 13 points a piece.

In the second game, Obrigewitsch said Kass Walington worked hard on defence to hold one of Moose Jaw’s top scores to only three points, while Sauder had some great takeaways.

The game against Indian

Head was a battle of speed and stamina, Obrigewitsch said, as Estevan was down only four after the first quarter. But Indian Head’s full-court press was too much for the Elecs, allowing Indian Head to pull away.

The tournament was a fundraiser for the Estevan Salvation Army’s food bank. The school collected $400 in donations while filling a barrel with non-perishable food items.

“I am so proud of my team for the efforts and giving back during the holiday season,” Smoliak said.

A14 December 13, 2023

www.SASKTODAY.ca

Musicians showcase talent and inject Christmas spirit Local musicians provided plenty of Christmas cheer on Sunday night during the Rotary Club of Estevan's 69th annual Christmas Carol Festival at St. Paul's United Church.

The event featured a variety of music, ranging from well-known and beloved songs to obscure selections.

The musicians sang and played instruments for the crowd that packed the church's sanctuary.

After a prelude of Christmas music by Danielle Evenson and Allison Holzer, the program began with members of the Northwest and Southeast Chorus singing selections from their recent 51st annual Celebration of Christmas Music concert.

Kirkman Rennalls impressed with a piano solo, Music for Young Children performed a couple of

carols, Sofie Morrow and Hudson Hozjan delivered a piano duet, and the Spruce Ridge School choir played a couple of selections. Then the audience had their chance to sing a few songs.

Diana Rokn played a piano solo, Laurie Fornwald and Emily Gillies each had vocal solos, the Estevan Comprehensive School's choir performed, and local praise band The Way – comprised of Cheri Haberstock, and Cindy and Kevin Guillemin – played a few selections.

The program wrapped up with additional carol singing, with the Rotarians joining in to sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

Admission was by donation.

Proceeds from the event will be directed to the Estevan Salvation Army.

Kirkman Rennalls played Christmas music on the piano during the Rotary Carol Festival.

Photo by David Willberg

Festival of Trees raised $150,000 for the hospital The St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation has announced the total raised through the Festival

of Trees weekend in November.

This year, with the support of the community, the founda-

Public Notice Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5 Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5, intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 known as the Planning and Development Fee Bylaw.

Intent: The proposed Planning and Development Fee Bylaw will provide for the following changes to the R.M.’s planning application fees: • Increase of fees for development permit applications for permitted and discretionary uses.

• Implementation of fees for planning applications for textual and map amendments to the R.M. of Estevan Official Community Plan or Zoning Bylaw or application for a minor variance.

• Implementation of fees for development appeals.

Implementation of the proposed fees will be on the date of the Third Reading of the proposed bylaw.

The Planning and Development Act, 2007 enables planning application fees to be charged for the review, advertising, approval, enforcement and issuance of development permits, minor variances, and textual and map amendments to the municipality’s bylaws. The fees are not to exceed the cost to the municipality of processing and advertising the application and of administering and regulating the development.

Affected Land: The affected lands are all lands located within the R.M. of Estevan.

Public Inspection: Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw at the R.M. of Estevan Municipal Office at #1, 322 – 4th Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

tion was able to attract over $150,000 for the needs of the local hospital.

Foundation executive director Lori Gervais said "These funds will make a huge difference at our hospital," and thanked everyone who supported their effort in any way.

"How overwhelming and amazing are the community, all our sponsors and donors. We couldn't do what we do without everyone's help, especially our volunteers – the volunteers who show up are quite fantastic – and the community. So again, thank you to everyone," Gervais said.

This year's total is down from last year's $173,000, but Gervais noted that the participation was down a bit as well, which means that so were the expenses.

"The silent auction, the

Public Hearing: Council will hold a public hearing at 11:00 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 in the Council Chambers of the R.M. of Estevan No. 5, #1, 322 4th Street Estevan, Saskatchewan to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the municipal office before the hearing.

Dated at Estevan, Saskatchewan this 6th day of December, 2023.

Michelle Dickie, Administrator/CAO

live auction, people are always generous and things sold at fantastic numbers. So even though there were fewer people, there was still lots of money spent, which is always fantastic," Gervais said.

She noted that it seemed that all the various options people had to support the hospital through the gala were popular with the crowd.

"This year, things did sell very well. … The handmade things are always good. Dennis Gonas' rocking horse is something that is so beautiful that you know people are going to be interested in it. And my husband [Tim Gervais] has been making things for [the festival], he gets pretty creative, and people are interested in stuff like that," Gervais said.

"And the big-ticket items and anything that we can have donated, that's not costing us money, is fantastic, especially when it comes to smokers and barbecues and black stones and recliners, Brand Source gave us an awesome recliner.

The big stuff is great to have donated, it helps my bottom line for sure."

Every year, St. Joseph's

Hundreds of people supported the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation's Festival of Trees fundraiser.

Photo sourced from the Festival of Trees Estevan Facebook page Hospital comes with equipment requests, organized by what's most needed. The foundation takes that list of the most important upgrades to its board, which decides on where the money gets spent.

"As of right now, Festival of Trees goes into the pot of whatever is most needed.

And that will continue to be the equipment in the

hospital," Gervais said. "But as most of you know, we're probably going to be moving towards doing some fundraising for an MRI machine as well … Our general donations are available for whatever is the most needed, and if the MRI is what's most needed at that time, then definitely we will contribute towards that."

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