February 23, 2023 Digital Issue

Winter Fun Fest Provides Family Day Fun

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The City of Martensville hosted the Trail Appliances Winter FunFest on Monday, February 20th to help celebrate Family Day. This annual event took place from 1pm-5pm at the North Ridge Community Centre and offered a wide variety of activities for everyone to enjoy including indoor hockey, a bounce-house, library activities, skating, sleigh rides, ice carving, a fire pit and hot dog roast, snowshoeing, schlocky, soap carving and more.

All outdoor activities, other than the Mini Chippers ice carving with Fire & Ice Creations, were free of charge, with ice carving and the indoor activities for $5/person or $15/family.

“Thank you to our event sponsors Trail Appliances, SaskTel, Lakeview Insurance Brokers and to Forged Fitness who were onsite selling hot chocolate and hotdogs for those in attendance,” Jamie McCulloch, City of Martensville Recreation Program Coordinator, said.

“Also, thank you to everyone that came out to take part in Winter FunFest. It was a great day and was well-attended. We really appreciate everyone that came out to help with the event, including the Martensville Minor Basketball Association,” McCulloch added.

BELOW: The trails are ready to go for anyone taking part in the Winter Ski-tacular, which will be available until February 24th. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

Winter Ski-tacular Available Until February 24

The City of Martensville is offering the Affinity Credit Union Winter Ski-tacular for residents to enjoy from February 20-24. This consists of a 1km crosscountry ski course complete with obstacles to go over, under and through.

Call (306) 683-5576 ext. 0 to reserve skis and snowshoes for you and your family so you can take part in this fun-filled opportunity. There are morning and afternoon time slots available, with youth cross country skis and boots, as well as adult/youth snowshoes available for rent.

“Thank you to our amazing title sponsor Affinity Credit Union and our Gold Sponsor SaskEnergy and to Venture Heights School for allowing us to borrow their outdoor program equipment,” Jamie McCulloch, City of Martensville Recreation Program Coordinator, stated.

Your City; Your Newspaper

Box 333, Martensville, SK S0K 2T0 Phone: 306-668-1093

advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca

Deadline for submissions is MONDAY at NOON.

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Published Thursdays • 48 issues/year

Editor/Office Manager: Shanine Sealey ssealey@martensvillemessenger.ca

Editor/Ad Design: Jocelyn Ottenbreit jottenbreit@martensvillemessenger.ca

To Contact Us About Advertising: advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca

Want to Share News?: news@martensvillemessenger.ca

ABOVE: The sleigh rides are always a big hit during Winter FunFest. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

BELOW: Schlocky was a popular option during Winter FunFest. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: Fire & Ice Creations was invited to Winter FunFest to once again offer Mini Chippers Ice Carving to those attending the event. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

Snow Removal this Winter – What You Need to Know

The Snow removal program aims to reduce hazards in the community, ensure roadways for emergency vehicles, and provide access to goods and services in the community.

Our crews strive to deliver excellent service, however sometimes weather can be unpredictable, and snow and ice control activities may vary. Every reasonable effort will be made to promptly remove snow and ice and create safe driving and walking conditions. There are ways you can help to ensure to keep streets clear and safe

- Do not shovel, blow, or push snow from private property onto the street – this causes snow ridges on your driveway when our plow cleans our street.

- Do not plow or pile snow on streets or hydrants – this can block access to manholes, water valves, and access to water in case of emergencies.

- Clear your driveways in advance of the city’s snow clearing operations - this helps our operators clear your street more efficiently as well as more clearly see driveways to avoid ridging.

Do not park your vehicle in an area where it could obstruct snow removal procedures - this hinders our operations and could result in a snow ridge blocking your vehicle in place.

- Do not leave large piles of snow at the corners of driveways – this snow can be caught by a raised snow-gate blade and topple over into your driveway or the street.

-Prevent snow from piling up on the front of your driveway by moving it near your tree/lawn areas behind your walkway.

Watch for posted areas for Snow Removal - In case of snow and snow removal, crews need to have roads cleared of all vehicles on posted streets. If you are going out of the City over the holidays, please have your vehicles off City streets. Vehicles left on the street per the traffic bylaw are ticketed and towed (to a non-posted area).

Stay Clear of Sanding Trucks - Crews apply a mixture of salt and sand on our streets and intersections to ensure safer driving conditions. If you are near or behind the sanding truck you are reminded to stay back 15m to allow the truck to disperse materials and to prevent materials from potentially hitting your vehicle.

Information on general program procedures and the City’s Priority Map is available online at Martensville.ca.

POLICE BEAT

Weekly Update for the Warman/ Martensville RCMP Detachment

The Warman RCMP weekly report does not only include statistics specific to Warman. It does encompass the entire area service including Martensville, Delisle, Radisson, and surrounding Rural Municipalities. Warman is the hub for all of these outlying areas.

The weekly report is intended to give the public a glimpse of what the RCMP Officers are doing during the week and what sorts of calls they regularly deal with.

For the period of Sunday February 12th to Sunday February 19th, the Warman cluster of Detachments responded to 123 calls for service. Those calls for service included:

• 3 False 911 Calls - False alarms consume a great deal of Police time and resources. Police attend to the majority of residential and commercial alarms and the vast majority are false. Ensure you are familiar with your alarm system and should it accidentally be set off, reach out to your provider to cancel it.

• 1 Fraud

• 2 Break and Enters - Both B&E’s occurred in the rural areas of the Detachment. In one situation a RV business was broken into with the suspect vehicle being described as a smaller silver car. The other break in was to an old barn, quonset, and abandoned house. Both are still under investigation.

• 3 Mental Health Acts

• 7 Motor Vehicle Collisions

• 10 Suspicious People Calls

• 2 Missing Persons Investigations

• 3 Thefts - Two files involved packages being dropped off on front steps and when the owner came home package was missing. Packages left unattended on a front step are sometimes a very inviting target for what is commonly referred to as “porch pirates”. The RCMP encourage the public to use an alternate drop off location if you are not going to be home for several hours.

On February 19th at approximately 7pm, a business on the 900 block of Centennial Blvd called RCMP and advised of two suspects who had attempted to steal a product. The suspects were confronted by staff and the suspects gave the product back and fled on foot. Investigation is continuing.

• Numerous traffic related complaints.

In Case of a Water Line Freeze Up

In the past, there have been areas in the community prone to water line freeze-ups.

If you experience a waterline freeze‐up or any other interruption in service, please call (306) 931‐2166 to report your issue. If this happens outside of regular business hours, please follow the prompts to be transferred to the emergency after‐hours contact.

Thank you for your co‐operation!

March Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in-person, guests may wear a mask if desired within Council Chambers. Those still wishing to attend but would wish to do so virtually should contact the City Clerk or visit the online agenda for the link to attend.

Regular Council Meeting - March 7th

Committee of the Whole - March 14th

Regular Council Meeting – March 21st

The Regular Council Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers in Martensville City Hall at 37 Centennial Dr. S All meetings commence at 5 PM.

Those wishing to address or do a presentation to Council must be placed on the agenda. To be placed on the agenda please contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall or visit the website for details. The full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca.

Licensing Our Pets, Annual Renewals

By licensing your pet, your pet can be identified in the event it escapes or ends up ‘at large’. Our Bylaw officials and partners will be able to quickly identify the pet and contact the owner. License fees also help fund the housing cost of pets and animals that have been found ‘at large’.

Pet licenses must be purchased and renewed annually unless a lifetime license has been purchased.

Annual licenses expire Dec 31st and must be renewed by March 1st.

Annual license cost $20 per year

Lifetime licenses cost $30 (pet must be microchipped)

Licenses are sold at the following outlets: City Hall

Affinity Animal Hospital

Furrific Grooming & Boutique Paws Republic

The Martensville Business Expo is Coming March 24th & 25th

Connect with the businesses and organizations in our community and learn more about products, services and opportunities in the community.

There will be delicious food, great drinks, interactive booths, sales and local entertainment all Expo long! Friday will feature a job fair and career sessions to assist and connect job seekers with local employers.

There will be a pancake breakfast on Saturday from 8-10 AM and it is by donation!

Admission to the Expo is $2. Watch for updates in the coming weeks on the weekend’s activities.

To register your business for a booth contact the Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce.

BELOW: The Martensville High School Junior Basketball team played their whole season with only one loss and this incredible teamwork earned them the gold medal in their championship game against Clavet in a close match with a final score of 48-43. (Submitted)

SPORTS

Local Players Attend Sask First Male Under-15 Top 80 Tournament

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Three local hockey players; Easton Woytiuk, Cohen Klassen, and Broden Wotherspoon travelled to Balgonie, SK this past weekend to compete in the Sask First Male U15 Top 80 Tournament that took place from February 17-19. Klassen and Wotherspoon were on Team 3 (gold) and Woytiuk was on Team 4 (red), with the red team winning the B Final against the gold team.

Newly Created Synchro Skate Teams Prepare for March Competition

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

This year, Skate Martensville added two synchro teams to the club, with Coaches Danny James and Nicole Gryba, who were both previously synchro skaters themselves, having always dreamed of having this option available in the local club.

“When skaters and parents were asked if they were interested in synchronized skating, our Club was surprised by their enthusiasm to form both a STAR and Adult team,” Coach Nicole Gryba said.

The STAR Synchro team will be competing at the STAR 4 Level, and currently consists of 11 skaters, ranging from 9-15 years old and is coached by Danny James on Thursdays.

The Adult Synchro team consists of 13 adults ranging in age from 18-45 and is coached by Nicole Gryba during Adult Skate time on Fridays.

The two Martensville teams will be competing in the Living Skies SynchroSkate Invitational in Regina from March 11-12. The competition consists of synchronized skating teams of all ages and experience from across the province, with teams consisting of as few as six skaters, to as many as 20, depending on the category.

“Teams in the STAR 3 & 4 categories are assessed to a national standard set by Skate Canada. Teams in the Juvenile category, up to Adult are given a CPC (Cumulative Points Calculation) score and ranked in order of placement,” Gryba explained.

The Martensville Skate STAR Sychro team will be skating to “The Greatest Show” from the movie ‘the Greatest Showman, and the Adult Synchro team will be skating to a mixed rendition of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” at the Adult SYS Class I Level.

“The skaters and the coaches are very excited to enter into the world of synchronized skating with our very first competition in March. Our club is optimistic that with the success of these teams, we can continue both synchro programs again next season,” Gryba stated.

Recently, the local skating club had Holly Inverarity, a skating coach from the Outlook Skating Club who is a local expert in synchronized skating, out to help prepare the teams for their upcoming competition, as Gryba explained that synchronized skating is a very technical sport with rules constantly changing as the sport evolves.

“Being that it is our club’s first year competing in this new discipline, our club invited Holly out to a couple practices to share her knowledge of the synchro world with our skaters and to help fine tune the teams’ elements and choreography so that our skaters and coaches could go into competition with a greater understanding of today’s expectations and technical requirements.”

LEFT: Coach Holly Inverarity visited the Martensville rink to work with the synchro teams to help prepare them for their first competition in March.

(Skate Martensville)

The tournament, which takes place each year offers an opportunity for players from across the province to showcase their skills and compete against the best of the best, with scouts from various leagues in attendance, including the WHL, who were scouting players for the 223 WHL Prospects Draft. Players that competed in the tournament first participated in evaluations during the Sask First Under-15 Top 160 that was held in December, where they were narrowed down to a pool of 80 players. The top 80 players were divided into four teams and competed in a round-robin competition, with finals taking place on Sunday morning.

Following the tournament, the top 25-32 players will be chosen to attend Summer and Fall camps before the final 20 athletes will be selected to represent Saskatchewan at the 2023 WHL Cup.

Send-Off Event Held For Local Curlers Heading to Canada

Winter Games

A send-off event was held on Wednesday, February 15th at the Martensville Curling Club for Melissa Remeshylo and Dylan Derksen who will be heading to Prince Edward Island from February 28th to March 4th as the first-ever Mixed Doubles team to represent Saskatchewan.

Good luck to our local team in their upcoming competition!

ABOVE: Melissa Remeshylo and Dylan Derksen will be representing Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. (Martensville Curling Club)

Building Infrastructure & Managing Rising Costs: Council Approves 2023 Budget

Martensville City Council formally approved the 2023 Operating and Capital Budgets at the February 21st, 2023, Regular Council Meeting. Over the past number of months, City Council has reviewed and deliberated over the budget with efforts to maintain current service levels a top priority, while managing rising costs.

The City has budgeted for a 3% increase in total property tax revenue. The average homeowner in Martensville with an assessed value of $335,000 will see an estimated increase to their municipal property taxes of $5.75 per month. Increases in property taxes are attributed to several factors for 2023 including a significant increase in the cost of contracted services with the RCMP and the overall rising costs of goods and services.

The City also continues to work towards the new multipurpose recreation facility as committed in 2020. Construction is underway and will be funded through allocated reserves, long-term borrowing, fundraising and the Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the grant approved by the Federal and Provincial governments in 2022. In 2023, the City will invest just over $33 million in capital projects including: $25 million for the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre, $5.1 million in water and wastewater upgrades through the New Build Canada Fund; $1 million on roadway upgrades and maintenance; and $800,000 on upgrades and improvements in parks, sports fields, and playgrounds. The City has also allocated funds towards a study evaluating the development of a future temporary pedestrian overpass with the Ministry of Highways to the west side of Highway 12.

“This year's budget was very much a challenge,” says Mayor Kent Muench. “On one side it provided some great opportunities, specifically around the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre and the progression of the water and wastewater project with the City of Saskatoon. On the other hand, we are seeing the challenges around rising costs of goods and servicing such as policing. We still aim to maintain and even increase service levels while keeping increases at or below 3% over the last 4 consecutive budgets."

For more information on the 2023 Capital and Operating Budgets, along with departmental highlights, visit our website at: https://www.martensville.ca/pages/ budgets__finances.html

How is Martensville Funded?

The City of Martensville collects most of its revenue through Property Taxes as shown below, however other revenue streams also help fund the infrastructure, programs, and services offered in the City.

Another significant source of revenue is Government Grant funding at 24.01%. These grants are used for a variety of capital projects in the City, as well as general operations as allowed. Revenues from Fees & Services comprise 17.92% of the City’s revenue stream. Examples include things like recreation programming user fees, the garbage & recycling program fees, facility rental fees and many others.

The City continues to look for alternative funding opportunities to ensure that we can maintain and grow all that the City of Martensville offers.

Note that we do not include the City’s Water & Sewer Utility Department here as this department only funds the Water & Sewer infrastructure and operations.

Local Taxi Service Offers

Flat-Rate Options for Rides and Deliveries

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Meister’s Taxi and Delivery recently obtained a business and taxi license from the City of Martensville so owner/operator Kyle Lesmeister can begin offering services to the community.

Lesmeister has been a resident of Warman for the past three years, along with his partner and four-year-old boy named Mateo. He began operating Meister’s Taxi and Delivery in January of this year; however, had prior driving experience with a company that he had previously worked for as Area Manager.

“I originally wanted to do this service as it was much needed for our area. I’ve experienced now having access to anything other than sometimes Uber will drop you off, but will not come out here, so I try to offer every kind of service to help out the community,” Lesmeister, who has a Class 3A license, explained.

Meister’s Taxi and Delivery offers a variety of flat-rate options for delivery and transportation, and Lesmeister noted that he has a clean criminal record check and $5 million in extra liability insurance for the company. They are available 24/7 however, to guarantee a pick-up, customers are required to pre-book by either calling and booking ahead, or booking and prepaying online.

“Most recently I have taken a guest of a hotel to RUH to get medical care, picked up a young fella from school to take him to his tutor after class, drive a new to Canada resident to pick up her new vehicle in Regina and make sure it was a good car and I pick up a client from a town nearby and bring them to Warman Physiotherapy a few times a week. There are many reasons this service was needed. Going to a concert in the city? Hockey game? Wedding? Appointments? Some sort of delivery or pick-up?

I’ll do it,” Lesmeister said, adding that airport drop-offs are a common request for his clients.

For more information, to view the flat-rate fees, or to book a service, visit meisterstaxi.square.site.

“We are still relatively new and are currently working on a second vehicle because sometimes when it gets busy, we can’t be everywhere at once. We look forward to growing with the community and surrounding area,” Lesmeister stated.

Further for 2023 we have not included the construction of the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre in this chart as it has separate and specific funding through allocated reserves, long-term borrowing, fundraising and the Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the grant approved by the Federal and Provincial governments in 2022.

Your 2023 Tax Dollar

Have you ever wondered how each tax dollar is spent? The image to the right shows the 2023 City of Martensville Budget broken down into different functions in the City.

Each dollar spent is put into essential infrastructure and service needs for the residents and businesses in Martensville. For more detailed information on the 2023 approved spending, please refer to the 2023 Budget Highlights by Department.

Note that this image does not include the Water & Sewer Utility Department as this is operated as a fee for service department and is not funded by general property taxation.

Further for 2023 we have not included the construction of the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre in this chart as it has separate and specific funding through allocated reserves, long-term borrowing, fundraising and the Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the grant approved by the Federal and Provincial governments in 2022.

General Government

Department Updates

• The City has included an increase to total property tax revenue of 3% in the budget.

Water & Sewer

• The $75.00 base tax levy will continue for 2023 to fund a reserve for future wastewater treatment.

• There are no increases to flat fees or water consumption rates planned for 2023.

• The New Building Canada Fund project for Wastewater Treatment and Water Distribution will continue to move ahead in 2023 with the next phases of the project to begin. Under the New Building Canada Fund, approved projects are funded one-third by the Government of Canada, one-third through the Provincial Government and the final one-third at the municipal level. The funding will allow the City to upgrade its existing lagoon, build a new pipeline to connect to the City of Saskatoon’s sanitary sewer system, and upgrade existing sewage lift stations. In addition, upgrades to the water supply reservoir and pumping stations and a new water main will connect to Saskatoon’s drinking water supply system. It is estimated that the project should be completed in 2025.

• The City will be purchasing a valve/curbstop maintenance trailer in 2023. The trailer is specifically designed for use in water valve maintenance. It is a self-contained combination of a small hydro-vac system to clean out debris from the valves, a hydraulic valve turning machine, and a data logging system. The system allows for difficult valves to be exercised while reducing the chances of damaging the valves. This trailer also makes the job of exercising valves less physically demanding on our operators, reducing the risks of injuries.

Emergency & Protective Services

RCMP

• The RCMP detachment will remain at the current staffing level for 2023. This is the equivalent of 8 full time members.

• A collective agreement for the RCMP was finalized in 2021 and approximately five years of retro pay are expected to be billed in 2023 from the Federal Government, along with a significant annual increase for 2023. The City will fund the one-time retro pay amounts through reserves.

Fire Department

• The City will pursue SGI grant funding to invest in Transportation Rescue Extrication (TREX) tools. This equipment and training ensure that firefighters have the skills and tools needed for safer and more efficient response to motor vehicle collisions.

Infrastructure & Planning

Land Development & Land Use Planning

• Numerous projects are planned for 2023 including the completion of the Southeast Sector Plan, aligning the City’s OCP with the new P4G District OCP, a full zoning bylaw update and the 2040 Growth Plan update.

• The City continues to support and participate in the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G) and work with partners to advance plans for land use, transportation, and servicing in the region.

Road Rehabilitation and Maintenance

• As per the Pavement Assessment and Pavement Management Plan approved in 2017, Council has committed $1,000,000 to roadways in 2023. This is possible due to accessing $596,000 of the City’s Canada Community Building Funding (formerly the Gas Tax Program) to prioritize our roadways and align with Council’s priorities that infrastructure is maintained and at optimum service levels.

The design and first phase of construction of an equipment shelter at the Public Works Shop will begin.

• The City will add LED stop signs at the intersection of Main Street and 8th Avenue.

• The City has also allocated funds towards a study evaluating the development of a future temporary pedestrian overpass with the Ministry of Highways to the west side of Highway 12.

Recreation & Community Services

• The City will continue to invest in the construction of the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre, with construction already underway. We have engaged aodbt and Wright Construction to design/plan and build the facility. This new facility is funded through allocated reserves, long-term borrowing, fundraising and the Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the grant approved by the Federal and Provincial governments in 2022.

• Significant rehabilitation work will continue on the City’s pathways network.

• Through a partnership with the Martensville Lions Club, the Lions Playground will be upgraded.

Land Prices Shaping, Rural Sask., Farmers

Grandpa could never have imagined that Saskatchewan farmland, or the crops it produced, would be worth so much. There again, grandpa probably could have never imagined how big farmers would become or how farmers would ever be able to afford to farm at these prices, and he certainly couldn’t have imagined how all this would change the face of rural Saskatchewan as towns, villages and even neighbours become further apart.

There have certainly been some social negatives associated with farms becoming bigger and costly. It’s tougher to get kids to school or hockey practice and as towns and villages shrink and disappear, you are much further from a doctor or an RCMP officer than you’ve ever been, but as former University of Regina professor and now University of Dalhousie Agri-Food Sylvain Charlebois noted in a recent article, it’s not been all a bad thing.

“Yes, farmland in Canada is getting more expensive, but farmers in Canada are also making more money,” Charlebois said, noting both record farm cash receipts and record exports. In the past 20 years, there have been “fewer barriers, including the end of the Wheat Board’s single desk on wheat and barley, that have brought a slew of new possibilities for the farming community,” Charlebois wrote.

We sometimes forget the decades of heartbreak that accompanied farm foreclosures and farm selloffs; although who now owns farms and what they are like is an issue worth exploring.

The food professor noted farmland value in Canada has increased 334 per cent since 2001 and 213 per cent since 2016. In Saskatchewan, it’s been even more dramatic, a 391-per-cent increase since 2001 and a 259-per-cent increase since 2016, but as land costs have soared, so has what we produce on them. When it comes to world production, this province now accounts for 51 per cent of the lentils, 36 per cent of the field peas, 27 per cent of the canola meal, 19 per cent of the canola and mustard seed and 16 per cent of the flax.

It's hard to argue that’s a bad thing in an overpopulated and hungry world and it’s surely not a bad thing for a provincial economy that has had to rely on the ups and downs of oil, gas and mining, but what it has undoubtedly done is change the nature of rural Saskatchewan and perhaps the nature of those who farm it.

In 1941 the number of Saskatchewan farms peaked at 138,713 in 1941. By 2016, that number had decreased by 82 per cent to 24,523.

We all know what this has done to schools, hospitals, businesses and, ultimately, villages and towns throughout rural Saskatchewan. Notwithstanding, better roads have made it easier to get farther much faster, people are further apart than they ever have been. Yet in another way, the farming community may be more like-minded than ever.

Long gone is the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and the Canadian Wheat Board that solidified the co-operative movement. In its place has developed more of a single mindset among today’s famers. They surely all aren’t all corporate farms. Many are still family-run operations, albeit, rather large ones, but what has developed is a relatively uniform class of entrepreneurial farmer that’s not only survived the downturns in industry but also today’s more recent inflationary land prices.

They are businessmen and, as such, likely more uniformly conservative than they have ever been. This should not be seen as a negative. Most are still part of the local communities that make rural Saskatchewan so special, but what is rather undeniable is that rural Saskatchewan community is becoming different from what it used to be and it seems rather obvious that the biggest thing shaping this is big farming driven by land prices.

MLA Terry Jenson’s Report from the Legislature

Strengthening Communities by Supporting Infrastructure Projects The Government of Saskatchewan is investing in strengthening our communities to support infrastructure projects throughout the province. By working together with municipal levels of government to fund projects that fit local needs, we help strengthen communities and improve the quality of life for people in Saskatchewan’s communities.

On January 25, 2023, the Government of Saskatchewan and Canada announced over $19.7 million in joint funding for 25 infrastructure projects across the province through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). Of this funding, nearly $9 million was provided by the province. Saskatchewan municipalities have received $1.44 billion through the ICIP program since it was first introduced in 2019. Of this total, $472 million has been contributed by the provincial government.

The construction of new facilities at the First Nations University of Canada’s Land-Based Learning Centre in Regina is included in this funding. The centre will serve as a place for Indigenous teaching and learning on the land. It will include overnight facilities, a mess hall with a kitchen, a permanent sweat lodge structure and an outdoor learning centre. This facility will provide increased cultural learning opportunities.

Several community facilities across the province will be upgraded through ICIP funding, including swimming pools, curling rinks and recreational centres. These places are hubs of activity in their communities and provide great opportunities for leisure and camaraderie. These facilities also create jobs and often attract events to the community, in turn supporting the local economy.

Bridge replacements and improvements in rural municipalities across the province will be funded as well. These projects improve rural transportation systems, connecting communities to the rest of the province and improving safety while travelling. In addition, the funding will support the decommissioning of several landfills throughout the province to help protect the environment.

In an earlier announcement, on November 14, 2022, $32 million of federal and provincial funding under ICIP was announced for the new Martensville Community Recreation Project. Construction on that project is underway.

By creating Indigenous cultural learning opportunities, providing recreational opportunities, improving the rural transportation system and supporting the environment, ICIP funding supports strong communities in Saskatchewan.

Targeted Sector Support Funding

In addition, through the Targeted Sector Support (TSS) program, the Government of Saskatchewan is providing $500,000 to 15 more community-based projects this year. TSS grants fund municipal projects focused on good governance, capacity building and regional co-operation.

Funding supports a variety of initiatives, ranging from firefighter training to emergency plans and feasibility studies for new community developments. $75,000 was provided to the City of Martensville with 4 other community partners to continue work on the P4G Regional Market/Future Growth Areas Study.

Our government is proud to partner with the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) and the Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities (New North) to make the TSS initiative happen. Together, we help communities better serve their citizens by strengthening local governments across the province.

All municipalities are encouraged to apply for TSS funding in the next intake of applications, which is expected to open in early March.

The investments our government makes through the ICIP and TSS helps support the good work of Saskatchewan’s rural and Indigenous communities. We will continue to build a Saskatchewan that is home to a strong economy, strong communities and strong families.

Tune-In and Ring Those Phones for TeleMiracle Week

February 19 to 25 is TeleMiracle Week in Saskatchewan

On February 17th, Minister Responsible for the Provincial Capital Commission Don McMorris and the Kinsmen, Kinettes and Kin Clubs of Saskatchewan announced TeleMiracle Week begins Sunday, February 19 and culminates Saturday, February 25 when the 47th edition of the telethon gets underway.

“Thanks to the good will and generosity of our province’s people, TeleMiracle is one of the many annual Saskatchewan events that brings everyone together for a greater purpose,” McMorris said. “I encourage everyone to support this wonderful fundraiser by tuning into watch the telethon and let your family, friends and neighbours know to ‘ring those phones’ to donate to a great cause for Saskatchewan residents.” The fund-raiser starts at 6:15 p.m., Sat., Feb. 25 with the Countdown to TeleMiracle streamed live on the website www.telemiracle.com. At 9 p.m. that same day, the live television broadcast begins on CTV throughout Saskatchewan and Lloydminster and continues until 5 p.m. on Sun., Feb. 26.

“TeleMiracle has been rooted in Saskatchewan for 47 years,” TeleMiracle 47 Chair Scott Lamb said. “We are proud to carry on this tradition that helps so many people all across this province, year after year.” The Kinsmen Foundation provides specialized mobility and medical equipment to people and organizations throughout the province, as well as travel assistance for residents in need of vital medical treatment outside their home community.

Beside calling in pledges during the telethon broadcast, donations can also be made anytime online at www.telemiracle.com.

Under provincial legislation, TeleMiracle Week in Saskatchewan is declared before the annual telethon. The Recognition of Telemiracle Week Act is overseen by the Minister Responsible for the Provincial Capital Commission.

The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be signed and a phone number and/or email address included so the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to news@

Martensville Ambulance Bay Celebrates Grand-Opening

On February 16, 2023, Medavie Health Services West held an official grand opening of their new ambulance base located on Centennial Drive North in Martensville.

Martensville Mayor Kent Muench, along with members of Council were in attendance to celebrate the milestone. During the event, paramedics presented 16-yearold Martensville resident Jarren Cusson with the “Chief’s Life Saving Award” after his quick-action helped to save his father Steve’s life following a health emergency on January 14th as Jarren performed CPR until paramedics were on scene to take over.

This new ambulance station marks the first Medavie location to be constructed outside of Saskatoon in the past 47 years. This new location is part of an initiative to ensure more efficient response times for paramedics to access patients within Martensville, Warman and surrounding areas.

Brighter Future Fundraiser Helps Support Youth Mental Health

Possibilities

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

Recovery

Centre is very excited to host their 4th Annual Brighter Future Fundraiser. This year all funds raised will help establish and fill their Brighter Future Fund. This fund will be used to keep all youth mental wellness programs free of charge and barrier free to all youths.

This fun event takes place on March 25th at the Cosmo Senior Centre in Saskatoon and will have some incredible prizes to give away as well as dinner, Inspirational Speaker Cody Demerais, Bingo, and more.

5:30 - Doors open, Mocktails and Social

6:10 - Emcee to begin opening remark

6:30 - Catered Dinner by Pitch Kitchen

7:30 - Dessert Auction

8:00 - Guest Speaker - Cody Demerais

8:30 - Bingo begins

9:15 - Blackout Bingo for WestJet

Gift of Flight package

9:30 - Prize draws and closing remarks

Tickets $45 each

Blackout Bingo Cards $25 each or 3 for $50

Possibilities Recovery Centre has partnered with the Martensville Youth Connection (MYC) which is a program aimed for youth aged 10-16 years old who struggle with mental health or addiction, as well as support youth by providing them a safe place to come and learn life skills, emotional regulation skills, build self-esteem and build community within Martensville.

Martensville’s first and only Charitable Youth Center is not currently publicly funded, and continues to need the community’s support to keep the center open. The organization has received some generous donations to date and used them to operate the center by having qualified facilitators, nutritious snacks for the youths, activities to partake in and counselling for individuals who request it.

Don’t miss out on this amazing event to help contribute to this important program and help keep it going. To purchase tickets you can contact https://www. eventbrite.ca/ or the QR code on the poster attached.

ABOVE: Mayor Kent Muench cuts the ribbon during the grand-opening of the Martensville Ambulance Bay. (City of Martensville)