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Your City; Your Newspaper January 6, 2022

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Civic Services Under the Lifting of the Public Health Order - What You Should Know!

City Hall is Open - Masks are mandatory in indoor public spaces as of September 17th. Online and contactless payment options remain available for customer convenience, such as online banking, e-transfers, preauthorized payments or TIPPS. Cheques can also be dropped off after hours in the drop slot at City Hall. Please do not visit City Hall if you are feeling unwell, experiencing flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is presumptive or tested positive for COVID-19. Current Status of Public Facilities as of December 10th Masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces as of September 17th. Martensville Athletic Pavilion - Operations completely resuming, including drop-in programs. Contact the MAP or Martensville.ca for information on upcoming programs or questions. Aquatic Centre - Closed for the season City Hall - Open North Ridge Centre - Re-Opened for Bookings Heritage Centre - Re-Opened for Bookings Sports Centre - Open for the Season Wheatland Regional Library (located in the Civic Centre) - Open City Staff are available to work with the public via phone or email. Questions or inquiries can be directed to City Hall via phone (306-931-2166) or inquiry@martensville.ca After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies- should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1. Questions about Facilities or Programs? City Staff are available to work with the public via phone or email. Questions or inquiries can be directed to City Hall via phone (306931-2166) or inquiry@martensville.ca OR the Martensville Athletic Pavilion (306-6835576) or mapreception@martensville.ca

Call for Application: Appointment to Represent the City of Martensville on the North Corman District Development Appeals Board Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Martensville invites its residents to consider serving on the North Corman District Development Appeals Board to fill a current vacancy to represent the City of Martensville. The North Corman District Development Appeals Board is a joint development appeals board serving the member municipalities including Martensville, Warman, Dalmeny, Osler, Langham, and the RM of Corman Park. Purpose - The purpose of the North Corman District Development Appeals Board is to adjudicate appeals under the provisions of The Planning and Development Act, 2007 including appeals regarding minor variances, holding provisions, demolition control districts, architectural control districts, misapplication of the Zoning Bylaw in issuing a development permit, refusal to issue a development permit because it would contravene the Zoning Bylaw, and any of the conditions of a Zoning Order issued on a property. Term - The term will be for three (3) years. Meeting - The meetings are held, as required, at the R.M. of Corman Park No. 344 Council Chambers at 111 Pinehouse Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Members receive remuneration for each meeting attended and will be provided with training as required.

Proof of Vaccination, Living with Covid-19, Testing Kits Effective October 1, 2021, a provincial requirement for proof of vaccination or negative test was implemented for public access to a list of establishments, businesses, and event venues that bring groups of people together. More details can be found at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19 under Public Health Orders COVID-19 will continue to circulate, particularly among unvaccinated populations. Being fully vaccinated is the best protection against COVID-19 and all residents will continue to be offered first and second doses through pharmacies and Saskatchewan Health Authority clinics. Watch for vaccination clinics and opportunities for vaccinations through pharmacies and popup clinics. A list of upcoming clinics throughout the province is available at www.saskhealthauthority.ca

January Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in-person but guests must wear a mask and should practice social distancing 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. Committee of the Whole - January 11th Regular Council Meeting - January 18th 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.

Winter is Here and Snow Removal is Too – 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 remove snow and ice and create safe driving and walking conditions promptly. 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 fire. - 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.

Application Requirements - Citizens who wish to take an active role on the North Corman District Development Appeals Board must submit an application form, together with a résumé and two letters of reference. Application forms can be obtained at the City of Martensville office between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9th, 2022.

- 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.

Application forms are also available under Public Notices at www.martensville.ca.

-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).

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

-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

Updating COVID-19 Testing and Case Management Guidelines Saskatchewan has rapid antigen testing kits available throughout the province to help residents monitor for COVID-19 at home. Increased use of this tool enables everyone to take the necessary actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission, preserving PCR testing capacity for high-risk populations and ensuring vaccinated individuals can safely return to workplaces and activities sooner. Effective immediately, asymptomatic residents who receive a positive COVID-19 result on a rapid antigen test will no longer be recommended to receive a confirmatory PCR test. Fully vaccinated asymptomatic residents who receive a positive COVID-19 result on a rapid antigen test or PCR test will be required to self-isolate for five days, down from 10 days. Free rapid antigen tests are available throughout the province. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolate immediately and seek a PCR test through a Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) testing site. Whether you have received a positive test result through a rapid antigen test or a PCR test, all residents are required to self-isolate and notify their contacts as part of COVID-19 case management protocols: • If you are fully vaccinated: self-isolate for five days from the date of test or 48 hours after your symptoms have ended, whichever is later. • If you are not vaccinated or partially vaccinated: self-isolate for 10 days from the date of test or 48 hours after your symptoms have ended, whichever is later. • Notify your close contacts. This is anyone you have been within two metres of for longer than 15 minutes. • Close contacts must isolate for 14 days from the date of last exposure unless they are fully vaccinated and do not have any symptoms. Use rapid antigen testing if asymptomatic, ideally between day five and seven of the 14 day isolation. If any symptoms develop, seek a PCR test. • Learn more about self-isolation at Saskatchewan.ca/covid-19. If you don't feel better after the five or 10 day period or your symptoms worsen at any time, contact your primary care provider or call HealthLine 811. Keep self-isolating until your symptoms improve and your fever is gone (without taking medicine that reduces fever) for 48 hours. PCR testing continues to be recommended for; Any resident who has symptoms of COVID-19, including cold and flu-like symptoms, priority populations such as health care workers, long-term and personal care home residents, and those who care for vulnerable populations. The self-isolation period has been updated from 10 to five days for confirmed cases who are fully vaccinated and more accurately reflects the infectious period for those who have received full protection of immunization. Note that "fully vaccinated" occurs two weeks following two doses of a two-dose vaccine series (AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna), or a single dose of the single dose vaccine series (Janssen). Booster doses are recommended for all adults 18 years of age and older. Vaccination is the best tool available to prevent COVID-19 transmission and serious COVID-19 illness. Residents five years and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and residents 18 years and older are now eligible to receive their booster/third dose three months after their second dose.

martensville messenger - JANUARY 6, 2022 - Page 3

Local Lions Club Lends A Helping Hand This Holiday Season Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The Martensville & District Lions Club consists of a group of dedicated individuals that work tirelessly throughout the year to help a wide array of groups and individuals throughout Martensville and the surrounding communities. This holiday season, the local Lions Club has been spreading joy to help others in need. A cheque for $1000 was presented to Captain James Taylor of the Martensville Fire Department. “The donation was for

ABOVE: Doug Ward, Lions Club Secretary, presents a cheque for $1000 to Captain James Taylor of the Martensville Fire Department. (Submitted)

the Martensville Fire Department’s annual Christmas Cheer program to provide families in need with a basket of goodies and gifts for the kids,” Lions Club Secretary Doug Ward stated. In addition, the Lions Club also donated a cheque for $1000 to Dionne Miazdyck of Haven Kids House of Saskatoon. “Dionne made a presentation to the club explaining the service they provide to families in need during extraordinary and/or difficult times,” Ward explained.

ABOVE: Lions Club President Geoff Passy presented a cheque for $1000 to Dionne Miazdyck of Haven Kids House of Saskatoon.

Martensville Fire Department Hamper Program Provides For Local Families

The Martensville Fire Department (MFD) has been providing Christmas hampers to local families for over 25 years, and this year, once again, thanks to the support from the community, they were able to make the holidays a little brighter for 24 families. Each year, businesses, organizations and individuals from Martensville and surrounding areas contribute to this incredible program. The MFD would like to thank the Martensville and District Lions Club, Martensville Pharmasave, Titan Design & Project Services Ltd, Base Mechanical, 3126 Athletics/Wrench Fitness, Smokehaus Meats & Deli, Canadian Tire, Geransky Bros Construction Ltd, Venture Heights Elementary School, Valley Manor Elementary School, Lake Vista Elementary School and Martensville High School, as well as the numerous residents that contributed to the program. Christmas hampers were delivered on December 22nd and consisted of a variety of non-perishable food items, hygiene items, gift cards, and fresh items such as turkey and ham, which were purchased using monetary donations. BELOW: A group of volunteers assisted the MFD in organizing the Christmas hampers prior to the December 22nd delivery date.

Page 4 - JANUARY 6, 2022 - martensville messenger

SPORTS MHS Royals Celebrate Championship Season At Annual Awards Night

Keep the Community up-to-date on your team scores, events, photos and tournaments. Submit material to jhayward@sasktel.net or drop it off at the Martensville Messenger Office at Bay #7 - 301 Centennial Drive North to be included in our weekly sports report.

Janine Hayward Martensville Messenger

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

The Martensville High School Royals football team held their annual awards night on Thursday, December 16th in the high school theatre. The event, which was limited to players, parents, and coaches due to COVID precautions, may have looked a little different this year; however, everyone in attendance was happy to celebrate the undefeated team that took home the provincial championship in November. Coach Tyler Munday took on the role of MC for the evening and introduced all the players, coaches and those that worked hard behind the scenes to keep the season running smoothly.

Head Coach Craig Robertson noted that in previous years coaches chose which players would be receiving awards; however, this year, he asked the players to nominate each other. Robertson also added that he agreed with every award winner chosen. Following the player awards, additional presentations were made to parent volunteers, support staff, coaches and the third year graduates that finished their high school football career with a championship win. Congratulations to everyone involved with the Royals football club on an incredible season!

ABOVE: Most Dedicated Player (sponsored by Ayotte Plumbing and Heating) – Kaden Solomon

ABOVE: Most Improved Player of the Year (sponsored by Phobia Auto Body) – Latrell Brown

ABOVE: Lineman of the Year (sponsored by Martensville Messenger) – Brody Dyck

ABOVE: Special Teams Player of the Year (sponsored by Martensville Dollar Store) – Chase LePage

ABOVE: Defensive Player of the Year (sponsored by Ayotte Plumbing and Heating) – Toryn Swystun-Bernes

ABOVE: Most Inspirational Player (sponsored by A&W Martensville) – Parker Peterson

ABOVE: Rookie of the Year (sponsored by Licensed to Kill Spraying and Landscaping) – Jackson Heisler

ABOVE: Offensive Player of the Year (sponsored by Read Automotive) –and Most Valuable Player (sponsored by Ken and Bernice Symak) –Brody Nelson

ABOVE: The 2021 Royals Football Team coaching staff.

LEFT: The Martensville High School Royals football team held their annual awards night on December 16th where players received awards based on votes from their teammates.

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Several Marauder U15 AA Players Chosen to Sask First Top 160 Tournament Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

In 1988 Hockey Saskatchewan created an elite Sask First Program designed for participants to promote the development of players, coaches, officials, and trainers. This in-depth developmental program helps to give a better understanding of the game both on and off the ice, as well as promoting a team concept to ensure the pursuit of common goals. This Program has brought great pride and accomplishment within Saskatchewan as their mission is to promote, lead and develop positive hockey experiences across the entire Province of Saskatchewan. In December, this Sask First High Performance Program opened up to all players in the U15 category to attend regional camps held in the province. This year the Regional Sask First Selection Camp was held in Aberdeen. From there, the top players were invited to take place in the Top 160 Tournament held in Regina. Marauder U15 AA players Carsen Adair – Defense, Clavet, Kazden Mathies – Forward, Martensville, Teigan Semchyshen – Defense, Warman, Kaden Shumay – Defense, Martensville, Simon Garchinski – Defense, Martensville,

SPORTS

Cooper Flath – Forward, Dinsmore, Evan Skoronski – Forward, Martensville and Clark Goebel – Forward, Clavet were all chosen to attend this camp. A second tournament in February will feature the top 80 at which time the top 25-30 are chosen to attend the upcoming summer camp. Not only will all players have the opportunity to compete with their peers, but they will also receive significant exposure as scouts from a variety of elite leagues will be in attendance. This Sask First Program is a gateway to Hockey Canada’s High Performance Program such as the World Juniors. “Every four years this selected team competes in the Canada Winter Games. This is the year that the team competes in those games, which will be in Prince Edward Island in February 2023,” Chris Mathies, Martensville Marauders manager explained.

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martensville messenger - JANUARY 6, 2022 - Page 7

MLA Terry Jenson’s Report from the Legislature Strong Economic Indicators for 2022

Sask. Party Needs to Get on Right Path

You’d think it would work the opposite way, but the longer you are in power, the tougher it is to figure out what you’re doing wrong. That’s the big problem for the Saskatchewan Party that will have been in power for 15 years by the time 2022 ends. Unfortunately, it’s not the only problem it’s facing in this coming year. We are still in the throes of a global pandemic and the decisions are getting more complicated rather than easier. Consider the heat Premier Scott Moe and his government took just prior to Christmas for being the only province not to implement severe restrictions to fight COVID-19’s Omicron variant. If there is a legitimate criticism here, it’s likely the result of Moe and his government being rather oblivious last spring and summer to signs of a coming fourth COVID-19 that produced Saskatchewan’s deadliest by October. This, too, reeks of an aging government that’s become a little too comfortable in the notion it has all the answers, but in the case of the Omicron variant and what to do about the inevitable fifth wave, it actually does become rather complicated rather quickly. For example, Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia issued before Christmas some of their toughest restrictions since the beginning of the pandemic, largely because they were already experiencing record daily cases. Manitoba, Alberta and B.C. — also experiencing a rise in daily cases — were quick to join in with their own tough restrictions to fight a variant said to be four to eight times more contagious than the Delta variant that hammered Saskatchewan particularly hard, but the daily case in Saskatchewan was in the neighbourhood of 50 to 60 new cases a day — roughly, one-tenth of what they were during the fourth-wave peak in this province. Was immediately shutting down things needed or even the right response? Sure, some will point to inevitable case increases in January as proof positive that Moe was wrong for not doing something sooner on the contagious Omicron variant that some say may double cases every three to five days. Although, it seems bizarre anyone would be cheering for this scenario to happen, the book is still out on how virulent this strain will be and how many hospitalizations and ICU cases it may actually produce. Moreover, imposing stricter restrictions like not allowing unvaccinated people to gather with vaccinated people for Christmas dinner would be impossible to enforce and would likely create a backlash that would make the unvaccinated even more stubborn about getting a needle. Finally, we know from experience not every COVID-19 wave hits as hard or hits every place as hard. For Moe and his Sask. Party government, moving early on Omicron was a bigger dilemma than some think. There again, it’s rather hard to have all that much sympathy for a government that made some huge mistakes in 2021 and didn’t exactly issue an unequivocal apology for making them. This, after all, was the same Sask. Party government that was telling us in May, June and July that it could never require its citizens to carry the proof-ofvaccination now in your wallet or on your smart phone because it would create two-tiered citizenship and would be an invasion of health privacy. Now, it takes credit for doing exactly what it said it wouldn’t/couldn’t do. Such mixed messaging and sometimes outright bad messaging in 2021 plagued the Sask. Party 14 years removed from its opposition days when it was more skilled at listening to legitimate public concerns. In 2022, it desperately needs to rediscover those skills. Otherwise, it will continue to have a very rough time selling the tough choices it will have to make.

The past year has presented unique challenges, and while some will continue into the new year, our province is resilient. Forecasters are looking at Saskatchewan's economy to lead the nation thanks, in part, to strong demand for exports such as natural resources. The forestry sector will see historic investment in the months ahead, creating an estimated 3,000 new jobs. In all, $10 billion of private investments were announced this year, a very strong indicator of confidence in the provincial economy. Year-over-year, Saskatchewan saw manufacturing sales increase 53 per cent, the highest in the country. Saskatchewan has one of the topperforming economies in Canada, built on a competitive business environment. Our merchandise exports lead the nation as well, increasing by 25 per cent from September 2021 to October 2021. Key sectors including energy, mining, agriculture, forestry and manufacturing will allow the province to continue to be a world leader for years to come. The economy is moving in the right direction, along with our efforts to tackle environmental concerns. The first Oil and Gas Emissions Report shows significant progress was made in reducing methane gas emissions. We have surpassed the benchmarks set out in 2019 to reduce industry emissions by 40 to 45 per cent from 2015 levels by 2025. Already, emissions have been reduced by nearly 50 per cent. That means the equivalent of more than 1.1 million cars have been taken off of Saskatchewan roads each year because of emission reductions. Over the past years, our government has worked hard to attract investment, resulting in some of the country's best trade and export growth. Saskatchewan has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, while recent announcements will create thousands of additional jobs. Our greatest resource is our people, and as we embark on a New Year, now is the time to come together as neighbours and communities. 2022 will undoubtedly present new challenges, and our government will face these with Saskatchewan families in mind. Premier Scott Moe put it best in his Christmas message to the province. "In times of trouble, you are there for your neighbours. It's the Saskatchewan way." We set goals for a stronger, safer, healthier, better educated and more independent Saskatchewan. Progress has been made, and we will continue to strive to be better. The 2020s are shaping up to be Saskatchewan's decade and together, we will recover.

22012BS0

Letter to the Editor 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@martensvillemessenger.ca or mail to Box 333 Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.

Page 8 - JANUARY 6, 2022 - martensville messenger

Council Discusses City-Wide Water Meter Upgrade Options Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

At the final Committee of the Whole meeting of 2021, Matt Gruza, City of Martensville Director of Infrastructure and Planning, presented Council with an update regarding the options to upgrade water meters throughout the community. In October of 2021, Gruza provided Council with a proposal from Neptune Technology Group to upgrade the City’s water meters with new technology that would allow for remote reading. Within the initial proposal, two options were provided; the first would allow for drive by meter reading, which is currently being used within Lake Vista. The second was for a central based radio system (AMI), which would allow meters to be read from City Hall. Following this meeting, Council requested more information regarding the remote reading option. At the December meeting, Gruza informed Council that administration met with senior representatives from Neptune and provided them with water meter information for the community, which would allow for Neptune to provide more detailed pricing information. Neptune is currently working on a project within Yorkton and, if the City of Martensville approves this project, there will be a savings of approximately $200,000 as Neptune will begin work in Martensville following completion of their current job. After reviewing community information, Neptune provided a cost of $1,542,168 (plus tax), which would include a city-wide meter replacement and AMI system installation. Gruza recommended that Council approve this project, stating that, “This will eliminate the need for our sewer and water operators to go property-to-property, or drive by and complete the meter reads. In addition, this system will be able to help identify leaks and unusually high water use sooner than we were previously able to.” Additionally, by approving this project now, there is a substantial discount for the installation cost. Once complete, this project would also allow for City-wide readings each month, including winter and eliminate any safety concerns of staff performing readings. Although this project was not included in the budget, and includes a substantial cost, Gruza noted that there is additional Canadian Community Building Fund (CCBF) money which could be diverted to help offset some of the costs. “It is recommended that we proceed with this project. The additional CCBF funding, as well as the savings of completing this project immediately after Yorkton’s project will result in this being the lowest cost we would be able to complete this project for,” Gruza explained in his report. The project was approved by Council and work is expected to begin early this year

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