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MARTENSVILLE PHARMACY

Your City; Your Newspaper March 31, 2022

VOLUME NO. 16 - ISSUE 13

Monday-Friday 9-6 Saturday 10-3 Closed Sundays & Holidays

17 Centennial Drive North

Re-roofs New Construction Residential Commercial

Over 9 Years Making Your Real Estate Dreams Come True!

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Bay 4 #1 - 4th St S Martensville

www.infinitysalonandspa.ca for online booking

Locally Owned and Operated Celebrating Fifteen Years of Community

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We Are the Champions! The U15A Marauders are Provincial Champs sweeping the series defeating Battleford, Meadow Lake, and Swift Current. Congratulations to the U15A Martensville Marauders! (Photo submitted)

Page 2 - MARCH 31, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

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

Saskatchewan’s current public health orders have been lifted, effective February 28, 2022. City Hall and all civic facilities are open and available for business with the public. Civic facilities are a ‘mask-friendly’ environment, meaning the City of Martensville respects all individuals’ freedom to don a mask for their own comfort and safety.

April 2022 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 -April 12th Regular Council Meeting- April 19th

Martensville Athletic Pavilion - Opened, including drop-in programs. Contact the MAP or Martensville.ca for information or questions about programs.

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.

Please do not visit City Hall or public facilities if you are feeling unwell, experiencing flulike symptoms, or have been in contact with someone who is presumptive or tested positive for COVID-19.

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.

After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies- should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1.

The full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca.

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.

The Martensville Business Expo is Back! The Martensville Business Expo is April 29th from 5-8 PM and Saturday, April 30th from 10 AM-4 PM. Reconnect with the businesses and organizations in our community! There will be delicious food, great drinks, interactive booths, sales and local entertainment all Expo long! The Martensville Kinsmen are providing breakfast on Saturday from 8-10 AM and it is by donation!

Big Changes Coming for Water Meters

The City of Martensville is initiating a program where existing water meters will be replaced with new automated water meters. Neptune Technology Group will be installing the meters by area and will be contacting homeowners to make appointments for the change-out. This project will begin in late February and be completed city-wide by July. To learn more, please check the information piece with your water bill or visit martensville.ca

Lane Usage During Spring Thaw

The City of Martensville encourages residents, for which their lane is a secondary means of access to their property, to limit their usage during the spring thaw period. Heavy or repetitive vehicle usage during spring thaw and wet conditions can cause further rutting and reduce drainage. This limits the ability of crews to conduct maintenance on the lanes in a timely manner and increases time required to reshape lanes.

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

For questions or further information please contact Public Works at 931-2166.

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

More tips for Spring Thaw can be found on Martensville.ca under ‘Services for Residents’.

Roadside Cannabis Testing Becoming More Accessable to RCMP

Cannabis is now legal to use, but it’s not legal or safe for anyone on the road to drive while impaired by it. That’s why more Saskatchewan RCMP officers now have access to roadside oral fluid devices, a small, handheld machine used to detect cannabis use by drivers. “We have zero tolerance for any kind of impaired driving – and that includes impaired by cannabis (THC). The roadside oral fluid devices, which are used across Saskatchewan, are helping us identify drivers that have recently consumed cannabis (THC) and to take more potentially impaired drivers off the road,” explains Cpl. Brian Ferguson, Saskatchewan RCMP’s ABOVE: Roadside Oral Fluid Devices are used by the drug recognition evaluator RCMP to detect cannabis use in motorists. training coordinator. Cannabis use can be detected in several ways. If an RCMP officer suspects that cannabis is a factor in an impaired driving investigation, they can request the driver provide a sample of their oral fluid, the sample is then inserted into the roadside oral fluid device and in as quickly as four minutes, it tells the officer if the person has smoked, vaped or ingested cannabis (THC) recently. If an RCMP officer has reasonable grounds to believe that cannabis (or any type of drug), is a factor in an impaired driving investigation they can demand the driver get a blood test or call out a drug recognition evaluator to assess the driver. These officers are specially trained to use a 12-step process which determines whether a driver is impaired and if so, by what category of drug. Penalties are high for drug-impaired driving. If someone is convicted of driving while impaired by drug, they will have a criminal record, pay a minimum fine of $1,000 and have their licence suspended for a minimum of one year. Fines are higher and suspensions are longer for subsequent offences. If an officer detects that a driver has recently used cannabis (THC) – regardless if it has impaired them or not –their driver’s license will be suspended and the vehicle they are driving impounded for 72 hours. In 2021, 289 drivers were taken off the road by Saskatchewan RCMP and Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan officers for suspected driving while impaired by drug. Ninety-five of these drivers to date have been charged criminally, which

may increase as toxicology results are obtained following further investigation. “We are working hard to drive home the lesson that drugs, including cannabis (THC), and driving are a dangerous mix,” Cpl. Ferguson says. Effect of edibles, mixing cannabis and alcohol can be unpredictable. If people are using cannabis, and considering driving, Cpl. Ferguson has a few things to keep in mind. The legalization of cannabis has provided users more ways to consume the drug, including edibles. “Edibles are a completely different beast,” says Cpl. Ferguson. “They can take a long time to kick in. You don’t really know when they are going to take effect, and the effects can last several hours. That needs to be considered before you have to make the decision whether or not you will be able to drive.” And if you’re mixing drinks and cannabis, he warns that even a small amount of alcohol can enhance the drug’s impairing effects.

MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER - MARCH 31, 2022 - Page 3

Martensville-Warman MLA Continues Working Towards Bringing Doctors to Area Amidst Budget Announcement Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

On Wednesday, March 23, the Government of Saskatchewan released the 2022-23 Budget, which Finance Minister Donna Harpauer noted, shows “Saskatchewan is back on track. We are seeing strong economic growth and job creation as we come out of the pandemic and as a result, the provincial’s financial outlook has improved significantly.” Harpauer also stated that, “The deficit has been reduced by over $2.0 billion. Our economy is growing, with 30,000 new jobs created over the past year and the second highest rate of job growth in Canada so far in 2022. Our finances will steadily improve, and we are on track to balance as a result of careful management of spending and prudent revenue forecasts.” According to Martensville-Warman MLA Terry Jenson, this is a budget that gets Saskatchewan back on track following two years of incredible uncertainty. “We are making substantial investments in key areas that will benefit the people of Saskatchewan and build on the economic momentum we have been experiencing for the last number of months as we continue moving into the stage of living with Covid in our everyday lives,” Jenson said. The 2022-23 Budget saw a $463 million deficit forecast, which is a $2.1 billion improvement from last year’s budget and there is a goal to eliminate that deficit by 2026-27. Revenue of $17.2 billion is forecast in the 2022-23 Budget, which is up $2.7 billion from last year’s budget and non-renewable resource revenue is projected to be $2.9 billion, up from $1.6 billion last year. This is largely due to higher potash and oil price forecasts because of expected global demand. Job growth continues to be a priority in Saskatchewan, and according to Jenson, over $13.5 billion of private investment has been made in the last year with companies such as BHP Biliton, Richardson International, Viterra, Federated Co-operatives, and Cargill all committing to new facilities or expanded operations in the areas of canola crushing, potash, and biodiesel production.

A record investment into health care will be made in an effort to reduce surgical wait times, increase hospital beds and recruit more physicians and health care workers into places they are most needed. Locally, MLA Terry Jenson plans to continue his work with the Minister of Rural and Remote Health to address the shortage of physicians within Martensville and Warman. “This budget includes the establishment of a new agency dedicated to recruiting and retaining health care workers as well as $3.5 million specifically for physician recruitment and retention initiatives, primarily targeting family physicians to work in rural areas of the province. Other solutions to the doctor shortage affecting our area are also being actively pursued with the Ministry to quickly increase the number of physicians in our two cities,” Jenson said. With a $277 million increase from last year, a record investment has been made to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, which includes an aggressive plan to have surgical wait times return to pre-COVID levels by the end of March 2025. Additionally, $470 million will be invested into mental health and addictions programs and services to fund initiatives such as effective counselling and treatments, as well as introducing further proactive measures. Following the release of the 2022-23 Budget, the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation stated that they were disappointed with the announcement, and it would therefore result in more than a 3 percent cut to the K-12 operational spending; however, Jenson stated that the Saskatchewan government is investing more than ever into the education system. “Education spending across government is $3.8 billion in this budget, up more than $47.2 million, or 1.3 per cent, over last year,” stated Jenson. A plan to hire 200 more full-time educational assistants across the province, as well as the creation of over 6,000 new child-care spaces is planned to the 2022-23 fiscal year, with a goal to reach 28,000 spaces over the course of five years. “The budget also fully covers increases in the collective agreement for teachers’ salaries and also increases operating 22041PM0 funding to each school 22041PM1 division by $24.9 million over the previous year. Our government will continue to make education among our province’s highest priorities in the coming year as well as in the years ahead.” Another record investment this year is $3.2 billion for capital projects in the province. These projects include urgent care centres in Saskatoon and Regina, construction at the Prince Albert Victoria Hospital and the Weyburn General Hospital and more. Additionally, improvements on provincial highways will be made, including work towards the Growth Plan to upgrade and build

10,000 kilometres of the provincial highway network by 2030. There are also investments being made to plan and construct 15 new schools and renovate five existing schools. Saskatchewan continues the path to reconciliation and in doing so, will be providing more economic opportunities for Indigenous communities and people through the creation of the Saskatchewan Indigenous Investment Finance Corporation (SIIFC). “This new entity will provide up to $75 million in loan guarantees for private sector Indigenous investments in natural resource and value-added agricultural projects,” Jenson stated. The Saskatchewan government will also be providing $10 million in grants to kick-start the film and television industry in Saskatchewan now that quality Canadian content is in high demand thanks to the surge in streaming services. Only Saskatchewan labour, goods and services are eligible for support under this program to ensure grant dollars stay in our province. As of October 1, 2022, PST will be applied to sporting events, concerts, museums, fairs, movies, gym memberships, green fees, and other areas. The existing application of PST is being broadened to match the federal GST base for admissions and entertainment events and according to the budget, will add an estimated $10.5 million in revenue this year and $21 million annually. “What's important to remember is that while the PST is being expanded to some new areas that impact discretionary spending, our government has made life more affordable in other ways. Power bills were reduced by 10 per cent in 2021, SaskTel waived data overages for several months during the pandemic, we signed an agreement a few months ago to reduce childcare to $10 a day, and Saskatchewan continues to have one of the highest tax-free thresholds in the country. A family of four pays no income tax on their first $52,250 of income. In the 2021-22 budget year, our government put an estimated $2.4 billion into the pockets of Saskatchewan citizens thanks to a multitude of programs that makes life more affordable for every person in this province,” Jenson explained. The Saskatchewan government will be investing $262 million into Municipal Revenue Sharing Grants in 2022, which Jenson noted will help lay the foundation for stronger communities and a stronger Saskatchewan. Municipal revenue sharing is based on a percentage of the PST being divided equally among all Saskatchewan municipalities and from there, community Councils can decide where to put that money based on what they feel is most needed. Jenson explained that, “When we formed government in 2007, municipal revenue sharing for Martensville was $506,625 using the previous formula under the NDP. In this upcoming year, the city will receive over $1.9 million, which represents an increase of over 276 per cent since 2007 when we formed government. The municipal revenue sharing program provides municipalities with fair and predictable funding each year while also ensuring communities are largely unrestricted in what the money can be used for.” “Our economy is gaining momentum as the world emerges from the Covid pandemic and Saskatchewan has what the world needs with food, fuel, and fertilizer. Our province is in a tremendous position to provide all of these products and more, and with that comes good paying jobs and careers, and an even better quality of life for everyone in Saskatchewan,” stated Jenson.

22023JJ0

Service PLUS Flat Glass Services!!

Page 4 - MARCH 31, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

“Bringing the Tools to You!!” Email JAGplus@sasktel.net

•Automotive Repair Specialists or call 361-4527Monday to Friday 7:30-5:30 801 Centennial Dr. North •Advanced technology & diagnostics facility Visit www.JAGplus.ca today!!

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KEEPING YOU SAFE & ON THE ROAD

Martensville Curling Club Wraps Up the Season The Martensville Curling Club wrapped up their Junior Program on Sunday, March 27th and celebrated the season with a pizza party. This program was made possible thanks to the contributions of many coaches and juniors. Each participant was given a Martensville Curling Club water bottle and candy, and two lucky juniors won a Team Sweden broom head cover.

Two Marauder Players Sign with AAA Wildcats Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

Kazden Mathies and Carsen Adair of the Martensville Marauder U15AA team have signed on with the Warman U18 AAA Wildcats. Mathies has been a consistent top scorer this year with 41 goals and 38 assists with the Marauder team in regular season. Adair has displayed his talents as a solid defenceman with eight goals and 26 assists during his season with the Marauders.

Martensville SK 306-244-4950

SPORTS Sask Five Giants Provide Umpire Clinics Umpire clinics for Baseball Saskatchewan Level 1 and 2 will be held in Dalmeny this year on Saturday, April 2 from 8:30 - 4pm. Umpires born in 2010 and older are welcome to attend. There will be a lunch provided, as well as cost of the clinic will be covered by Sask Five Baseball. The Sask Five organization supplies equipment throughout the year and offers competitive game pay rates. For more details and to register please go to the website for complete information at http://www.saskfivegiants.com/umpires.

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K y a to o O D w

SPORTS

Keep the Community up-to-date on MESSENGER - MARCH 31, 2022 - Page 5 MARTENSVILLE 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 Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger Drive North to be included in our The U13C Martensville Marauder Janine giving them a good battle, but the Marauders Hayward weekly sports report.

Marauder U13C Bandits are League Champions

Martensville Messenger Bandits had a tremendous 2021-2022 pushed hard winning the game by a score of 3-2. season finishing number one in their league The final game against the Warman with 32 points, giving them the buy in the Wildcat Cheetahs was another tough battle, first round of league playoffs. but once again the Marauders came out on Their first playoff game had them top winning 7-5, giving them the title of facing the Flyer Icedogs where they came League Champions! out on top by a score of 5-2. The Redwing Congratulations to the U13C Predators were their next opponents, Bandits on a great year!

Martensville Marauders U13C Bandits Roster

Players: #2 Matthew Hodgson, #4 Daxton Mossop, #6 Daxton Englot, #7 Parker Stevenson, #8 Hudson Johnson, #9 Alex Ricci, #10 Benjamin Reimer, #11 Dixon Wojcichowsky, #13 Hawksley Kells, #14 Oskar Sheard, #21 Cohen Lester, #22 Greyson Moore, #23 Tyson Polski, and #30 Grayson Bachynski. Coaching Staff: Head Coach - Geoff Stevenson, Assistant Coaches - Al Reimer, Bryant Moore, Todd Mossop, and Kevin Wojcichowsky. ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U13C Bandits ended the year as league champions. (Submitted)

U15C Marauder Bandits Claim City Championship Submitted by Tonya Reimer

ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U15C Bandits; (not in order) Keoni Benner,Wayne Brown, Danica Dean,Blake Fontaine, Koen Herzog,Tristan Jaunzems-Dupuis,Tyler Kaar, Luke Pauls, Sammuel Reimer, William Sawyer, Bradyn Warlow, Nolan Webb, Cayan Wehner. Allan Reimer, (Head Coach), David Warlow, (Assistant Coach), Vance Webb, (Assistant Coach). Submitted.

The U15C Martensville Marauder Bandits claimed the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association City Championship on March 22. The win capped a successful season for the team. The playoffs, which were a double knockout tournament, began with the second place Bandits playing the Flyer Hounds on Wednesday March 9 coming away with a 5-1 win. Beating the Renegade Storm 5-2 on Friday March 11 set up a game against the number one team, the Legendary Aces. The winner would advance to the final series, the loser having to play their way back in to the final. The Aces won

4-3 on Wednesday March 16 clinching their spot in the final. The Bandits played the Wild Fire on Saturday March 19 with the loser eliminated from the playoffs and the winner having to beat the Aces twice to win the Championship. A 3-2 overtime win sent the Bandits to the finals. The first game of the finals on Monday March 21 was won by the Bandits 4-2. This was the Aces first loss since November 2021. The next night both teams came out flying in front of a large crowd at the ACT arena. After 60 minutes of wellplayed hockey, the Martensville Marauder Bandits prevailed with a 5-4 win to claim the Saskatoon City Championship.

U15AA Marauders Fall Short in North Division Final

After a tremendous season, the U15AA Marauders continued strong into the playoffs defeating the West Central Wheat Kings in their first round. Their next opponent was the Saskatoon Bandits, and although it was a hard-fought battle, the Bandits came out on top in the series. Congratulations on a wonderful season!

LEFT: The U15AA Martensville Marauders (not in order); Carsen Adair, Cooper Flath, Simon Garchinski, Clark Goebel, Tyler Hale, Tyson Janzen, Cohen Klassen, Kazden Mathies, Kohen Pierce, Kash Ringdal, Austin Root, Corben Schnurr, Teigan Semchyshen, Kaden Shumay, Evan Skoronski, Grady Stoddart-Reis, Brit Vandenameele, Shaun Priel, (Head Coach), Josh Priel, (Assistant Coach), Todd White, (Assistant Coach). Photo Submitted.

Martensville Marauder U13AA Finish on Top in League Play

The Martensville Marauder U13AA team had an amazing season finishing on top in the Saskatoon league undefeated with a 24-0-0 record and continued strong going into city playoffs. They defeated the Saskatoon Fury and the Saskatoon Thunder, however, lost out to Tisdale in the North Provincial Final. Congratulations on an incredible season! LEFT: U13AA Roster; Coaching staff: Hugh Hamilton, Blaine Wotherspoon, Matt Hale. Missing Trevor Adamus. Players; Austin Adamus, Benjamin Dust, Bennett Smysniuk, Brady Keith, Calder Hamilton, Dade Wothersoon, Dawson Baht, Kylan Woytiuk, Mason Schierling, Paxton Hale, Ryder Hagel, Sam Failler, Weston Kostiuk, Jaxon Brabant, Jesse Bergman, Jett Prpich, Kohen Oblander. Photo submitted.

ABOVE: The U13A Snipers had a great season and finished in third place out of 19 teams in city playoffs. They attended five tournaments, winning first place in two of them. Roster: Ryder Landry, Adam Johnson, Carter Schwanbeck, Teigan Kobelsky, Drew Johnston, Andie Marshall, Luke Kalinowski, Kai Tillmanns, Lane Robertson, Reid Wotherspoon, Barrett Martens, Kruze Fraser, Braylon Turner, Lucas Schell, Hunber Mierau. Head Coach; Scott Marshall, Assistant Coaches; Brian Johnston, Ryan Martens, Ryan Tillmanns. Photo submitted.

ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U11 Mavens made history when they became the champions in the 2022 March Ice Tournament which featured some of the top teams from across the province, including an Alberta team. (Photo submitted by Trish Wagner)

Page 6 - MARCH 31, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER - MARCH 31, 2022 - Page 7

MLA Terry Jenson’s Report from the Legislature Budget Edition 2022

A Tough Budget Made Easier to Take Getting the provincial budget right is no easy task in the best of years. Suffice to say, the past two years of an economic downturn driven by the pandemic and accompanied by last year’s drought that saw a 47-percent drop in crop production have not been the best of years. It’s been really hard for the Saskatchewan Party government to get the past couple of budgets completely right. The massive $2.2-billion monster deficit in 202122 likely tells you all you really need to know about how badly this budget has gone off the rails - something the government seemingly acknowledged in its 2022-23 budget that is themed back-on-track. Unlike what’s been happening on the CP Rail lines, let’s hope this train keeps running. Perhaps the best news in the budget is the concerted effort to put the brakes on the runaway public debt. Finance Minister Donna Harpauer’s plan calls for a $463-million deficit in 2022-23 - one-fifth the 2021-22; however, it won’t be enough to prevent public debt from soaring past $30 billion this year. Moreover, this year’s deficit will be followed by a $384-million deficit in 2023-24, a $321-million deficit in 2024-25 and a $165-million deficit in 2025-26, further hiking public debt past $35 million by 2027. Worse, we will be paying $622 million on the $9-billion operational debt — the interest we are paying the cumulative costs of past deficits and other borrowing that we have to shell out before any of the bills are paid, but unlike 2017 when the Sask. Party government slashed programs like the Saskatchewan Transportation Company bus service and implemented major tax hikes like a onepercentage point provincial sales tax increase, Harpauer opted for a gentler approach after two tough years for all of us. Rather than a general PST increase, Harpauer expanded the PST to previously exempt items in which we are now paying the federal goods and services tax like "sporting events, concerts, museums, fairs, gym memberships and golf green fees". However, such changes won’t come until October 1 — after golf season and before the Grey Cup — to allow various organizations to have time to make adjustments. The government also hiked sin taxes — two cents a cigarette for that have 29 cents provincial taxes; however, what’s really driving the increase in 2022-23 government revenue —$17.2 billion this fiscal year is our good old natural resources that have been the staple of the Saskatchewan economy for years. A boycott of Russia and Belarus potash resulting from the invasion of Ukraine will result in $420-million more in potash royalties this year. Oil now trading at $115 US a barrel will result in $77-million more in resource surcharge that might even go higher, given that the government is only counting oil to average $75.75 US a barrel in the coming year. The upside of the commodity windfall is that it helps get us out of a worse budget deficit. The downside is that this budget makes us further depend on such natural resources that only accounted for about eight per cent of total government revenue last year. This year, resource revenues will account for about 16 per cent of revenues. Better news is a recovering economy means an added $104-million more in PST revenue. This likely afforded Harpauer the option of spending more - $17.6 billion in total in 2022-23 - $3.2-billion of which is capital project spending; however, the government is largely counting on $13.6 billion in private sector investment to drive the economy. That is allowing the government to focus on program funding to reduce surgical wait times and to recruit nurses. Many won’t see it as doing enough, but coming out of two tough years, the budget is doing a surprising amount.

Saskatchewan is back on track. A vastly improved financial picture has allowed our government to present a budget for 2022-23 that will touch all corners of the province. This budget will support Saskatchewan people, foster a strong and growing economy, and build a strong Saskatchewan for future generations. This budget strengthens and protects Saskatchewan with key investments into priorities such as health care, social services and assistance, education and protection of persons and property. A record $3.2 billion in capital investments will focus on needed infrastructure like hospitals, schools, highways, municipal and Crown projects. Our government will use this budget to improve health care services across the province, such as our efforts to tackle the surgical waitlist caused by the pandemic. We have committed $21.6 million to reduce wait times by performing an additional 7,000 surgeries this year, compared to last year and increasing each subsequent year. We will also work on capacity by creating a new independent recruitment agency to bring more health care professionals to Saskatchewan. Here at home, another 150 nursing seats are being funded in our post-secondary institutions to train more Saskatchewan graduates. Recognizing the importance of education, our 27 school divisions will receive nearly $2.0 billion in operating funding for the 2022-23 school year. The increase fully funds the 2 per cent salary increase as part of the Teachers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement along with hiring an additional 200 full-time educational assistants. Our government has also provided an additional $1.8 million to help cover unexpected staffing costs from the 202122 school year. A changing entertainment industry will bring Saskatchewan’s film and television industry back into the spotlight. The 2022-23 Budget includes an $8 million increase for the Creative Saskatchewan Production Grant Program. More streaming content has resulted in more opportunities for Saskatchewan businesses. Only Saskatchewan labour, goods, and services are eligible for support, ensuring the funds stay in the province. Municipalities will see more support in this budget with $262 million through Municipal Revenue Sharing. The unconditional funding helps lay the foundation for stronger communities and a stronger Saskatchewan. Since 2007, more than $3.7 billion has supported municipalities and the needs that matter most to them. Making life more affordable for Saskatchewan families, our province continues to have some of the lowest personal taxes in the country. A Saskatchewan family of four pays no provincial income tax on their first $53,435 of combined income, more than twice the limit compared to 2007. A family of four with $100,000 in total income pays $2,084 less this year compared to 2007. Affordable, accessible, high-quality child care is a key priority through the Federal-Provincial Early Years agreements. We are creating 28,000 new spaces by the end of March 2026 with an end goal of bringing down the average fee for regulated child care to $10-a-day. A favourable investment climate and positive outlook for Saskatchewan have resulted in $13.6 billion in new private investment for major projects. The work by investors and corporations will create 9,000 construction jobs and more than 2,300 permanent positions. Saskatchewan has the second highest rate of job growth in Canada and just last year, saw 30,000 new jobs province wide. Overall, revenue is forecast to reach $17.2 billion, with expenses totalling $17.6 billion. A $2.1 billion improvement over last year, the deficit for 2022-23 is projected to be $463 million. We plan to keep this trend going with smaller deficits in each of the next three years, reaching a balanced budget for the 2026-27 budget cycle. These are just a few of the exciting announcements to come from this year’s budget. More details regarding individual programs and services will be unveiled in the coming weeks and months. Our provincial economy is back on track. Provincial finances on back on track. And that allows government services to get back on track. The 2022-23 Budget protects and strengthens our province, ensuring investments made today are sustainable into the future.

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 - MARCH 31, 2022 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

BEAT Police Look For Assistance in

POLICE

Break Enter

Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers (SCS) and the Warman RCMP are asking for public assistance with a break and enter that took place on Saturday, March 27th in the RM of Vanscoy. A family was lured off of their property by an unknown male subject with the promise of having their stolen dog returned to them. According to SCS, the dog, Chiko, is an 18-month-old French bulldog that has been missing for over a week. The male subject agreed to meet the family in Martensville to return Chiko; however, did not show up at the agreed location. The family later returned to their home and found that it had been ransacked and several items along with cash and jewelry were taken. If anyone has information on the missing dog, or the break and enter, contact SCS at 1-800-222-8477 to leave an anonymous tip, or visit www.saskcrimestoppers.com. If your tip leads to an arrest or charge, you may be eligible for a reward of up to $2000.

Business & Professional

CALL 306-668-1093