Minister of Rural and Remote Health: Tim McLeod at September Chamber meeting
September 3, 2024, 8:09 am
Saskatchewan Minister of Rural and Remote Health Tim McLeod will speak at the September 10 meeting of the Moosomin Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber president Kevin Weedmark said he invited McLeod to speak at the meeting to discuss local issues.
“We have several issues in health care that we’re working with the provincial government on,” he said.
“One that has come to a successful conclusion is the Airport Expansion project. The $10.6 million project has been completed because the provincial government, Nutrien, local governments, and local businesses all worked together, and shared the cost. Now, with the 5,000 foot runway, we have a solid connection between the local area and Saskatoon, where pediatric care and stroke care for the province are centralized. With the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance, patients can now be transported between our region and Saskatoon in less than an hour, and doctors say it is already saving lives.
“We want to express our appreciation for the government’s support on that initiative, and highlight some of the other cutting-edge initiatives in the local region, like the medical residency program. Moosomin is the only community its size in Canada where medical graduates can complete their residency, and that program has helped add to our complement of 14 doctors and helped medical students by offering a residency in family medicine in a rural setting. Our first resident to complete her residency in the community has bought a house here with her family.”
He said the CT Scanner will also be raised at the September 10 Chamber meeting.
“We’ll also be discussing the plan for a CT Scanner for the Southeast Integrated Care Centre. The government said in the spring they would work with us on that, and we want to get an update on that file.”
Weedmark said he also invited community leaders from Grenfell to the meeting if they want to raise the issue of Grenfell’s nursing home project.
Also at the September Chamber meeting there will be discussion on Moosomin’s $30,000 residential construction incentive.
Councillor Murray Gray and Economic Development Officer Casey McCormac will be at the meeting to discuss the incentive.
Under Moosomin’s plan, if you develop a new housing unit in Moosomin—a home, an RTM, a modular home, a mobile home, a basement suite, a garage suite, a townhome, or a backyard suite—the town will pay you $30,000 once an occupancy permit is issued.
Build an apartment building, condo building, or multi-family housing development and the town will pay you $30,000 for the first door and $8,000 for each additional door.
The incentive plan applies to any residential building permit issued since August 21 of last year.
The cost of the program is covered by a $1 million federal Housing Accelerator Fund. Moosomin is one of only a handful of communities on the Prairies to be approved for grants under the Housing Accelerator Fund.
Moosomin is receiving $992,000 in funding. The town of Outlook and the City of Humboldt are the only two other municipalities in Saskatchewan to have Housing Accelerator funding announced in recent weeks.
There will also be a presentation from Play Fair Daycare at the September 10 Chamber meeting.
The daycare has been approved for 90 additional spaces, and is planning a second building to accommodate the new spaces.
The Southeast Cornerstone School Division is providing land at the south end of the MacLeod School playground for construction of the new daycare building.
The daycare will be financing part of the cost, using a government grant for part of the cost, and fundraising the rest of the cost.
The Chamber meeting is set for Tuesday, September 10 at the Canalta Hotel in Moosomin.
The meeting begins at 11:45 am and lunch is provided.
