While the pandemic affected every aspect of life in 2020, Mayor Fraser Tolmie was still inspired by the compassion that residents showed others throughout the year.
The community “chartered a course” through unknown territory last year as the coronavirus pandemic upended everyday life, Tolmie said during a year-in-review interview. He thought residents reacted well, considering almost no one alive has experienced this before.
“I’ve been very impressed. We’ve all faced challenges, whether professionally or personally, but we’ve always seen the goodness of people come out,” he continued, pointing out that instead of dwelling on the challenges, residents helped others.
“I’m always impressed with how the human spirit endures in that kind of time and how people can think outside of their own problems and help others,” Tolmie added. “It just builds us up as a community.”
Highlights of the year
Foundational work was undertaken for the future construction of the SaskPower natural gas plant and the joint-use school on South Hill, while city council salvaged the Canadian Tire deal, all of which built confidence in the business community, said Tolmie. These are strong economic drivers and the community will see results down the road.
“The timing of those are very, very important, especially with the challenges we’re facing,” he continued. “We’re very excited, but that does not mean we can now coast. We’re back in the office and we’ll be looking at what other businesses we can attract.”
City hall is speaking with companies interested in coming to or expanding in Moose Jaw, which will continue to ensure economic development and job growth occur, Tolmie said.
With a chuckle, the mayor said he was not ready to say what businesses might be coming to Moose Jaw or looking to expand. Instead, he preferred to wait until any deal is signed, sealed and delivered. Moreover, those businesses need to complete their own “due diligence” before announcing anything.
Carpere Canada
Issues with Carpere Canada arose throughout the year, whether related to the former Valley View Centre property, the Moose Jaw Agri-Industrial Park, or the Seventh Avenue Southwest bridge.
Tolmie declined to say anything about Carpere, pointing out the Vancouver-based company owns a business here — the Grant Hotel — and is looking to develop property.
When asked about the Seventh Avenue Southwest bridge situation, Tolmie replied, “I’m not going to go there. Don’t even start that.” When reminded that this was a big issue in 2020, Tolmie said city administration is looking for a reasonable and cost-effective solution to fix the bridge, with council making motions to that effect in December.
Council pay raise
The mayor and six city councillors approved pay raises for themselves in July. The mayor’s wages increased to $100,068 from $82,303, or more than 21 per cent, while councillors’ wages increased to $33,323 from $25,924, or 28.5 per cent.
“That was an independent report that was done prior to the election. Quite honestly, that report should have been done a long time ago … ,” Tolmie said. “This council has made huge sacrifices in the past, and we are here to prove our worth, and we will continue to do that by attracting new business and getting the work done in our community from the infrastructure that’s been neglected for the last 30 years.”
Wakamow Valley development
After 18 months of working with city administration, businessman Charles Vanden Broek approached council in September, wanting the Official Community Plan (OCP) amended to build a housing development in Wakamow Valley.
However, pushback from residents — including the creation of several petitions — led to Vanden Broek withdrawing his application in October.
Tolmie said the whole point of the OCP is to allow the community to voice its opinion — which is what it did in this situation — and is why the municipality has this process in place, adding there is nothing else to say unless the issue returns to council.
Elimination of tax increase
City council reopened the 2020 budget in the spring and summer and reduced the tax hike to zero per cent to ease the financial burden on residents and businesses.
This needed to happen because of what the community was experiencing and because costs could be saved since not all municipal buildings were open, said Tolmie, who thought it would have been unfair to continue in a business-as-usual manner.
It was a tough decision to reopen the budget, and something council might have to do again in 2021, he continued. However, the seven council members are elected officials who were chosen to make these tough decisions, take responsibility, and pay attention to what is happening locally, provincially, nationally and globally.
A positive outlook
“I also have to look at some of the positives we have,” Tolmie said, pointing to the bountiful crop grown last year and the importance of potash to the economy as examples. Moose Jaw is also a major transportation hub for rail and trucks, while businesses such as Mosaic Potash, Yara Potash, K&S Potash, CP Rail, Gibson Energy refinery, 15 Wing airbase, and Thunder Creek Pork Plant employ thousands of residents.
“We’ve been very fortunate because of our location and because of the industries that are necessary to keep other economies going … ,” he said. “We’ve been able to help out in a way that we’re able to get our product out to market.”
The year ahead
Tolmie said he looked forward in 2021 to continuing the foundational work that was begun last year, pursuing new opportunities, and fostering the community’s entrepreneurial spirit. Furthermore, council will work hard to ensure taxpayers’ dollars are properly spent, that projects are completed and that new businesses come here.
“I’m always optimistic, but I’m also a realist and I know we’re facing challenges,” he continued. “But those challenges are not always going to be here, and so I have to look beyond that, and that’s what I continue to do.
“This year will be a year of hope and I will thank the Lord that we are living in a country that looks after each other,” Tolmie added. “I’m proud of our city, I’m proud of our province and I’m proud of our country.”
