And for good reason: with all the benefits in the near and far future that will come from the build on top of the work that went into just getting it to happen, Friday’s official announcement of the beginning of construction was momentous.
“I’ve been saying every time that I’m talking to someone today that I’m so excited,” Tolmie said during a special event at the worksite marking the occasion. “There’s an element of relief and celebration and joy and it’s a culmination of all those emotions after all the hard work we’ve put into this.”
The project first came to public light a couple of years ago when city council began considering officially taking a run at it. That began an arduous process filled with many meetings and a lot of behind-the-scenes work to convince the provincial powers-that-be that Moose Jaw was the right fit.
“There were numerous times I’ve said along the way that this project faced challenges,” Tolmie said. “Initially we weren’t considered for this, so we went after it. Our team worked very hard to convince SaskPower and the province that this was the right location.
“Then we faced challenges when there were concerns about carbon tax and carbon pricing and I contacted the Premier and Minister Duncan to grandfather this project. Then we reached out to the federal government because there were delays and we were dealing with a pandemic… there was a lot that had to be done to bring this here, a lot of communication.”
Just driving into the project site offered an example of what that work accomplished. Signs loaded with local businesses line the road, showing off how much of an impact the power station build will have.
“These are all local businesses that are contributing to these projects, so they’re able to put bread and butter on the table for their employees and their families,” Tolmie said. “That’s a huge momentum swing for our community, and so we’re very, very excited not only about this project, but what this project could mean to the community in the future for other projects.”
Tolmie used Stone Age Enterprises as an example of a beneficiary. A local outdoor restroom company, they had little going on prior to the build thanks to the pandemic. Now, their porta-potties are all over the site.
“So we’re happy to see things like that, people need jobs and this just came at the right time,” Tolmie said.
The city will also be more than happy to welcome the 60 or so permanent jobs that will come from SaskPower employees and contractors once the project is finished. That, of course, on top of the 500 or so jobs over the next three years as construction continues.
“So those are long-term jobs for this community and they’re good-paying jobs, and that’s what we want to attract,” Tolmie said.
All in all, the Great Plains Power Station is the culmination of a lot of hard work from many sources, and the benefits are already being felt.
“We have a great team and a great council to approve these projects, because they see what this can do for the City of Moose Jaw,” Tolmie said. “You drive around the city and you can see the impact, I go into a restaurant and they’re happy because they feel they’re getting clientele and that’s how they survive. So it’s happening and it’s a good trickle-on effect.”
