Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities

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Registration: 6 of 7 (2024-10-22 to 2024-10-22)

Details Regarding the Identified Subject Matter

Subject matters	Details	Categories
Agriculture, Immigration, Labour	Ag Labour- Focus on timeliness and efficiency of immigration applications and reduce barriers so employers can access readily available employees. Federal government to constantly evaluate its processes and the requirements for newcomers to get proper permits to enter the Canadian workforce.	Regulation
Agriculture, Labour	Ag Labour – Incentivize employment and employee retention programs in rural areas of the country to aid in stabilizing much needed labourers.	Policies or Program
Agriculture, Labour	Ag Labour - Provide agricultural operations with the eligibility to apply for the Class 1A licensing for their employees through a grant funding program. Provide grants for employment training opportunities or programs to assist in gaining skills prior to busy times in the ag industry.	Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
Agriculture	Agriculture: Business Risk Management Program Suite under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership - In particular requesting changes to the AgriStability Program to provide enhanced support for producers.	Policies or Program
Agriculture	AgriStability - ensuring that it serves to maintain and increase the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.	Policies or Program
Transportation	Amendments to update the Navigable Waters Act so it reflects the current use of navigable waters and is less cumbersome.	Regulation
Agriculture, Health	Animal Health as it relates to the Bovine TB testing process and compensation to the livestock owner. Enhancements in the process are needed especially around communication and transparency to all stakeholders.	Regulation
Natural Resources	Aquatic invasive Species - Requesting federal government lead the fight to prevent spread of aquatic invasive species throughout Canada and Saskatchewan’s waters.	Regulation
Environment, Taxation and Finance	Bill C-234: An Act to amend Greenhouse Gas and Pollution Pricing Act – remove carbon tax from grain drying and barn heating.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Agriculture, Economic Development, International Trade	Bill C-282: An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management) – SARM advocates for a balanced approach that supports supply-managed sectors while protecting the interests of all agricultural producers and rural communities.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Agriculture, Health, Transportation	Bill C-293: An Act respecting pandemic prevention and preparedness – ensure this Bill addresses undermining of the agricultural sector’s viability and supply chain disruptions.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Natural Resources	Bill C-317: An Act to establish a national strategy respecting flood and drought forecasting – advocate for drought resilience as a vital component of the national strategy for flood and drought forecasting and collaboration with local stakeholders.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Financial Institutions, Taxation and Finance	Bill S-243: An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act and to make related amendments to other Acts – climate-aligned financial reporting will be a cost burden for agricultural producers, local municipal governments and small businesses in rural Saskatchewan.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Infrastructure	Bridge and Road Funding – Supply chain impacts Canada’s economy which shows the importance of maintaining strong transportation infrastructure. Rural Saskatchewan needs more funding for maintaining bridges and roads in order to carry agriculture, mining and forestry products to market.	Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit, Policies or Program
Telecommunications	Broadband – continue the investments in rural broadband and meet the CRTC’s targets of download speeds of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of at least 10 Mbps	Policies or Program
Telecommunications	Broadband - Requesting government investment to enhance services in rural Saskatchewan. “Use it or lose it” provisions in spectrum allocation and unused spectrum.	Policies or Program
Telecommunications	Broadband - SARM's key focus is to assist with addressing long-standing issues affecting broadband connectivity; and, advise and direct actions leading to a shared strategy, investment, and vision. The SARM Broadband Action Committee is committed to achieving broadband infrastructure parity by 2024, and exceed the CRTC standard by 2027, for all Saskatchewan residents, regardless of location.	Policies or Program
Telecommunications	Broadband – The Rural Broadband Action Committee is moving forward with bringing entities together that will help bring affordable, reliable broadband connectivity to rural Saskatchewan	Policies or Program
Infrastructure, Municipalities	Canada Community Building Fund; eligibility requirements and thresholds. Requests to maintain the Fund and to reduce related administrative requirements for RMs.	Regulation
Agriculture	Canadian Agriculture Partnership; ensuring that it serves to maintain and increase the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.	Policies or Program
Taxation and Finance	Capital Gains Inclusion Rate - The number of farms could dwindle and plans for succession may be hindered by the introduction of this new tax policy change. Also it could negatively affect the unemployment rates in this country and scare away future investors and entrepreneurs.	Regulation
Industry, Taxation and Finance	Carbon tax; impact of carbon tax on Saskatchewan’s agricultural producers and municipalities.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Industry, Taxation and Finance	Carbon Tax/Offset – Requesting Canada follow the EU and remove carbon tax from natural gas bill. Carbon credits would help balance between environmental protection and economic growth. SARM participating in development of provincial offset program that is meaningful for agriculture producers and equivalent to a federal program.	Policies or Program
Animal Welfare	Chronic wasting disease; policies to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease.	Policies or Program
Agriculture	Control of Richardson Ground Squirrels with regard to research and control methods, including the use of Strychnine	Policies or Program
Municipalities	Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA); with respect to increasing the compensation for use of municipally owned equipment.	Policies or Program
Agriculture	Drought Impact - Business risk management tools will have to be maintained and possibly enhanced if drought conditions continue.	Policies or Program
Economic Development	Economic Development - SARM seeks to find ways to expand the rural workforce, explore ideas that foster innovation, be a catalyst for economic investments and provide rural municipalities with the much-needed tools to ensure that Saskatchewan can continue to support Canada's economic growth and development.	Policies or Program
Taxation and Finance	Emergency response fund; the establishment of an emergency response fund will give fire departments the resources they need to continue providing essential services without risk of non-payment.	Policies or Program
Energy	Emissions regulations – industries are heavily dependent on fossil fuels to produce energy, food, fertilizer, products and commodities needed around the world. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gases should not disadvantage one region of Canada more than another	Regulation
Infrastructure	Energy Infrastructure - Advancing the notion that Pipelines are a safer mode of transportation than rail to the Canadian Energy Regulator.	Regulation
Agriculture, Energy	Energy- Reliable source options and the importance of affordable access for rural Saskatchewan and the need for providing incentives for agricultural operations to adopt emission-reducing practices.	Policies or Program, Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
Justice and Law Enforcement	Enhancements to the Criminal Code: review penalties for repeat offenders.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Agriculture	Federal fertilizer emission reduction targets: SARM is concerned with the impact this will have on the agricultural sector.	Regulation
Agriculture	Fertilizer reduction – focus on an absolute emissions reduction, rather than an intensity-based target, is misplaced and will likely cause severe economic harm & more emissions can be reduced through increased uptake of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program while improving the competitiveness and profit of farmers	Policies or Program
Agriculture	Financial assistance programs for agricultural producers, ensuring that they serve to maintain and increase competitiveness and success of the agricultural sector.	Policies or Program
Justice and Law Enforcement	Firearms: Participating in consultations on reducing violent crime; consultations on Canada's gun laws.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Environment, Infrastructure	Fisheries Act; ensure it effectively balances the need for habitat protection with the need for municipal infrastructure development.	Regulation
Agriculture, Climate, Infrastructure	Food Security – the importance of enhancing agricultural infrastructure, mitigating food inflation and rising fuel costs, ensuring fertilizer availability and recognition for sustainable farming practices.	Policies or Program, Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
Agriculture, Municipalities	Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act and Clean Fuel Regulations; in regard to the impact it will have on Western Canada's agricultural producers and municipalities.	Regulation
Infrastructure, Municipalities	Infrastructure funding; ensuring eligibility requirements and thresholds allow rural municipalities to access infrastructure funding.	Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
Infrastructure, Municipalities	Infrastructure funding programs for municipalities with regard to the need for continued and increased levels of funding.	Policies or Program, Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
International Trade	International trade with respect to Canola exports	Regulation
Justice and Law Enforcement	Justice and Law Enforcement with regard to amending acts and regulations relative to the possession and acquisition of firearms.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Agriculture	Landownership - concerns over regulating out-of-province landownership in regards to land use and management in ways that interest the local community. Stricter regulations on land purchases.	Regulation
Agriculture, Environment	Liberal Fertilizer reduction plan and the need for a balanced approach between the environment and agriculture industry as it relates to food security.	Regulation
Health	Mental Health – the need for the building of more treatment centers for mental health issues and treatment for addictions. The importance of funding for mental health support for youth and accessibility for help options for youth.	Policies or Program, Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
Municipalities	Municipal access to Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant for class 1A driver training.	Regulation, Policies or Program
Municipalities, National Security/Security	Mutual aid agreements; formalizing mutual aid agreements is important because RMs need assurance that they will be reimbursed for providing emergency services to neighbouring municipalities and First Nations.	Regulation
National Security/Security	National Disaster Mitigation Program; to ensure mitigation projects and strategically and effectively undertaken.	Policies or Program
Infrastructure, Municipalities	Navigation Protection Act; placed administrative and financial burdens on municipal infrastructure projects.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Health	Pesticide regulations: strongly support maintaining a science based and evidence based approach to pesticide management. The regulation of pesticides needs to consider the importance of food security.	Regulation
Industry	Pipeline: The pipeline as a greener alternative to shipping oil and gas and the positive effect on Saskatchewan	Regulation
Agriculture, Immigration, Labour	Provide comments on the need for improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program.	Policies or Program
Transportation	Rail Safety; Transporting dangerous goods by rail. Grade crossing improvements.	Regulation
Transportation	Railway/supply chain concerns especially around being able to move the crop from harvest to ports. Declare railways as an essential service.	Regulation
Municipalities, National Security/Security	RCMP costs - related costs coupled with rising policing costs overall could result in significant financial burdens for municipalities	Regulation
Municipalities, National Security/Security	RCMP – given the economic increase/market adjustments in the collective agreement, pay increases total more than 23 per cent over the six years, retroactive to 2017 & SARM is calling on the federal government to fully absorb all retroactive pay increases that the federal government negotiated	Regulation
National Security/Security	RCMP presence in rural Saskatchewan. Preventing rural crime.	Policies or Program
Fisheries	Road and Bridge Projects and the projects near water review process. Timely approval of these reviews is a concern as this impacts project construction timelines that are time sensitive.	Regulation
Justice and Law Enforcement	Rural Crime; in regard to potential need for provincial police force	Policies or Program
Health	Rural Healthcare & Recruitment - funding for increase recruitment and retention of healthcare workers in remote rural areas of Saskatchewan	Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
Environment	Species at Risk Act (SARA); mitigating negative effects of SARA.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Agriculture, Infrastructure	The Canada Infrastructure Bank - Irrigation infrastructure for agriculture in Saskatchewan. Need a joint infrastructure agreement with Saskatchewan.	Policies or Program
Aboriginal Affairs	The Rural Municipal (RM) Tax Loss Compensation Trust Fund tied to Treaty Land Entitlement agreements continues to decrease and appears to be unsustainable without municipalities absorbing significant reduction in monies from the fund. The agreements need to be updated.	Policies or Program
International Trade	Trade Agreements; including Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) and United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), our request is to better international trade for agriculture producers.	Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
Transportation	Transportation policy and regulation with regard to grain, grain products and products for agriculture generally.	Regulation, Policies or Program
Health	Vaccine Development: resulting from the COVID-19, SARM would like to see vaccine development in SK and throughout the Country - SARM supports VIDO's initiatives	Regulation
Infrastructure	Water Infrastructure – the need for funding to develop and enhance water storage, conservation and distribution systems to mitigate drought conditions.	Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
Agriculture, Economic Development, Natural Resources	Water management – A balanced Water Stewardship Policy is needed in Saskatchewan to promote sustainable agriculture, protect resources, and drive economic growth.	Policies or Program
Environment, Science and Technology	Water treatment systems; alternative water treatment technologies continue to be explored and, where feasible, applicable regulations and guidelines be updated to allow for the most efficient use of those technologies.	Regulation