SARM was pleased with the announcements made in yesterday’s Speech from the Throne. “Investments in infrastructure, agriculture and healthcare are always welcomed by our Members, as these are three important areas for rural Saskatchewan”, said SARM President David Marit.
The Province reiterated its commitment of a $2.5 billion investment in vital infrastructure by 2016 and to having funding available to partner with the Federal Government and municipalities on a renewed Building Canada Fund. “The continued commitment by the Province to invest billions in infrastructure, including the twinning of two well-travelled highways, and to have money available to leverage Federal funds through the new Building Canada Fund only mean additional opportunities for rural municipalities (RM) to address some outstanding infrastructure concerns,” says President Marit.
SARM was also encouraged to hear that the Province has promised nearly $30 million to agricultural research for this year, including $3 million for the Global Institute for food security. “The added funding, improvements made to the Crop Insurance Program and pledge to develop a Western Canadian Livestock Price Insurance Program are only a few of the many indications made in the speech that the agriculture sector plays an important role in the success of the provincial economy,” said Marit.
Another area of importance to rural Saskatchewan that was addressed in the speech was health care. The Province touched on the $10 million Urgent Issues Fund that was created to improve the quality of care seniors are receiving in personal care homes and promised the announcement of a new program that will enable some of our elderly to receive house calls from a variety of health care providers.
“We look forward to further details of the Governments’ plan for 2014 and to working with the Province to achieve goals outlined in the Speech from the Throne today,” said President Marit.
For more information contact:
David Marit
SARM President
Cell: (306) 536-2948
