Yorkton Mayor Aaron Kienle said a recent trip to Ottawa to talk about the need for federal dollars for the required wastewater treatment plant build in the city left him feeling confident support will be forthcoming.
“It was awesome. It went really well,” Kienle told Yorkton This Week.
Kienle said he went east with a certain amount of confidence for the experience gained when he made a similar trip with a number of mayors along with SUMA and SARM reps, but added he still felt some “pressure” in meeting federal officials in a more one-on-one scenario.
On this trip it was just Kienle putting forward the local need, and why the wastewater treatment plant was so important locally, as well as regionally, in regards to servicing agricultural processing.
During the recent visit Kienle met with senators David Arnot, Pamela Wallin, and Todd Lewis, MPs Cathay Wagantall (CPC), Yorkton-Melville and Burton Bailey (CPC), Red Deer, plus ministerial staff advisors to the Minister of Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, to Prime Minister Mark Carney, and to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities.
Kienle said meeting with a variety of department representatives was important because when funding needs are discussed at the federal level, it is important the interconnected departments are each aware of why the funding is deemed critical at the local level.
“You have to advocate for your project . . . explain the need,” he said, adding when it comes to money from provincial and federal governments they are limited so there is a need to put forward why your project is important enough to warrant funding. “It’s a much more competitive space. . . There’s less money and everything’s more expensive.”
Kienle added the trip was really about instilling an “understanding of Yorkton’s situation” with the officials he met. “You need to put in your face time. . . build relationships.” In doing that you are “not a random stranger . . . They trust you.”
It is a process Kienle said he feels confident will bear fruit in terms of funding dollars.
“I believe some funding source will arrive over summer, he said, adding while it likely will not be all they hope for he feels it will be enough to allow construction to begin in 2027.
Overall, it is still unclear what might be accessed for what is expected to be a $200-million plus project, or what the city share may ultimately be, but Kienle said it appears it might end up being the three levels of government each covering one-third of costs.
