A new pilot program has been developed to deal with two issues at the same time, removing derelict buildings in rural municipalities and providing training opportunities for local volunteer fire departments.
Details were announced Tuesday at the beginning of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual convention in Saskatoon.
Derelict buildings pose public safety and economic issues for municipalities hindering development and posing safety hazards.
During the spring legislative session, the provincial government will address any regulatory or legislative changes required. Following several legislative changes, the Province expects the first training sessions to take place in fall of 2025. Details of the pilot framework will be developed and available to municipalities by this summer.
“We are making it easier for municipalities to tackle long-standing concerns about derelict buildings, while taking into account the safety of residents and consideration of environmental concerns,” Environment Minister Travis Keisig said in a news release. “This pilot project will be a great example of collaboration that benefits communities across the province.”
SARM is pleased with the announcement.
“SARM is pleased to hear the provincial government is initiating a pilot program to assist rural municipalities with the removal and remediation of derelict buildings they have been forced to assume title on,” SARM President Bill Huber said in the same news release. “Rural municipalities want to encourage families to live, work and stay in rural Saskatchewan, and nothing is more discouraging than a surplus of abandoned buildings.”
President of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, Randy Golden, says when left untouched, derelict buildings provide the perfect spot for rodents to live and children to get hurt, so she is excited about the pilot project.
Also pleased with the announcement was Louis Cherpin, the President of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Fire Fighters Association. Cherpin says the pilot project will allow them to bring training to the next level.
“Without it, we’re handicapped to training on wild land because we can burn grass and train on that kind of stuff,” said Cherpin. “For the most part, we all do a pretty good job (putting out) grass fires but typically house fires or structure fires and rescues we don’t do a very good job on it, because we don’t train enough on it and this will give us the ability to train on it.”
Prior to the announcement, Cherpin says certain laws, especially those related to the environment, have been hampering firefighters’ ability to train effectively; he stressed the environmental laws have their place but is glad the province intends to “loosen up the standards”. There are also challenges that come with fighting rural fires compared to battling urban ones.
“A typical firefighter only gets training when it’s live and that’s dangerous because adrenaline kicks in, your tunnel-vision kicks in, and you’re not trained on the other aspects like fallen roofs and those kinds of things.” said Cherpin.
They will only be able to train on buildings that were acquired by the municipality through arrears; properties still tied to a landowner will remain untouched.
(With files from CJWW)