KAMSACK — A garbage and recycling strategy and the Build Canada Homes grant were among items to concern Kamsack town council at its regular meeting of Feb. 9.
Council talked about the public meeting to be held at the OCC Hall on Feb. 24, when a commercial garbage and recycling strategy for the community would be discussed. Information regarding the strategy has been sent to all business owners within the community.
“Over the last few months, council and administration have been conducting a study on garbage and recycling costs within the Town of Kamsack,” says the letter sent by Barry Hvidston, chief administrative officer.
“In 2025, there was approximately $70,000 being charged to taxes over and above the utility billing. With no changes, and the town’s garbage now going to the Yorkton landfill, the estimated costs will be much greater in 2026.”
The letter shows that the residential fees and taxes are vastly subsidizing the commercial businesses within the town, resulting in a loss of nearly $70,000 in 2025 and an estimated loss of $218,000 in 2026.
Council proposes to remove the garbage and recycling fees from utility bills for commercial properties, while the residential fee structure will remain the same, the letter states. Businesses would be charged directly based on the actual fees charged to the Town by OSS (Ottenbreit Sanitary Services). This is a combination of the number of bins that the individual business has and how many times they are emptied.
Multiple businesses may use one bin, with the fees being split between the businesses involved, the letter states.
It is further proposed that locking bars and locks would be placed on all commercial bins to ensure the bins that the commercial businesses to which they are assigned are the only ones with access to them.
All of this was to be discussed at the public meeting.
Councillors said they were “100 per cent behind” a proposal that has the Yorkton Tribal Council investigating the Build Canada Homes Grant, which is part of a federal $13 billion program across Canada.
Fitz Shaw, the Town’s economic development officer, said that the Tribal Council is interested in a feasibility study for municipalities and First Nation communities which see a demand for housing.
Each municipality and First Nations community that joins this venture strengthens the application, Shaw explained. There is no cost at the beginning of the process, although there may be a cost associated with the program later on, depending on how it proceeds.
Meetings are being organized in March to acquire additional information and depending on the results of those meetings, council may or may not wish to continue with the project, he said.
Shaw also told Council that the Broda Sportsplex and the OCC Hall are showing their age and suggested five and 10-year plans for the buildings, which require some care.
He said that he is looking at grants for painting and upgrading of the Broda Centre.
Hvidston told council that legal advice has been sought for the Broda Sportsplex, which has developed serious issues because of leaks in the roof and advice was to hire a consultant.
Council was not opposed to Petro Canada opening a vape shop in a small, separate building to be erected on the Petro Canada property. The business would be open at regular business hours and entrance would be restricted to persons 19 years of age and older.
