RM's calling for tax relief at the gas pump

Jun 07, 2022

Rising fuel costs are putting RMs in a financial pinch

Ray Orb, President of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities says the increase in gas prices is having a big impact on RM's as they try to maintain roads with heavy equipment that use substantial amounts of fuel.

"The cost of fuel has never been higher, and the ripple effect of high prices is exceptionally frustrating for rural municipalities, the increased cost of fuel directly impacts a municipalities' day-to-day operations as well as their budgets."

He notes an additional concern is that contracted jobs like road construction, gravel haulers, etc are now coming back to RM's trying to recoup their increased fuel costs through surcharges tied to cost escalation.

SARM is lobbying the Province and Ottawa to take action by providing tax relief at the gas pumps, something that is already being done in Alberta.

The topic is just one of many being discussed this week during SARM district meetings.

Other key issues remain the drought, rural crime, rural healthcare, broadband issues, agricultural drainage and more.

Monday's meeting was held in North Battleford, Tuesday meetings are set for Division 2 in Moose Jaw and Division 3 in Swift Current, Wednesday's meeting for Division 1 is in Kipling, Thursday is the Division 4 meeting in Kelvington.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.