Melfort City Hall. (File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

Federal budget reaction

Melfort mayor reacts to federal budget

Mar 20, 2019 | 12:59 PM

The city of Melfort and area will feel some effects from yesterday’s federal budget announcements.

The main one according to Mayor Rick Lang will be the carbon tax implementation which will increase municipal costs.

“That’s something that we hadn’t budgeted for but we are going to have to deal with now,” Lang said. “That’s the bigger negative concern I’ll say.”

He is taking positives from the gas tax that is said to have a double refund.

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“Currently we get a certain amount of gas tax refunded or reallocated back to the municipalities that we can use for infrastructure,” Lang said.

The city is in bad need of the refunds to help cover costs with water loss that is currently running in excess of 20 per cent.

“That means for every five gallons that goes through the SaskWater plant and is billed to the City of Melfort only four of those gallons we get revenue back for,” Lang said.

It has a ‘definitive impact’ according to Lang to the tune of around $200,00 a year.

“So far in 2019, according to the water line breaks that we have had, things aren’t getting any better,” Lang said.

The federal/provincial infrastructure grants will be beneficial to the city if applications are accepted.

Lang estimates to make the necessary repairs to the water system in Melfort is about $12 million.

The provincial budget will be announced on Wednesday afternoon and Lang said the city is looking forward to a few things.

“We are still looking for some movement on the promise that was articulated in the provincial budget of 2010 with respect to CT services within the city which would be of benefit to the entire Northeast,” Lang said.

There was a previous plan for a CT scanner at the Melfort Hospital, which was later rescinded.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: Angie_Rolheiser