Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
This photo, from the RM of Weyburn webpage, shows the council chambers. There were about eight seats round the outside. The other 21 people stood for more than three hours while gopher control and a scholarship took precedence. RM of Weyburn
And there was only one applicant for the scholarshp
I’ve covered municipal councils in Saskatoon, Rosetown, North Battleford and occasionally Battleford. I’ve even popped my nose into Estevan a time or two. None of those many years of experience prepared me for what I saw on April 4, at the RM of Weyburn.
Up for discussion was the most insignificant of items for a mammoth project. That project was the Seven Stars Energy Project, a 200 megawatt wind farm to be built in the RM of Weyburn and RM of Griffin. Enbridge, the pipeline giant, is the proponent, along with six other Indigenous bands and organizations.
In my previous column about the project, I used the value of the recently completed 200 megawatt Bekevar Yotin Wind Facility, just 100 kilometres away. It was valued at $345 million when work began the summer of 2023. It went online last November.
But Enbridge’s project manager told me on Friday this project would be worth more than $500 million. That’s more than a half billion dollars.
There was a relatively minor matter to be addressed by council. There was a 2013 bylaw on the books that limited the height of commercial wind turbines to 45 meters. As the previous reeve told me, (he was in attendance to support the project), the RM had adopted some bylaws from the RM of Corman Park. Apparently there was a reference to wind turbines that no one had really paid much attention to, so now it would need to be dealt with.
That’s because the turbines that Enbridge is proposing are in the 180 metre range for height, four times the currently allowed limit.
Municipalities change minor things like this all the time to make allowances for this thing or that. This was not a big deal.
One of the posterboards presented on Dec. 11. Enbridge
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Apparently a big deal
Except everything regarding the Seven Stars Energy Project is apparently a big deal. And the strident opponents are using every strategy in the book, from billboards to lawfare to obstruct the project.
Indeed, part of what transpired next appeared to be some of that lawfare – using legal processes to throw a monkey wrench into things. More on that in a bit.
While the opponents of the project to date have had the loudest say, proponents are now making their voices heard. Some of those even are hoping to find work on the project for their companies and staff – people who pay mortgages and taxes in Weyburn and area. Knowing there was going to be opposition to this minor procedural affair, many proponents came out to be present in showing their support.
The doors to the RM of Weyburn’s office building would open at 8:30 a.m., but before 8:00 a.m. many people had started gathering in the chilly morning air. I started counting shivering noses and came up with 29 – two media (including myself), four representatives from Enbridge (one of which caught the late flight the previous night to get here), about six opponents, and about 17 proponents. I could be off one or two on those last two groups, but it was close to that. There was roughly a 3:1 ratio of proponents to opponents.
When the doors opened, they said only 40 could be allowed in because space was limited. I chimed in that there were 29 of us, so all were allowed in.
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Standing room
The reeve, recently elected Bud Grohn, called the meeting to order. There were about eight to ten chairs around the outside of the room, which meant the rest had to stand. And stand they did. No additional chairs were brought in from other offices, unless those 8 chairs were from offices. Apparently gallery seating has never been much of an issue before.
I raised my phone to take some photos and put my two voice recorders on the table beside the reeve. I was promptly admonished that photos or recording were not allowed. My protests that I had never had an issue with recording at any of the other councils I had covered were rebuffed. Later in the day I was shown the text in the appropriate bylaw which effectively limited freedom of the press.
The reeve began again. Apparently there were several items on the agenda which required the council to go in-camera (closed off to the public and media.) My understanding was several of these were code of ethics complaints, and I believe at least some were related to the wind project (this is the lawfare I referred to).
As I said above, I have many, many years experience covering municipal councils, big and small. When you have a room full of people upset about something, it is common practice to move that item up to as near to the top of the agenda as possible. That way they’re not stewing in their juices, and the room can be cleared quickly so normal business can carry on.
Is that was Reeve Grohn did? Nope.
He went through every single line item on the agenda. We were all punted at least twice for them to work through the in-camera sessions. Then they progressed through the agenda one point at a time, as if it was a normal day.
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High priced help
Except it wasn’t a normal day. There were four high-priced help representatives from one of the largest companies in Canada standing there, cooling their heels and without chairs, for three hours and 15 minutes.
What was more pressing business for the RM of Weyburn, other than the wind project worth in excess of $500 million dollars? What needed to be addressed before the half billion dollar investment into the Weyburn area?
Well, two delegations that had given prior notice were allowed their chance to speak. And fair enough – they properly used the processes available.
Some talk revolved around trying to figure out how to work with the neighbouring RM of Griffin, which will also be host to part of the project. Discussion focused on sending a letter to Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison in support of the project. One councillor noted it was “tearing our RM apart.”
But then they had other matters to attend to. More important matters.
For instance – the sole applicant for a scholarship will be awarded said scholarship.
Ratepayers will be able to get a pail of gopher control chemicals free of charge, but have to pay for any additional pails.
An agreement to hire on a grader as needed was approved. The rate was $200 per hour and was to include both fuel and cutting edges for the grader’s blade.
One gentleman came to speak to the council about some civil work. Two representatives from the Ministry of Highways provided an update on the twinning and roundabout work on Highway 39.
Only after the lucky scholarship recipient and gopher control were put to bed and more than three hours since the beginning of the meeting did the matter 29 people came to hear about get its due.
The RM’s development officer put forward the proposed bylaw amendment to delete the height limit and instead have that included in the development permit application.
First reading of the amendment would allow two weeks of advertisement in the local paper before public hearing. (They better revise that procedure quick – Glacier Media shut down the Estevan Mercury in January, and the Weyburn Review, like all other print media, could fold at any time.)
The first reading carried rather quietly. Whew. All that for what was essentially a nothing burger.
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45 letters in support
In the correspondence the agenda on the screen listed letters of support from Gibson Welding, Weyburn District Planning Commissions, Weyburn Businesses and Dan Cugnet. It was pointed out that 45 letters have been received in support of the project. Their messages apparently mentioned a global shift to renewable energy, support from agriculture and landowners, and a warning that a discouraging message was being sent to future investors.
I wish I had better notes, but since I couldn’t record the meeting, that’s as good as I got.
Over those many years in Saskatoon, Rosetown, North Battleford and Battleford, I have sat in countless meetings where economic development – of any type – was the focus. Every community wondered what rock they had to look under to find any sort of new business venture that might set up in their town and hire one, two or ten people. Maybe, just maybe, they could get some taxes out of it. That is after they all did the standard offer of no taxes for the first three years of occupancy. That’s what seems to pass for economic development in Saskatchewan. Brighter ideas are few and far between.
But here’s one of the most reputable and valuable companies in Canada, with 75 years of history, coming to the RM of Weyburn, and offering to build a project more than a half billion dollars in value. Most of that would fall in this particular RM.
They didn’t beg and plead for three years of no taxes (an offer any business whose owner has a pulse and can fog a mirror gets in almost any municipality in Saskatchewan). They asked for a simple change to a frankly stupid and out of date bylaw. And their project manager – the guy responsible for spending that half billion-plus, stood there for over three hours and wasn’t even offered a chair.
Other communities would have rolled out the red carpet and asked if they wanted their T-bone steak medium or rare? Not this one. Not the RM of Weyburn.
Other RMs, other towns and cities would offer up burnt sacrifices to God for such an opportunity.
Not this one.
Apparently they know better.
Or maybe they have a lot to learn.
Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online. He can be reached at brian.zinchuk@pipelineonline.ca
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