Mayor Tony Sernick, who had been sworn in just a few hours before we spoke, shares with us the excitement, optimism, and positivity he’s seen over the last four years as City Councillor, with the revitalization of the downtown and the energy-related projects under development at SETH. It made him decide to run for the position of mayor, he says, “to keep all of that going ahead.”

He notes that Estevan has been all about energy for 150 years—oil, gas, and coal—and now as the world transitions away from those fuels, the city will continue to be all about energy—nuclear, geothermal, and solar. “We are going to be doing just about everything under the sun to maintain Estevan as the energy city,” he says. Even, as it turns out, using coal.

Reimagining coal for a sustainable future
City Manager Jeff Ward says that, “We fully understand the current federal climate mandates require that traditional coal burning facilities need to be shut down by 2030.” One of Mayor Sernick’s priorities is to ensure the coal-fired electric power generation assets the city has can be used to the end of their life cycle, “but by no means are we putting our heads in the sand because we want to be part of a cleaner, greener energy future.”

A key part of that, he tells us, is identifying how coal by-products—graphite and hydrogen—can play a critical role in achieving a clean energy future while maintaining employment for miners and offering exciting economic development opportunities for investors.

“Our coal is a little different from that found in other parts of the country,” explains Gord More, Executive Director of SETH. “It is prehistoric peat that has been barely fossilized and still has its original organic structure. Under a microscope it has a similar structure as graphite.”

SETH opened in May 2022 with support from the community and provincial and federal governments. It is a registered, incorporated, non-profit organization that acts as a collaboration hub with a mission to inspire and nurture the growth of innovative and technology-based companies in southeast Saskatchewan.

Graphite, More explains, is widely used in industrial lubricants, in the core of nuclear reactors, and in the rods used to control the nuclear reaction. With a renewed interest in nuclear energy, particularly in small modular reactors (SMRs), having a readily available supply of good quality graphite—such as is found in the open pit mines surrounding Estevan where the ground has already been disturbed, making it easy to extract—will be of critical importance.

More tells us that 77 percent of all the graphite in the world comes from China, “and China has now placed an internal tariff on the product, requiring permission from the Communist Party to export it, which they are refusing to do so they can control the world’s markets.” The only other place where North American industry can get graphite is South Korea, “but it’s a synthetic substance and highly toxic. It creates pollution, which defeats the purpose of using it.”

Estevan, Ward tells us, has been identified by the Provincial government and Saskpower as the site for construction of SMRs, with work expected to begin in 2029 with operation by 2034. “If we can get those jobs and construction facilities at the same time, and start using coal in a different way, we can keep the mines operating and maintain those jobs,” he says.

Another project using coal involves the production of hydrogen, which More says is being looked at for passenger vehicles, for aviation, and for farm equipment, with CP Rail needing access to hydrogen now, as it has three hydrogen-powered locomotives.

Where Estevan comes into the equation is that it already has “the world’s only carbon capture coal plant, and that means we have the infrastructure for the recovery and carbon capture sequestration that the world is trying to build.” The city is therefore capable of converting coal to hydrogen that would meet both Canadian and U.S. standards for clean energy.

Researchers at the University of Chicago “have tested our process and our coal, and it passed as green hydrogen, and that’s extremely valuable to the world right now,” says More. “But we need private investors to bring these projects to fruition. We are receiving government funding, but private investors bring understanding and knowledge of the markets they work in, and we need that to make these products successful,” he explains.

“Both projects—graphite and hydrogen—have been de-risked significantly by government money, and we have gotten them to a place where a private investor would feel comfortable knowing they could make a great return on investment.”

Geothermal and solar energy
Geothermal energy is another advantage that Estevan enjoys, as it is sitting at the end of a geothermal line that extends to southern Saskatchewan from where it starts in the Yukon, says More. It is currently under development by the DEEP Earth Energy Company, a privately held corporation looking to provide geothermal resources for power generation, which could be integrated to supply greenhouses, fish farms, and food processing industries.

Then there’s the sun. Southern Saskatchewan has more sunlight hours than any other part of Canada, making solar energy a viable energy alternative for large-scale projects such as data centres, which could use a combination of solar and natural gas. If data-storing servers were to locate in Estevan, their owners would have a competitive advantage in saving on energy costs.

Innovation Centre for Energy Development
Last year SETH partnered with Southeast College’s Centre of Sustainable Innovation (CSI) to create the Innovation Centre for Energy Development (ICED). Its purpose is to provide an “ecosystem for companies and institutions to complete their applied research or product development projects in the region. This in turn will lead to projects being commercialized and manufactured in Saskatchewan, creating new industries, companies and jobs.”

To create that ecosystem, ICED would need to provide a hydrogen hub, says More. While most of the hydrogen created by the gasification of lignite coal would be sold to existing customers, some would be available for product development. A solar-powered data centre would be developed, to “not only provide a reference point for the industry, but also provide computing and AI power for our clients.”

An organic chemistry laboratory is one of the biggest requirements here, as the closest accessible lab is a five-hour drive, in Saskatoon. Currently, three active projects—coal conversion to graphite with The George Washington University; lithium extraction from brine with Legacy Water; and Buffalo Potash—would benefit from a local lab. Finally, having a microgrid would also allow various energy projects to tie into others to mimic a real-world environment, to test and refine their capabilities.

Location, location, location
Not only is Estevan ideally located to take advantage of multiple forms of energy, but it is also in an ideal location to do business. Just 16 km (9.9 miles) north of the U.S. border and equidistant from two urban centers, Regina, Saskatchewan and Minot, North Dakota, Estevan is situated on the central North American trade corridor. Businesses located there can enjoy direct access to markets in 10 U.S. states, as well as markets several hundred miles into Mexico, via the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway. The city also has access to the Can-Am and TransCanada Highways, and CN rail access to the east-west Canadian trade corridor, from Vancouver to Halifax.

To capitalize on the anticipated growth as Estevan transitions from being a coal-mining town, Ward says that the city had been eligible for federal funding, some of which was used to revitalize the downtown core, “to create the kind of community we will require if we are to move forward.”

Until eight years ago, the main highway doubled as the city’s main street, but after a bypass was constructed, attention has turned to making the downtown core pedestrian-friendly, connecting it to walking trails, working with the Chamber of Commerce to analyze needs, incentivizing small businesses—such as a coffee shop and a real estate office—to open with tax breaks, and funding existing businesses to refresh and enhance their storefronts.

“There will be a focus on building what works best for our downtown core. We are small, with a population around 10,000, but we are in a catchment of 50,000,” says Ward.

The city also has the aforementioned industrial park with available commercial lots, and within it is Southeast College and SETH, which provides incubation opportunity for small start-ups alongside its larger projects.

“As we transition from coal, we are trying to retool our labour force. We have a lot of coal miners with existing skill sets that would be available for new companies,” says Ward. “If a manufacturing or other light industry plant were to open, we have the people who could convert their skill sets to whatever is needed.”

Quality of life
Families relocating to Estevan will find an excellent quality of life, Ward says. The city has a regional hospital, six schools including a regional, comprehensive high school, and affordable housing.

“People who come here from urban areas to work, including digital nomads, can’t believe all the amenities we have for a city our size,” he says. “We have a $24 million arena/rink in Affinity Place, a world-class golf course that has previously earned the title of Facility of the Year in Saskatchewan, and the Estevan Motor Speedway, which continues to receive accolades. We have ball diamonds and parks, and it is a safe place—great for families.” It looks like sunny skies ahead.

The post Entering a New Energy Era<p class="company">City of Estevan, Saskatchewan</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Great business climate
Weyburn is not only among the province’s fastest-growing communities but is regarded as one of the most desirable areas to live and work. This vibrant community has long been committed to offering its citizens an outstanding standard of living via a business climate positively impacted by global economic conditions, particularly business activities related to agriculture, thanks to the region’s central location and longstanding agricultural heritage.

With major industries that include oil and gas—and the largest carbon capture and utilization facility in North America—there are numerous manufacturing and entrepreneurial opportunities to be had.

“All the funding we receive comes from those two municipalities and we work well with them,” says WRED Executive Director Monica Osborn, adding that there is also a Board of Directors which reviews suggestions and recommendations for proposed undertakings in Weyburn. “We recently went through a strategic plan that’s going to set us up from 2025 to 2027 to promote sustainable growth in our area.”

While WRED aims to be supportive and open to businesses looking for a home, its focus is also on ensuring that existing businesses remain happy with their location. To do that, WRED delves into what these businesses specifically require to achieve success.

“Our biggest milestone here is having a lot of businesses that have been in Weyburn for many years,” Osborn shares. “We have many multi-generational businesses that started from the ground up, and what’s unique about Weyburn is how many of our businesses are locally owned and operated, so there aren’t a lot of big-box stores here. It’s a little bit more of that small-town feel but with big-city amenities.”

An apt characterization of the community, she adds, is that it can offer so much even though the population sits at just over 11,000 residents within the city, with another 2,000 within the RM.

The warm, unpretentious, and friendly attitude of the residents is something WRED strives to maintain, along with a respectful and nurturing environment for business. “It’s great to have that down-home feel when you come into Weyburn,” says Osborn. “We also want to make sure businesses know we’re here to set a professional image for our region. We’re trying to work more within our region of southeast Saskatchewan as a whole, making it attractive for businesses that want to invest in our communities.”

Incentive programs
The City of Weyburn Incentive Programs encourage just that for both businesses and residents who can take advantage of the Commercial Incentive Program Façade & Site Improvements. This applies to existing or new businesses in a commercial location that are interested in making improvements to the façade of their building. Applicants receive a rebate of 25 percent of eligible costs up to $5,000 for improvements such as exterior lighting, signage, siding, landscaping, and more.

“There’s a long list of improvements that they can make to the exterior of their buildings which can be found on the City of Weyburn website,” says Osborn.

The New Construction incentive applies to new development/construction on vacant properties with tax abatements of 100 percent for up to five years, while the Vacant Buildings incentive extends to new businesses setting up in previously vacant commercial or industrial buildings. Tax abatement is also 100 percent for one year.

Meanwhile, “the Weyburn Builds Incentive Program is designed to encourage property owners to renovate or make improvements to the exterior of aging houses or new construction in mature areas in the city,” says Osborn. “Weyburn Builds provides owners who carry out new construction of a dwelling or RTM a property tax reduction of 75 percent for the first three years. This helps those property owners take some pride in fixing up older homes in their housing developments.”

The Show Home Incentive Program aims to encourage home builders, contractors, or businesses looking to develop new furnished homes in underdeveloped residential subdivisions throughout the city, she says, adding that there are about five subdivisions that can be utilized for these, with the tax abatement allowing developers to build homes and get them on the market. For both the Show Home and Spec Home Incentives, there is a tax abatement of 100 percent for up to three years.

And RM of Weyburn Incentive Programs include a Commercial/Industrial Bare Land Tax Exemption Policy to encourage new development within the municipality, a tax incentive provided to businesses who create employment in the rural municipality.

A boon for business
Even without these enticing incentives, the region boasts some impressive statistics. With a trading population of 45,000, a median household income of $80,000 in the city and $112,000 in the RM, and an estimated household spend of $110,233, residential taxes are the second lowest in Saskatchewan, while commercial taxes are among the five lowest rates in the province.

“The median age of our population is about 40, so that means prime employment opportunities for people accessing that labour force and looking to set up businesses,” Osborn says.

Helping businesses thrive is key, but WRED tackles a variety of other issues as well, including focusing on the housing shortage, an ongoing national concern.

“One of the things we’re going to be working on over the next couple of years is our housing growth,” Osborn says. “That means making sure we can attract not only businesses, but also residents to grow our population, and then with that will come more businesses and a growing amount of labour we can provide to businesses coming in.”

Another aspect of Weyburn’s appeal is its location. CPKC railway runs through Weyburn, connecting the region nationwide as well as down to Mexico, ensuring manufacturers can move their products globally. Three main highways also run through the city, two of which connect Weyburn to the United States and one provincially. Weyburn is also only an hour from a 24-hour port and an international airport, significantly benefitting residents and businesses alike.

A place of learning
Osborn also credits numerous local assets including the Credit Union Spark Centre, a state-of-the-art recreation and art facility that opened in October 2021, featuring a full-sized soccer field, batting cages, a running track, simulator rooms, and an art gallery. “Weyburn also has simulators and mini-gyms, meaning lots of things for kids to do,” she says. “The arts and cultural area also provides a place for people who want to engage in the arts outside of their home.”

The region’s impressive education system includes four large licensed Early Learning Childcare facilities, one of which is currently being renovated to bring an additional 90 daycare spaces to the community. Two primary school divisions offer schooling from kindergarten through Grade 12, complemented by post-secondary education through Southeast College. On a broader scale, the province houses two universities, two technical schools, and seven regional colleges with Saskatoon’s University of Saskatchewan, recognized for programs in agriculture, information technology, health services, and biotechnology, while The University of Regina specializes in petroleum engineering, climate change, health care, social work, justice, and education.

Looking to the future, a new hospital for Weyburn is on the horizon, slated to open in Spring, 2026.

“It’s a big milestone. It will be all brand new, which is huge for us,” Osborn says of the facility, which will allow the region to provide vital healthcare services to the immediate area and surrounding communities while potentially bringing in more medical clusters for residents.

Upgrading the region’s underground and road infrastructure has also been a priority, along with a recent upgrade of Weyburn’s water treatment facility, resulting in “good, clean water” for any potential new businesses or residents.

To be sure, Weyburn offers a wide variety of impressive attributes, activities, education, personal and business incentives, and, of course, location benefits, to a broad range of prospective residents.

Affordable living
Whether it’s the lowest property taxes and second lowest residential taxes in Saskatchewan, or numerous building incentives to help create more crucially needed housing, it all adds up to affordable living in a welcoming, professional, and future-focused community.

“We have all the available resources here,” Osborn says. “The assets are amazing. We have land available; we have that prime location for investors who are looking at getting their products to numerous places around the globe; and we’re connected all the way down to Mexico and to the ports.”

With a host of parks, trails, schools, golf clubs, and campgrounds, the region offers something of interest for residents of all ages.

Indeed, Weyburn has just about everything you could need or desire, according to Osborn. “When it comes to quality of life, Weyburn is a safe place to raise a family, with plenty of recreational amenities, outdoor green spaces, and a vast variety of cultural events,” she says.

The post Why Not Weyburn – The Opportunity City<p class="company">Weyburn Regional Economic Development (WRED)</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Today, this Southern Saskatchewan city is renowned for its #Notoriouslyoutstanding quality of life and is recognized as a great place to start or grow a business. Located just 68 kilometres from Regina on the Trans-Canada Highway, Moose Jaw is primed for growth across the agriculture, energy, aerospace, and tourism industries.

Moose Jaw is also getting used to the world coming for a visit, as the city played host to the 2023 World Men’s Para Hockey championships and is preparing for the 2025 BKT Tires World Men’s Curling Championships, March 29-April 6 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre, the 4,500-seat multi-purpose arena in the heart of Canada’s Most Notoriously Charming Downtown.

Business on the rise
Along with time-tested sectors including value-added food and livestock processing, petroleum and chemical refining, potash mining, energy production, and manufacturing, Saskatchewan’s fourth-largest city is working to become a leader in business retention and expansion.

“It is our goal to be active, meet the business community, and do a better job of listening so we can understand their challenges and successes, and identify any programs or support we can provide,” explains Craig Hemingway, Director of Strategic Growth, which encompasses economic development and communications. One of the city’s recent initiatives was funding a social media strategy program, a course for businesses to market themselves. “We are trying to identify more of those opportunities to provide value to our business community, and give them tools to promote themselves,” says Hemingway.

Previously serving as Moose Jaw’s Manager of Communications/Stakeholder Relations, Hemingway is well-acquainted with many of the city’s businesses and entrepreneurs and is aiming to further raise both Moose Jaw’s profile and awareness of the opportunities it offers.

Since coming on board in 2017, Hemingway has seen the city’s growth firsthand in virtually all areas, including food processing, retail, restaurants, recreation, attractions, government, and housing. New developments include North 49 Foods, a new sow processing facility and an expansion from Donald’s Fine Foods Group, which owns Thunder Creek Pork. The opening of a new facility in late 2023 represents a significant addition to Saskatchewan’s ag sector.

Along with food processing, Moose Jaw continues attracting investment from other industry sectors. This includes Brandt Industries. Providing a range of products for clients in agriculture, construction, forestry, mining, oil and gas, and more, this decades-old family-run business recently opened a trailer manufacturing plant in Moose Jaw.

“Moose Jaw was considered an ideal location, with its strong workforce and history as a centre for trailer production,” stated the company in a media release, adding: “Brandt is very excited to become an active member of the Moose Jaw business community and we will be hiring local contractors to prepare the facility for production.” The new facility will see up to 200 jobs created and local vendors employed for everything from supplies to janitorial services and snow removal.

Other prominent retailers, including Canadian Tire, have also chosen Moose Jaw and set up facilities along well-travelled Thatcher Drive, close to well-known stores including Rona, Winners, Staples, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Walmart, and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

For years, Moose Jaw has remained popular with both new retailers and long-time businesses, like family-led Simpson Seeds Inc. This past June, the company officially broke ground on its new pulse processing facility. Slated to open this year, the facility will measure around 650 square metres and will enhance the company’s ability to produce more niche value-added products. Related to fourth-generation Simpson Farms, Simpson Seeds “has created a synergy that allows the farm to market all of their pedigree seed to local producers, and commercial grain to countries all around the world,” according to the company’s website.

“There is a lot happening, not just in Moose Jaw, but in the Moose Jaw-Regina industrial corridor,” Hemingway shares. Also in the works is the massive Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) expansion project at 15 Wing Moose Jaw. The project was finalized last year, and Moose Jaw is one of three airbases in Canada to be part of the FAcT program. With a contract value of $11.2 billion (including applicable taxes), the project represents a 25-year contract to train the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), including pilots, air combat system officers, and airborne electronic sensor operators.

Procurement will also include related necessary services, such as aircraft and airfield maintenance, food services, and accommodations. “Once construction is underway, it will mean about 600 construction jobs,” says Hemingway. “We recently had an information session in Moose Jaw for local contractors to understand the procurement process and be involved in the project, which will result in new hangars, several runways, and other buildings. It is incredibly exciting.”

Another project in the works is a proposed Nitrogen Fertilizer Complex in Belle Plaine. The company behind the project, Genesis Fertilizers, is proposing the financing, design, and construction of “a new, highly efficient nitrogen fertilizer production and distribution system that serves today’s modern farmer,” says the company. Once these and other works are underway, there will be a tremendous need for construction workers, many of them local. Moose Jaw will see numerous economic spinoffs as a result of the Genesis project.

In the southeast quadrant of the city, the Moose Jaw Agri-Food Industrial Park encompasses over 700 acres of prime industrial land. Near a national railway and the Trans-Canada Highway, the Park is perfect for export of products east, west, and south to the United States. Near a wastewater treatment plant, effluent irrigation, and lagoons, it is well-suited to wet pea processing plants. According to the city, parcels can be tailored to different needs, such as manufacturing, research, greenhouses, or processing.

In a different vein, the city at one time discovered therapeutic mineral waters of around 45°C (113°F) while exploring for natural gas to produce electricity. The early 1930s saw this water used in a therapeutic mineral spa/swimming pool. In time, another well was drilled, and the Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa was opened in 1996.

Purchased by the Peepeekisis Cree Nation in late 2022, ambitious multi-million-dollar renovation plans were soon put in place. This will include the renovation of all 181 rooms, including new plumbing and heating, bathrooms, and even furnishings and carpeting. Working block-by-block, the goal is to have all renovations completed by the end of this year.

Energizing Moose Jaw
To ensure Saskatchewan residents, businesses, and industries have sufficient energy to power their needs today and into the future, SaskPower’s new 370-megawatt Great Plains Power Station officially went online in December. Announced in March 2021, the project saw a peak of over 600 workers on-site at the height of construction in July 2023, 70 percent of them from Saskatchewan, including 13 percent from Moose Jaw.

“Great Plains Power Station will provide the reliable and affordable power that Saskatchewan needs to keep growing,” stated Minister Responsible for SaskPower, Jeremy Harrison, in a statement. “Construction of the plant has already made significant contributions to the local and provincial economy, with more than 300 Saskatchewan companies contributing to this project for a total of $266.7 million in local participation and $48.9 million in Indigenous participation.”

A combined-cycle natural gas-fired station in the Moose Jaw Agri-Food Industrial Park, Great Plains will generate reliable baseload power as the province moves closer to increased energy efficiency and reliability and a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. “The construction phase of that was huge, and has brought another 25 full-time jobs to the city,” says Hemingway. There is also interest from Eaglesledge Energy (ELE) for a Clean-Tech Refinery and Solar Facility in nearby Belle Plaine. A privately held company, ELE is focused on developing petrochemical and renewable energy projects.

A great place to ‘get a life’
Recently, Moose Jaw was named one of Canada’s Most Livable Cities by The Globe and Mail. “We moved up 50 spots from 2023 to 2024, and are 76^th out of 448,” says Hemingway. Back in 2022, the city launched its award-winning “Get a Life” campaign, which was designed for people not from Moose Jaw to think about moving to the city. In some separate rankings, Moose Jaw rose to 13^th place in Canada to raise a family. “We are very pleased with the rankings, and feel it dovetails perfectly with our message, and we’ll continue to tell people they can Get a Life in Moose Jaw.” Hemingway often meets newcomers to Moose Jaw of all ages who moved to the city for its quality of life and many amenities.

Even locally, many people work in Regina but choose to live in Moose Jaw, where getting around is much easier and less stressful. “As the world changes, certainly that concept of even a 40-minute highway drive becomes less and less cumbersome, compared to being stuck in gridlock traffic for 40 minutes to an hour and only moving a few hundred feet, depending on the city,” says Hemingway.

To accommodate the anticipated growth, the city is pleased to see developers undertake some multi-unit construction. Housing starts were up considerably in 2024 compared to 2023: 33 housing starts versus 13 at the same time the previous year. This includes a brand-new residential subdivision, a school set to open in 2025, and 52 residential lots for sale. “While not perfect—and slightly challenging—we are in better shape than a few years ago,” says Hemingway.

The number of local hotel rooms is also on the rise. From around 700 hotel rooms six or seven years ago, the city now has 950 rooms to meet the needs of tourists, traveling students and athletes, and longer-stay construction workers.

“There is huge opportunity here, not just in the agriculture sector but also in the aerospace, tourism, and energy sectors,” says Hemingway. “In Moose Jaw, we are ready to grow. We’ve had the same population for decades, and just have the feeling with our new mayor and council that we are ready to go to the next level, grow our community, and be part of the success of southern Saskatchewan.”

The post A Dynamic Hub for Business, Growth, and Quality of Life<p class="company">City of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.