(File photo/CJME News)

By Derek Craddock

A LOOK AHEAD

‘The place to be’: A look ahead with Meadow Lake’s MLA

Jan 10, 2023 | 12:54 PM

It was a busy year for the riding of Meadow Lake in 2022 and now MLA Jeremy Harrison is looking forward to what the coming months will bring.

In an interview with meadowlakeNOW, Harrison touched on the growth the province experienced over the past year, with the population reaching 1.2 million people, and job numbers rising in December.

However, the latest jobs report from Statistics Canada showed an overall drop in the number of jobs for northern Saskatchewan, with the lowest job growth rate in the country at 1.1 per cent in 2022.

That was something, the provincial NDP said needed to be addressed by the government in the form of a jobs plan.

When it comes to the City of Meadow Lake, there were many projects Harrison said he was proud of in 2022.

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“We opened a brand-new long-term care facility. (An) over $30 million investment into what is a state-of-the-art long-term care facility in Meadow Lake this summer,” he said.

He also touched on the opening of a new biomass energy facility spearheaded by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council.

As for 2023, the city will see progress on a new arena.

“Which will really be almost a unique facility for a community of our size,” Harrison said. “Tenders are out and we are looking forward to moving ahead with that arena project as quickly as possible.”

He also mentioned upgrades to Highway 24 near Leoville which he hopes will progress in the new year.

Despite the high points for the community, there were challenges in the past year, particularly in health care. In the fall, patients had to be turned away from the Meadow Lake Hospital and directed to health centres in Lloydminster and North Battleford.

The NDP critic said at the time the hospital was subject to ongoing disruptions, including to obstetrical care, due to physician and nurse shortages. By early September, the hospital was providing full obstetrical services.

Overall, Harrison said he is optimistic about the future of the community and while there are still issues to deal with when it comes to health care and jobs, he believes the city and province are heading in the right direction.

“If you could pick any jurisdiction in the world in which to be, Saskatchewan is the place to be,” he said. “The future is extremely bright. Very much looking forward to continuing to work hard to make sure that Meadow Lake, northwest Saskatchewan and the province of Saskatchewan continues to grow.”

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock