There’s “more light starting to shine at the end of the tunnel with each passing day” as the province’s COVID-19 vaccination program continues, according to Terry Jenson, Sask Party MLA for the Martensville Warman constituency.
But, he adds, there’s still a long way to go yet.
Speaking at a virtual ‘Lunch with the Leaders’ meeting for business owners on Wednesday, March 17, Jenson said over 110,000 vaccine doses had been administered across the province so far.
“The numbers are looking positive,” said Jenson. “We’re making headway in getting as many people vaccinated as possible.
“But, there is still a lot going on that is causing concern because of the variant outbreak in Regina. It’s still ‘all hands on deck’ when it comes to public health measures.”
The virtual meeting, sponsored by the Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce (PSCC), featured Jenson, Carlton Trial-Eagle Creek MP Kelly Block, Warman Mayor Gary Philipchuk and Martensville Mayor Kent Muench in a forum attended by business owners in the region.
The goal of the meeting was to provide an opportunity for business owners to question elected officials on policy issues, particularly those bearing on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Block said communication between elected officials and constituents is more important now than ever.
“Everyone has learned to adapt to dramatic changes in circumstances due to the pandemic,” said Block. “It has hit all sectors very hard, but the greatest impact is on small and medium size enterprises.
“It’s encouraging to see the resilience of businesses as they overcome challenges.”
Block said the local chamber of commerce plays a key role in providing information.
She noted it has been almost two years since the federal government has introduced a budget. While financial support for Canadians is needed, she said, there still needs to be Parliamentary oversight on government spending.
Jenson and Block urged businesses to avail themselves of programs designed to help businesses weather the COVID-19 storm.
“The deadline for four COVID-19 support programs comes up at the end of March,” said Jenson. “If you haven’t taken time as a business owner to consider applying for one or more of these programs, you should do so.”
The programs include the Small Business Emergency Payment for those businesses who have been ordered to scale back or close through public health orders. There are also subsidies for rehiring and training employees. He said anyone can contact his constituency office at 3G-520 Central St. West in Warman or by calling 306-242-211.
Warman Mayor Gary Philipchuk said the City of Warman has been working with the Saskatchewan Health Authority to finalize locations of COVID-19 vaccination clinics in the city.
Philipchuk noted that new home construction and real estate sales in Warman have seen significant increases over the same period last year. He said all the signs point to a positive growth rate not just for Warman, but for the region as a whole.
Martensville Mayor Kent Muench said while 2020 was a challenging year, a majority of businesses in the region are surviving and growing.
“The level of adaptation and resilience over the past twelve months has been remarkable,” said Muench.