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June 10, 2025
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| | In this edition of the Rural Dart... | |
- Advocacy
- SARM Resolution Response
- Strategic Communications
- SARM Member Outlook Calendar Correction
- 2025 SARM June Division Meetings
- Risk Management
- SBC System Update
- Process Claims Faster with the Member Portal & Apps
- Programs
- SEEDS for Elected Officials
- Member Purchasing
- Community Planning
- Finance & Administration
- SARM Classifieds
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- Ministerial Formal Interpretation
- Energy Efficiency Workshop - Virtual
- Advisory: Farm Buildings in The Construction Codes Act
- Announcements
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SK Advances Initiative for Primary Care Nurse Practitioners for Primary Care Nurse Practitioners to Provide Publicly Funded Health Services
- Crop Report for the Period May 27 to June 2, 2025
- The Governments of Canada and SK to Provide Red Cross Funding to Help Those Impacted by SK Wildfires
| | - Evacuee Support - Ombudsman Saskatchewan
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SARM’s Advocacy Team, at the direction of the SARM Board of Directors, meets and speaks with members and outside agencies on issues important to RMs, including bringing concerns forth at the provincial and federal levels.
SARM, through its Act of Incorporation, is mandated to work on files of importance to rural municipalities (RM) and agriculture producers.
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SARM Resolution Response
SARM has received a response from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways pertaining to a resolution passed at the 2025 SARM Annual Convention. Click the link below to review the response.
| | SARM’s Strategic Communications Team leads the initiatives, events, and public-facing components of the work we do for RMs. Strategic Communications is responsible for our conventions, the Rural Dart, Rural Sheaf, Rural Councillor, webinars, and many other events and initiatives. | | |
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SARM Outlook Calendar Correction
It has come to our attention that there is an error on the SARM Member Outlook Calendar for 2025. Please note the SARM June Division 5 Meeting will take place on June 16th from 2-4:30 p.m.
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2025 SARM June Division Meetings
The 2025 SARM June Division Meetings will be held next week, June 16-19. Please find further details below for each meeting.
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June Division 1 Meeting
Date: June 18, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Kipling Town Hall, 301 6th Ave, Kipling, SK S0G 2S0
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June Division 4 Meeting
Date: June 19, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Legion Community Centre, 208 1st Ave, Kelvington, SK S0A 1W0
*Please note meeting will start at 1:00 p.m. and lunch will not be offered.
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June Division 2 Meeting
Date: June 17, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Temple Gardens Centre, 110 1st Ave NW, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 3L9
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June Division 5 Meeting
Date: June 16, 2025
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Affinity Community Hall, 120 Railway St, Langham, SK S0K 2L0
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June Division 3 Meeting
Date: June 17, 2025
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
*New Location for 2025
Location: InnovationPlex, 2001 Chaplin St E, Swift Current, SK S9H 2L6
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June Division 6 Meeting
Date: June 16, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Dekker Centre, 623 Carlton Trail, North Battleford, SK S9A 2Y7
| | | Final meeting agendas can be found on the SARM website through the link below. | | SARM’s Risk Management Team is comprised of two distinct groups: Benefits & Insurance and Legal. These departments administer and facilitate various SARM and external partner insurance and benefit products, as well as provide legal solicitor services to member rural municipalities. | | |
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Saskatchewan Blue Cross System Upgrades
SARM wants to sincerely thank all of our members for your patience and understanding during the recent system upgrades implemented by our partner, Saskatchewan Blue Cross (SBC). We recognize that IT system upgrades can be complex, and while the launch of SBC’s new client portal did not go as smoothly as planned, please know that they are fully committed to resolving any issues and ensuring a seamless, positive experience for you moving forward.
As their client, we are working closely with our contacts at SBC to make sure that the service and user experience you receive meets the high standards you expect and deserve.
We would also like to extend special thanks to our Employee Benefits Administrator, Jodi Hughes. Throughout this transition, Jodi has taken on a great deal of additional work behind the scenes to adjust our systems in response to SBC’s changes. She has also been dedicated to assisting members with inquiries and troubleshooting since the new portal went live. We are grateful for her commitment and hard work during this time.
Thank you again for your continued patience and support. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Craig Williams, SARM Director of Member Services & Strategic Projects, at cwilliams@sarm.ca or 306.761.3726.
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Process Claims Faster with the Member Portal & Apps
Submit your claims the fast and easy way!
Ensure your health benefits are processed quickly and conveniently. Skip the paperwork and wait times. The quickest way to get your claim processed is to submit it online at portal.sk.bluecross.ca or using the SK Blue Cross App, available for iOS and Android.
Certain benefits are eligible for Real-Time Adjudication (RTA), which is the immediate processing and payment of an eligible claim. Benefits available for RTA include:
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- Acupuncturist
- Athletic Therapist
- Audiologist
- Chiropractor
- Clinical Psychologist
- Counsellor
- Dietitian
- Foot Care Nurse
- Massage Therapist
- Naturopath
- Occupational Therapist
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- Osteopath
- Physiotherapist
- Podiatrist
- Reflexologist
- Social Worker
- Speech Therapist
- Prescription Drugs
- Vision
- Orthodontic Treatment (where Prior Authorization present)
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Need help with an existing claim?
If you’ve already sent in a claim and are facing longer than anticipated time for reimbursement, and financial assistance is required to bridge the gap, please call our Member Experience Centre at 1.800.667.6853. Let us know you need your claim prioritized and we’ll do everything we can to help. No judgment – just support.
| | SARM’s Programs Team engages with provincial and federal governments, industry leaders, and program partners, as well as other stakeholders, to effectively deliver SARM programs. | | |
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SEEDS for Elected Officials
New Training Program
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Introducing SARM's newest training program: SEEDS for Elected Officials
SEEDS is basic training – training for elected officials, training that is easy and accessible.
What’s unique about this program? Each module requires only ten minutes of an elected official’s time. Ten minutes, and they become familiar with key tips on an important topic, helping them be more comfortable with and effective in their role.
| | SARM's Member Purchasing Team provides group purchasing and procurement advising services to save member municipalities money and time through the buying and procuring processes with the goal of being the first stop for all municipalities’ purchasing and procurement needs. | | |
| SARM’s Community Planning Team is driven by a proactive and collaborative approach with municipalities to support growth, certainty for investment and landowners, and the protection and promotion of what already exists in the community. | | |
| SARM’s Finance and Administration Team provides the budgeting, accounting, and reporting functions for SARM, the Insurance and Benefits Funds, all externally funded programs, and the Tax Loss Compensation Trust Funds administered by SARM. In addition, the team provides administrative assistance performing reception duties that include being the first point of contact for all guests and SARM members both in-person as well as virtually by phone and email. | | |
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SARM Classifieds
The following municipalities/towns/villages have requested the information below to be distributed and will be billed for using this service.
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Looking to Hire:
RM of The Gap No. 39 & Village of Ceylon, Administrator, June 11 - Close
RM of Mervin No. 499 Protective Services, Administrative Support, June 22 - Close
RM of Mervin No. 499 Protective Services, Community Safety Officer Sergeant, June 22 - Close
RM of South Qu'Appelle No. 157, Foreman, June 26 - Close
RM of Lipton No. 217, Grader Operator, July 5 - Close
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Looking to Buy/Sell:
RM of Great Bend/Borden No. 405, 2016 Midland MX3000 Tri-Axle Bottom Dump Gravel Trailer, June 22 - Close
RM of Spiritwood No. 496, Snow Plow/V Plow/Brush Cutter/Ridge Mulcher, June 22 - Close
RM of Montrose No. 315, GPS Equipment, June 30 - Close
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SARM Classifieds Submissions
Ad postings for the SARM Classifieds can be submitted through our online submission forms. For questions, contact 306.757.3577 or sarm@sarm.ca.
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Ministerial Formal Interpretation
Effective May 15, 2025, a new Ministerial Interpretation titled Prescriptive Trade-off Path for NBC 2020, Section 9.36. is available. This interpretation allows for the voluntary use of a prescriptive-based path for compliance with Energy Performance Tiers 3, 4 and 5 specified in the National Building Code of Canada 2020 (NBC 2020) Division B, Section 9.36.
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Energy Efficiency Workshop - Virtual
The live virtual Energy Efficiency workshop that was held on May 2, 2025, is now available online. The workshop provides practical examples of energy efficiency specific to houses as found in the National Building Code of Canada 2020, Division B, Section 9.36. This workshop provides information for compliance options for Tier 1 as regulated in Saskatchewan and for optional higher Tiers when builders or owners choose those options.
This comprehensive course covers energy efficiency compliance options in:
- Provincial legislation (The Construction Codes Act, The Building Code Regulations and The Energy Code Regulations)
- National Building Code of Canada 2020, Division B, Section 9.36.
Visit the Building and Technical Standards training site to register for this training and gain access to the webinars. This site is best viewed in either Chrome or Safari browsers.
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Advisory: Farm Buildings in The Construction Codes Act
A new advisory titled Farm Buildings in The Construction Codes Act, has been published. This advisory replaces the advisory Farm Buildings and Farm Residences in The Construction Codes Act.
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Evacuee Support
Ombudsman Saskatchewan
The Ombudsman Saskatchewan has compiled a list of resources for evacuees in your communities that will continue to be updated as conditions progress. Click the link below for the current list of resources for evacuees.
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If you are an RM administrator and are unsure of an answer to a question from an evacuee, you can contact the Ombudsman Saskatchewan office for assistance in providing additional information. Contact Niki Smith at nsmith@ombudsman.sk.ca or 1.800.667.9787 with your questions.
If any evacuees have complaints about government services during the wildfires and evacuations or require additional support, they can contact the Ombudsman office with their questions and concerns.
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