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October 20, 2026
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| | In this edition of the Rural Dart... | |
- Advocacy
- SARM's Annual Advocacy Trip to Ottawa
- Strategic Communications
- 2026 SARM Midterm Convention Registration Deadline
- SAMA 2026 Board Elections
- Insurance & Benefits
- Legal Services
- Programs
- Member Purchasing
- Community Planning
- Finance & Administration
- SARM Classifieds
- Member Services
| | - Public Engagement Toward a National Water Security Strategy
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- 2026 General Election Results Reporting Reminder
- The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act Public Consultation
- Announcements
- Celebrating Waste Reduction Week in Saskatchewan
- Education Week: Celebrating Students, Staff and Bright Futures
- Crop Report for the Period October 6 to 12, 2026
| | - OTC Speaker Series: Treaty for Youth
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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’s Annual Advocacy Trip to Ottawa
This week, members of the SARM Board of Directors and Advocacy Team will be in Ottawa for SARM's annual lobbying trip. Throughout the week, the team will meet with federal leaders and decision-makers to discuss priority issues important to rural Saskatchewan communities. Topics of discussion will include trade and export, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and resources, healthcare and public safety, and Treaty Land Entitlement.
Keep an eye on our social media over the next few days and catch the October Rural Sheaf newsletter for more information about the trip.
| | 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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2026 SARM Midterm Convention Registration Deadline
Registration for the 2026 SARM Midterm Convention is now open! RM offices received direct emails from SARM outlining the registration process as well as the applicable fees for attendance.
The deadline to register/revise your registration is November 10, 2026.
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Name badges for RM councils and administrators have been mailed out to RM offices based on the SARM RM Directory. Any SARM members attending the convention must bring their badge to the venue; it will act as a ticket and will be scanned upon arrival.
If you have registered additional/new attendees, their name badges will be available onsite. Also, if a name badge requires updating or correcting, it will be done onsite.
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Non-members can register to attend by visiting the SARM website.
Please contact convention@sarm.ca if you have any further questions about the convention.
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Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA) 2026 Board Elections
- Looking for Two Rural Representatives
Submission Deadline:
October 21, 2026
SARM is looking for elected officials who would do an outstanding job representing rural Saskatchewan on the SAMA Board.
Candidates will be elected by delegates at the 2026 SARM Midterm Convention for a three-year term and may be reappointed to subsequent terms.
Those interested should submit a completed Nomination Form (to Laurel Feltin - lfeltin@sarm.ca) by 5 PM on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. A confirmation email with further instructions will be sent.
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The seven-member SAMA Board of Directors is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and consists of:
- three members named by the Ministry of Government Relations including the Board Chair;
- two members named by the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM);
- one member named by the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) for urban and northern municipalities under 30,000;
- one member named by SUMA for cities with a population exceeding 30,000
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SARM’s Insurance & Benefits Team administers and
facilitates various SARM and external partner insurance and
benefit products, including SARM’s fidelity bond, liability, and
property insurance plans, the SARM Benefits Plan, and external group benefits plans.
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| SARM’s Legal Services Team principally represents rural municipalities in legal proceedings where a SARM insurance plan (e.g. Liability Self-Insurance Plan) provides coverage. The team also provides in-house legal services to SARM’s other departments and Board of Directors. In addition, the team provides legal services to individual RMs, which can include researching legal issues, drafting opinions, and drafting agreements, on a fee-for-service basis and as time permits. | | |
| 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. | | |
| 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 Leask No. 464, Assistant Administrator, Oct 23 - Close
RM of Perdue No. 346, Grader Operator, Oct 30 - Close
RM of Biggar No. 347, Administrative Assistant, Nov 2 - Close
RM of Big River No. 555, Assistant Administrator, Nov 6 - Close
RM of Laird No. 404, Office Assistant, Nov 13 - Close
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Looking to Buy/Sell:
RM of Excelsior No. 166, Tampo Sheepsfoot Packer, Nov 6 - Close
RM of Excelsior No. 166, Novadisc Top Mower, Nov 6 - 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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| SARM’s Member Services Team is dedicated to providing valuable services that meet the specific needs of SARM's member rural municipalities. | | |
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Public Engagement Toward a National Water Security Strategy
The Government of Canada is inviting Canadians to share their views to inform the development of Canada’s first National Water Security Strategy.
Engagement feedback will inform the National Water Security Strategy, which could include elements such as a vision, priorities, and key actions. Please note that this engagement is not a consultation on specific legislative or regulatory changes.
All survey responses and written submissions are welcome until October 25, 2026.
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2026 General Election Results Reporting Reminder
With the general elections for even-numbered divisions in Saskatchewan rural municipalities taking place on November 9, 2026, this is a reminder for municipalities to report all election results, including acclamations, to the Ministry of Government Relations.
Section 140 of The Local Government Elections Act, 2015 requires the administrator to notify the ministry of election results. To comply, notification is to be provided online to the ministry using the "Report Municipal Election Results" form linked below.
| | Please report the election results within 10 business days of the election. If you have questions about the submission process, please contact grcompliance@gov.sk.ca or call 306.530.2822. | | | In addition, please ensure the Municipal Directory is updated on the Government of Saskatchewan's website through the link below. | | |
The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act Public Consultation
The Government of Saskatchewan is undertaking a comprehensive review of The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act, including public and stakeholder consultations. The consultation includes a public survey.
Saskatchewan farm land is one of the province's most valuable assets. As the nature of farming and business continues to evolve, the Government of Saskatchewan wants to ensure the legislative framework regarding farm land meets the needs of the people of Saskatchewan.
The purpose of this survey is to gather information about the public’s perceptions and use of the Act, including:
- Farm land ownership;
- Home quarter protection; and
- Farm foreclosure protections.
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Complete the survey linked below by November 30, 2026. | | | | OTC Speaker Series: Treaty for Youth | | For more information and to register, please contact hmorin@otc.ca. | | SARM is now on Bluesky! Follow us here: @sarm.ca | | | | |
