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May 5, 2026
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| | In this edition of the Rural Dart... | |
- Advocacy
- SARM Resolution Responses
- Strategic Communications
- Webinar: Managing ILOs at the Provincial and RM Level
- 2027 Lieutenant Governor's Award Nominations Now Open!
- Insurance & Benefits
- Legal Services
- Programs
- Member Purchasing
- Community Planning
- Finance & Administration
- SARM Classifieds
| | - Operating Safely in and Around Water: Navigating Legislation and Protecting Fish and Fish Habitat
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- At the Source Forum: Strengthening Saskatchewan's Drinking Water Systems Together
- Strychnine Training Now Available
- Announcements
- Emergency Preparedness Week Recognized in Saskatchewan; SaskAlert Test Scheduled for May 6
- Saskatchewan Launches Firearms Verification and Appraisal Service to Protect the Property of Residents and Businesses
- Province Offers Grants for Suicide Prevention
- Apply Now: Saskatchewan's Big Game Draw Open for 2026 Hunting Season
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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 Responses
SARM has received responses from the Saskatchewan Ministers of Community Safety, Environment, and Agriculture pertaining to resolutions passed at the 2026 SARM Annual Convention. Click the links below to review the responses.
| | 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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Webinar: Managing ILOs at the Provincial and RM Level
Join SARM and the Ministry of Agriculture for an information session on Intensive Livestock Operations (ILOs).
ILOs are becoming more common as livestock operations condense and are able to take advantage of the efficiencies in intensive systems. This webinar aims to shine some light on the provincial approval process and give a basic overview of how ILOs are handled by The Planning and Development Act and the role of municipalities.
Date: May 20, 2026
Time: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Speaker: Adam Berenik - Livestock Development Specialist, Production and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Saskatchewan
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Lieutenant Governor's Award for
Outstanding Service to Rural Saskatchewan
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Do you know a reeve, councillor, or administrator with an inspiring story?
Nominations for the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Outstanding Service to Rural Saskatchewan are now open!
The 2027 nomination period runs until December 31, 2026.
To submit a nomination or request a nomination form, please contact:
Kathleen Israel,
Selection Committee Secretary
executivecoordinator@sarm.ca or 306.761.3731
2301 Windsor Park Road,
Regina, Saskatchewan S4V 3A4
To learn more about this award and how to submit a nomination, refer to the LGA Guidelines Document linked below or visit the SARM website.
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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 Lake Johnston No. 102, Administrator, May 8 - Close
RM of Kellross No. 247, Administrative Assistant/Trainee, May 13 - Close
RM of Biggar No. 347, Foreman, May 13 - Close
RM of Cana No. 214, Equipment/Maintenance Operator, May 16 - Close
RM of Elmsthorpe No. 100, Operator, May 23 - Close
RM of Birch Hills No. 460, Grader Operator, May 21 - Close
RM of Terrell No. 101, Administrative Assistant/Trainee, May 29 - Close
RM of Meadow Lake No. 588, Manager of Public Works, May 31 - Close
RM of Winslow No. 319, Foreman, June 8 - Close
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Looking to Buy/Sell:
RM of Grayson No. 184, Mandako Side-Arm, May 14 - 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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Operating Safely in and Around Water: Navigating Legislation and Protecting Fish and Fish Habitat
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Partnerships team from the Ontario & Prairie region will be offering two sessions for Heavy Equipment Operators and Site Managers who work in or near water.
These sessions will provide an overview of DFO’s key legislations, with a focus on responsibilities and regulatory requirements related to the protection of fish and fish habitat, including Critical Habitat, on project sites. Participants will learn common threats that fish and fish habitat face due to construction and excavation activities, as well as best practices to avoid impacts and promote compliance with the Fisheries Act and Species at Risk Act.
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Please note:
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Sessions will not be recorded
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Sessions will be delivered in English only
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The same presentation will be delivered on both dates. Kindly select the date that best fits your schedule.
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Date: May 8, 2026
Time: 12:30-2:00 p.m. EST
Location: Virtual - Microsoft Teams
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Date: May 14, 2026
Time: 12:30-2:00 p.m. EST
Location: Virtual - Microsoft Teams
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At the Source Forum: Strengthening Saskatchewan’s Drinking Water Systems Together
You’re invited to At the Source: Strengthening Saskatchewan’s Drinking Water Systems Together - a collaborative forum to bring municipal leaders and system partners together to share experiences and explore practical ways to support safe, reliable, and sustainable drinking water across the province.
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When: June 2, 2026
Time: 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM (lunch provided)
Where: Gallery C & D, TCU Place, Saskatoon
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Registration: Free (register using the QR code/online form)
Deadline to register: May 15, 2026, at saskwater.com
Who should attend: Municipal administrators and leaders managing water systems, navigating operational and financial challenges, and interested in shaping the future of water service delivery.
| | | Key topics include governance and decision-making, operational realities and risk, infrastructure and sustainability, as well as financing, technology, and support models. For more information, contact darlene.guy@saskwater.com. | | |
Strychnine Training Now Available
Producers in the 208 RMs eligible for Emergency Use of strychnine can register for online training through Saskatchewan’s Strychnine Stewardship Program.
The 90-minute course is mandatory to access two per cent liquid strychnine for targeted RGS control. Early completion of training is recommended to allow sufficient time for records to be shared with RM offices and for users to be registered when product becomes available.
Training can be accessed on the SARM website.
While initial strychnine supplies will be limited this spring, those interested are encouraged to complete training ahead of the recommended late summer application window, July 15 to Sept. 1.
For more on the program, including a list of participating RMs and information on product distribution, see Saskatchewan.ca/RGS-Control.
| | SARM is now on Bluesky! Follow us here: @sarm.ca | | | | |
