Be aware of bears

Springtime is bear aware time! There are black bears in most parts of the province. Although they are frequently seen in the forests of northern Saskatchewan, their range also includes the aspen parkland, Touchwood Hills, the Qu’Appelle Valley and the South Saskatchewan River Valley. By keeping areas like yards and camp- sites free of attractants like pet food, trash, bird feeders and dirty barbecues, you can reduce the likelihood of human bear conflict.  To enhance public safety and reduce the creation of habituated and food conditioned bears, it is against the law to feed bears (as well as wolves, cougars and coyotes). Hunters and trappers are exempt from this law when operating under a licence (i.e. when legally baiting). Call 911 if a bear or any other wild- life poses an immediate risk to people’s safety.

Provincial parks now open

Saskatchewan Provincial Parks are ready to welcome visitors for a new season of outdoor fun with prepped campsites, well-maintained trails and an exciting lineup of events and programs. New this year, visitors will receive a reminder email 72 hours before check-in, highlighting the curated programming and events for the duration of their stay, to not miss a moment of the action. For those who haven’t booked yet, campsites are still available across the province. Visitors are reminded that entry permits can be purchased online before arriving at the park, which allows them to be checked in automatically without stopping at the gate. For the safety and enjoyment of all visitors, please check fire restrictions that may be in place before arrival and respect park rules, facilities and staff. Plan your next trip to Saskatchewan’s Provincial Parks by visiting Sask Parks’ website.

Slow down in work zones

Last week, Highways Minister Lori Carr reminding motorists to slow to 60 km/h in work zones, as road crews get busier across Saskatchewan. “As this construction season kicks off, it is an important reminder that we all need to do our part and drive safe,” Carr said. “Please be alert and slow down to ensure everyone working to improve our highways gets home safely each and every day.” Work zones are meant to keep motorists, highway workers and road con- tractors safe. This can be accomplished when drivers slow down, obey flaggers, follow signs and remain alert to road conditions. These work zones can also have temporary speed reductions, even when workers are not present. Speed reductions protect drivers and vehicles from potential work zone hazards such as a sharp pavement drop-off, lane closure and/or loose gravel. Motorists can plan their journeys and know if they might need extra time to reach their destinations by checking the Highway Hotline for information about road closures and conditions, construction zones, ferries and border crossings.

Violence policies required in workplaces

On May 17, 2024, amendments to the occupational health and safety pro- visions of The Saskatchewan Employment Act will come into force requiring all provincially regulated workplaces to have a violence policy and prevention plan in place. The amendment also ensures that students and post-secondary students, volunteers and contract workers are covered under the provisions regarding violence.

The policy statement and violence prevention plan must include:

• the employer’s commitment to minimize or eliminate risk and review the policy and plan every three years;

• identification of the worksite(s)where violent situations have occurred or may occur;

• identification of staff positions that have or could be exposed to violent situations;

• the procedures to inform workers about the nature and risk of violence at their place of employment, and any information the employer has about persons who have a his- tory of violent behaviour who could become a risk to the workers; • the actions an employer will take to minimize or eliminate the risk of violence;

• the procedures for reporting a violent incident to the employer;

• the procedures the employer will follow to investigate violent incidents; • a recommendation that workers who have been exposed to violent incidents consult a physician for treatment or obtain a referral for counselling; and

• a commitment to provide a training program for workers.

Guidelines and sample violence policies are available on saskatchewan.ca.

Building permits way up in province

Last week, Statistics Canada released Saskatchewan’s building permit figures, which show a 15.8 per cent increase year-over-year growth for March 2024, compared to March 2023 (seasonally adjusted). This places Saskatchewan well-above the national decrease of negative 15.2 per cent. In March 2024, building permits in Saskatchewan totaled $176 million (seasonally adjusted).  The total value of building permits represents the dollar value of construction permits for residential and non-residential buildings. The provincial economy has seen rapid growth lately, with Statistics Canada’s latest GDP numbers indicating that Saskatchewan’s 2023 real GDP reached an all-time high of $77.9 billion, increasing by $1.2 billion, or 1.6 per cent. This places Saskatchewan second in the nation for real GDP growth, and above the national average of 1.2 per cent. Private capital investment is projected to reach $14.2 billion in 2024, an increase of 14.4 per cent over 2023. This is the highest anticipated percentage increase in Canada.

Gov’t invests $170,000 in research projects

Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $170,000 in two industry-led research and development (R&D) technologies through the Saskatchewan Advantage Innovation Fund (SAIF) and Agtech Growth Fund (AGF). These dual R&D grant programs accelerate the commercialization of game-changing technologies in agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing and health care and help bring them to market. SAIF and AGF funding will support two innovative companies in the spring 2023 cohort as they accelerate their R&D projects and commercialization efforts: BrewNature Composting: Developing a modular composting technology capable of reducing composting times from three months to five days ($95,000 in SAIF support). PathoScan Technologies: Developing a rapid crop pathogen diagnostic technology. PathoScan’s in-field device will be capable of detecting pathogens in as little as 45 minutes ($75,000 in AGF support). “The AGF funding and support from Innovation Saskatchewan will catalyze our mission at PathoScan to empower farmers with immediate, in-field crop disease diagnostics, drastically reducing response times and safeguarding livelihoods,” PathoScan  Founder Tayab Soomro said. “By minimizing crop losses due to disease, PathoScan will help sustain the agricultural economy, ensure food security and foster a more sustainable approach to farming.”

Online database created for bird’s eye view of nests

Nature lovers and bird enthusiasts this spring will have a new digital tool to help identify bird species when they find a nest. The Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) has created an online database featuring bird egg photographs from more than 300 species that nest in Canada.  With over 400 documented bird species breeding in Canada, bird identification by sight and sound has become a necessary skill for many wildlife professionals and researchers, as well as an increasingly popular pastime among bird enthusiasts. However, wildlife professionals and researchers may also frequently come across wild bird nests that can only be identified based on the characteristics of the eggs that are observed.  The database will also be a useful reference tool for citizen-science projects such as Birds Canada’s NestWatch that encourage citizens to submit data on nesting birds. 

The database is linked to the RSM website and has its own address at www.birdeggsofcanada.ca.