The seventh annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards program has announced this year's winners. The awards recognize innovation and excellence in Saskatchewan local governments of all types. Making the list this year is the City of Yorkton.
First Place: Harvest for Hunger (Towns and RMs of Churchbridge and Langenburg) - Winning Practice: A one-day event coordinated by more than 400 volunteers, attended by roughly 6,500 people, and which raised $40,000 for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank while raising awareness about the ongoing issue of global hunger.
Second Place: Anti-Bullying Bylaw (Town of Eston) - Winning Practice: An anti-bullying bylaw that can be used by the town, school, and local RCMP to educate, raise awareness, prevent bullying, and create concrete enforcement tools.
Third Place: Logan Green Water Management System (City of Yorkton) - Winning Practice: An innovative, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective new water treatment plant that created 210 acres of green space while ensuring a 25-year supply of water for the city.
Regional Cooperation Award: Twin Lakes Community Planning Association (Towns of Carrot River, Choiceland, and Nipawin, Villages of Codette and White Fox, Resort Village of Tobin Lake, RMs of Moose Range, Nipawin, and Torch River) - Winning Practice: A regional planning association that became a formal planning district, giving communities more opportunities to work together on issues of mutual interest and benefit.
Congratulations are also sent out to the 18 other projects that were submitted which covered 46 different municipalities.
Established in 2006, The Saskatchewan Municipal Awards (SMA) celebrates the excellent and innovative practices of Saskatchewan's municipal governments.
The SMA program also aims:
To recognize and celebrate excellence and innovation on the part of Saskatchewan's municipalities.
Shift the main focus to the core audience being Saskatchewan municipalities.
To share knowledge amongst municipalities by way of exposure to best practices.
To promote cooperation and synergies between urban and rural municipalities.
To maintain a focus on awarding municipal driven projects.
Winning urban municipalities will receive their awards at the annual SUMA Convention in February 2014.
