The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) champions the value of rural Saskatchewan and we know that economic development opportunities are abundant in our municipalities. Rural Saskatchewan is home to all kinds of business.
It is no secret that our province has a rich and diverse agriculture and agri-food sector second-to-none in supplying quality food to feed the world. Our province is the largest exporter of agri-food products in the country. Crops grown in rural Saskatchewan supply more than one-third of the world’s exports of durum wheat. We also are the top exporter of lentils and dried peas, and our pulse crop sector has grown into a billion-dollar export industry.
Saskatchewan producers lead the production of Canada’s canola, and in fact, Saskatchewan scientists help develop canola more than 40 years ago. We are also the world’s largest exporter of mustard and flax seed as well as the second largest cattle producing province in Canada. We have more than 300 food processing companies in the province producing a wide range of cereal, meat, dairy, and food ingredients. According to Statistics Canada (2016), Saskatchewan exported $14.4 billion in agri-food products. Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry is big business and thanks to the hardworking men and women who farm and ranch in rural Saskatchewan.
Although the rural landscape has changed over the last century, the fortitude and creativity of the people who live in our rural communities remains unchanged. Innovation is at the heart of a several business opportunities popping up across rural Saskatchewan.
The R.M. of Corman Park is home to the Feitsma Dairies and has grown into a state-of-the-art dairy facility with the latest milking equipment and technology. The Village at Crossmount is a unique development located in a prairie oasis also located in the R.M. of Corman Park. Crossmount is a facility designed for active older adults who prefer the peace and quiet of country life, while maintaining easy access to city amenities. The facility and grounds are impressive and this one of a kind Village includes a wellness center, restaurant, lounge, coffee shop, and an on-site cidery.
Wolf Willow Winery
Located in the R.M. of Rudy is the Wolf Willow Winery—a family owned winery and orchard that sits on 160 acres of certified organic land, situated on the shores of the South Saskatchewan River. The winery shares the idyllic site with a farm and ‘glampground.’
Nokomis Craft Ales is a microbrewery located in the rural farming community of Nokomis located in the R.M. of Wreford. Owned, operated and built by brewer Jeff Allport, the brewery is a culmination of vision, passion, determination, and generous support from the town, friends and family.
The community of Duval which is located in the R.M. of Last Mountain Valley, is home to New School Arts, where potter Jeffrey Taylor has been honing his craft full time since 1997 in his character home/studio—a converted 1928 schoolhouse.
The R.M. of Moose Jaw is home to Bin There Campground which features six grain bins that have been converted into cabins.
There are hidden gems peppered across rural Saskatchewan. The businesses are as diverse as the landscape and the people who live there. SARM is committed through its travelling board meetings and committee field trips to experience first hand the opportunities in rural Saskatchewan. The common thread that binds us in rural Saskatchewan, is the pride we have in calling it home.