2021 Summer Tour Canceled, Minutes and Agendas posted.
The agendas and approved minutes from the Committee’s regular meetings can be found on our website for anyone who is interested. The Committee received for information a letter from Brazeau County regarding the cancelation of the 2021 summer tour.
The Committee’s regular meeting included the addition of two delegations; ADM John Conrad who spoke to us about the delay in funding and resolution responses, and ED Marcia Hewitt-Fisher who spoke about the recent Weed Act appeals.
The conversation with ADM John Conrad was positive and all were pleased to see movement on the ASB grants. The Committee was equally pleased to hear that the ministry had been able to find some additional funding which allowed them to create a funding floor to help those ASBs hit hardest by the recent reduction. We learned that the Resource funding grant still exists as a line item and that John is cautiously optimistic that they will be able to move that funding after the 3rd quarter financial update. The Committee continued to remind the ADM of the $7 return for every $1 of provincial grant money invested in ASBs.
The ADM went on to say that there continues to be realignment within the ministry and he will be focusing on stabilizing in 2021. He communicated that Minister Dreeshen is very supportive of the role of the ASBs, and Committee extended an invitation for the Minister to meet with the Committee yet this year, and provide an address for the 2021 Provincial Conference in January.
Agricultural Service Boards 