ELBOW - A public information session held in Elbow on Tuesday night, April 22 explored the further potential of irrigation in this part of the province, shedding light on the belief that the true power of Lake Diefenbaker has yet to be explored.
Held at the Harbor Golf Community Center, the session included presentations from representatives with the Water Security Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, and Irrigation Saskatchewan, with further discussion on the prospects and possibilities surrounding the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project.
Emceeing the meeting was Stephanie Boyle, an irrigator from the area who also represents private irrigators on the Irrigation Saskatchewan board.
Leah Clark, an executive director of irrigation and economic development with the Water Security Agency, gave a presentation on the Westside project, touching on how the intended development will tap into the true potential of Lake Diefenbaker, which is seen as perhaps the most important body of water in Saskatchewan.
"Lake Diefenbaker transformed irrigation for this province," she said. "Lots of people in the province don't realize that the water they drink and use comes from Lake Diefenbaker."
The lake supplies water to approximately 60% of the provincial population, and its status as one of the "largest untapped" sources of water in Canada is further highlighted by statements such as one metre of water being able to provide 300,000 people with water for 18 years.
It's said that such generational projects such as the Westside one are about more than just further developing the province's irrigation sector, as some of the intended outcomes that are being promoted include providing economic benefits across the regional area, the province, and even the country, as well as creating jobs, adding value to the the agricultural and food processing industries, and supporting drought mitigation and climate resiliency.
An economic analysis for the Westside project that was completed in 2024 shows high numbers, with an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a reported $5.9 billion while generating over 30,000 jobs (person years of employment) and 9,500 jobs during the construction phase.
As well, it's being said that this overall GDP impact could increase significantly when factoring in the potential value-added benefits over a 50鈥恲ear period, leading to stronger communities and agricultural and agri-processing sectors for both the province and the country.
Clint Ringdal, a farmer from the local area, shared that regulatory work is always being done to ensure that all the right measures are being carried out to ensure healthy lands for owners, believing that now is the time for people to really benefit from what the lake can do for producers.
"There's capacity for us all to benefit," he said.
Other producers, such as Lionel Ector, cemented such thoughts, remarking that Lake Diefenbaker is still going under-utilized even today and that the economics being presented to the public about this project "are too big to ignore".
Meetings such as this one are happening all over the area, with this Elbow one following a previous meeting held in Conquest, an area that is also designated to see growth with the Westside irrigation project.
For more on the project, go to diefenbakerirrigation.ca.
