Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Once again we thank you and the committee for asking us to appear in front of the finance committee.
I'll begin my remarks today with a summary of the current and future challenges facing rural Saskatchewan, the issues that are of the greatest importance to SARM, issues that deal with infrastructure, the quality of life in rural communities, and agriculture.
The first recommendation put forth in our written submission to the committee focuses on the access of reliable and well-designed road and bridge infrastructure, which industries depend on to allow them to efficiently reach their suppliers and to access markets. In order to ensure quality infrastructure, SARM recommends the following.
The criteria for the new Building Canada plan programs need to include a small communities component, with population thresholds that are lower than those employed in past funding programs, such as the Building Canada fund and the community component. Lower population thresholds will better represent the realities of small rural communities and ensure that they are not competing with larger municipalities for the same funds. A portion of the infrastructure funding that is delivered through these programs should be earmarked solely for rural communities, so that rural projects are not competing with cities and towns for the same funding package.
SARM also recommends that the federal government invest through Western Economic Diversification in the northeast quadrant bridge project, a pilot of non-traditional bridge design—a lower-cost bridge design that will benefit municipalities and in turn industries all across this country.
The P3 Canada program needs to give more consideration in the eligibility criteria to less densely populated areas in rural Canada, thereby making it easier to access government funding for such essential rural infrastructure projects. SARM believes that rural-based industries, such as oil and gas and potash, would more seriously consider P3 funding if the program earmarked funding for rural-based projects.
SARM continues to stress the need for improved access to adequate high-speed Internet service in rural areas to expand the delivery of education and health care programming and to foster economic development opportunities. Ensuring rural access to broadband should be indicated as a priority to ensure continued economic, healthcare, and educational opportunities in rural Canada.
We are therefore recommending that the existing rules of the 700 MHz broadband auction be modified to ensure that any rural spectrum left unused by a service provider after two years of their acquiring it be susceptible to access by service providers who are indeed willing to bring service to rural Canada. Ensuring rural access to broadband should be indicated as a priority to ensure continued economic, healthcare, and educational opportunities in rural Canada.
SARM also understands that a process will be undertaken next year to determine how the 2,500 MHz and 3,500 MHz broadband widths will be distributed or sold. These are also critical broadband widths providing service to rural Canada, and therefore SARM would like to see the use-it-or-lose-it principle implemented when such a negotiation is undertaken.
A recent statement by Minister of Industry James Moore indicated that beginning in March 2014, the 2,300 MHz and 3,500 MHz spectrum licences will be subject to renewal and that those who have not used the spectrum according to the conditions contained in the licences will lose it. We appreciate this step made by the federal government to enhance rural access to high-speed broadband networks.
SARM would also ask the federal government to assist the Rural Secretariat by ensuring that it has a louder voice within its department and adequate fiscal capacity and staff to effectively advocate the rural voice through all federal government departments.
There are regulatory amendments that the federal government can make that will act as an economic driver in regions across Canada, including rural Saskatchewan. These would include considering amendments to the Species at Risk Act.
SARM is concerned that the implications of the current Species at Risk Act, SARA, could result in stifling the growth and prosperity of Canada's agricultural industry. It is therefore encouraging changes to that legislation.
SARM would like to request that the federal government amend SARA to ensure the cost and benefits of adding species to SARA, ensuring that the legal and financial implications for agricultural producers and the health and safety implications for rural residents are seriously considered; and that normal agricultural activities be made a permanent exception to SARA, to ensure that agriculture producers aren't legally liable for inadvertent incidental take, except in circumstances where the agricultural producer enters into an agreement with SARA to maintain the species at risk habitat in exchange for compensation that is automatically provided and adequate.
In closing, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities believes that infrastructure, quality of life in rural communities, and agriculture are the main areas in need of federal support.
Thank you very much for your attendance.