The mayor of Stony Rapids says it is up to communities in Saskatchewan’s far north to build their own sustainability.
Daniel Powder says the biggest hurdle facing the communities in the north continues to be jobs and housing, and the provincial government isn’t doing enough to help out.
He says northern communities need to continue their partnerships with one another to find development opportunities.
“All seven communities are uniting together to build ourselves stronger and we are trying to address the issues we are facing in our communities,” says the mayor of the small hamlet.
That partnership is most prevalent in the Aboriginal-owned Athabasca Basin Development Corporation, an investment company owned by the seven far north communities.
These communities include Stony Rapids, Hatchet Lake, Black Lake, Fond du Lac, Wollaston Lake, Uranium City and Camsell Portage.
Since the development corporation was formed in 2002, it has grown to over $176 million in consolidated revenue.
Athabasca Basin investments are mainly focused on the mining and exploration sectors.
Powder says it will be through partnerships with companies in the mining sector that northern communities will be able to build homes and create more jobs.
“Companies like Cameco and AREVA have helped us to go a lot further,” says the mayor. “Without them we would be lost because I feel the government is not doing enough to address some of the issues we face.”
Powder says the lack of housing in the north hurts the growth of the communities.
If the communities are able to grow, he feels the north would be able to sustain itself.
He says he is trying to get companies to invest in housing developments in the community.
The mayor says these developments will create more jobs.
The main developments providing jobs in the community at the moment are the expansions at the airport, as well as a dangerous goods bypass road.
According to the 2011 census, there are 243 residents in Stony Rapids. The northern Saskatchewan community is 82 km away from the Northwest Territories border.