Yorkton Mayor Aaron Kienle is in Ottawa to meet with federal officials and advocate for major infrastructure investments, including funding for the city’s planned wastewater treatment plant. On Thursday, Kienle told CTV News that he will spend Monday and Thursday in meetings on behalf of the City of Yorkton, while on Tuesday and Wednesday he will also be representing his city but joining other Saskatchewan mayors and provincial government representatives for discussions with federal stakeholders. The mayor said the city’s top priority remains securing funding for a new wastewater treatment plant, which he described as essential to future growth. “To unlock more housing, a new hospital, industry expansion and new business development, that wastewater treatment plant is absolutely necessary,” Kienle said. The city has already submitted a grant application through the federal Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF), and Kienle said Ottawa is aware of the project, the trip offering another opportunity to highlight Yorkton’s needs. “It’ll be a little bit of running into old friends and encouraging them to make sure that our grant application is looked at and prioritized,” the mayor explained. He acknowledged that repeated trips to Ottawa and other government centres may seem excessive, but said major projects require sustained advocacy. Travel expenses related to the mayor’s advocacy work are publicly available through the city’s budget process. “I understand for a lot of people it seems crazy, and also I think this is an undertaking that municipalities like ours doesn’t take on, which is federal advocacy,” Kienle explained. “This will be the biggest investment in the history of Yorkton by probably a multiple of 10.” “We’re looking for more than $100 million in federal investment,” he said, adding that the project could also unlock significant provincial funding. Kienle said many of the discussions surrounding the project must remain confidential until formal announcements are made but argued the time and expense of advocacy efforts will be worthwhile if they result in hundreds of millions of dollars being invested in the community. The mayor cautioned that timelines involving multiple levels of government can shift. “Government moves a little slower than we would all like,” he said. Kienle said success for the upcoming trip will be measured by progress behind the scenes, including building relationships with decision-makers and continuing to move key projects closer to approval. He remains optimistic that Yorkton residents will see major infrastructure announcements before the end of 2028. “I have every confidence that we will see these projects have announcements prior to the end of my term,” Kienle said.
