Rural Saskatchewan is teeming with abandoned buildings, so the provincial government is developing a pilot framework that would allow participating municipalities to work with volunteer fire departments to safely dispose of these municipal-owned structures for fire fighter training exercises.

Derelict buildings pose both public safety and economic issues, hindering redevelopment and posing safety hazards.

“As a municipality that absorbed a village in 2017, we have experienced first-hand the financial burden accompanying the demolition of derelict buildings,” Reeve of Kellross Rural Municipality No. 247 Thad Trefiak said. “This program will help us with the on-going challenges related to aging infrastructure.”

Bill Huber, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said municipalities want to encourage families to live, work and stay in rural Saskatchewan and nothing is more discouraging than a surplus of abandoned buildings. “SARM is pleased to hear the provincial government is initiating a pilot program to assist rural municipalities with the removal and remediation of derelict buildings they have been forced to assume title on.”

It is anticipated that details of the pilot framework will be available in summer 2025. During the spring legislative session, the provincial government will address any regulatory or legislative changes required to support the framework.