Author: Erica Pederson
About the RM of Souris Valley No. 7
A little history about the RM and its buildings.
In 1975 the RM built a new shop on the north side of the highway (blue shop). In 1996, the Provincial Government closed many of their small Highways & Transportation Depots, the one in Oungre being one of many, the Council made an offer to purchase and it was accepted. This facility is still considered our main shop. In 2003, the RM Council approached the School Board to propose the possible relocation of the RM office into the “portable additions” of the Lyndale School at Oungre and that was also accepted. In 2016, the Council decided to build another cold storage building for the equipment and it is located on the north side of the highway beside the “old blue shop”.
Within the RM we have a few unorganized hamlets/villages, we have Bromhead, Hoffer, Oungre, Ratcliffe and the RM and the Village of Tribune amalgamated in 2018.
Bromhead area was first settled in 1902, and an influx of settlers arrived from 1904-1906. The village was soon incorporated. Bromhead’s population peaked near the 350 mark. It was the biggest community on the railway branch line, boasting the necessary shops and amentities. A disastrous fire in 1916 destroyed a quarter of the town, including the Bromhead newspaper, a three-story hotel, several shops, stores, two livery and feed barns, a restaurant, the village hall, a bowling alley, barbershop and many residences. A second fire incinerated even more businesses. Only the butcher shop and pool hall were rebuilt. Future expansion plans were dealt a blow in 1926, when the Bromhead-Minton branch line was built, which cut into Bromhead’s territory. The municipality, doctors offices and pharmacist relocated to Oungre. Other businesses eventually followed suit. The last business in Bromhead was the hotel, which burned to the ground in March of 1986.
Hoffer, like many other towns like it, on the line from Estevan to Minton was a very important link for the people from 1926 to 1960. The railroad was very important to move grain, cattle and to receive mail, supplies and people. After the elevators closed in 1975, business ceased to exist in Hoffer. Hoffer had a few things to offer people including: the elevators, a synagouge rabbi house, town hall, school/teacherage, lumber yard, and a store.
Oungre The CPR decided to extend the Bromhead-Westerly Branch from Southall to Lake Alma. The building of this branch took place in 1926 and 1927 and was put into operation in late 1927. The first business was Oungre Garage built in 1927. The Canadian Consolidated Elevator was put into operation in the middle of July 1927. A community hall was built and even had a projection room for movies. The post office was establish in 1928. The Sask Pool Elevator was built in 1928. The first livery stable and dray was opened in 1928. In 1928 a hotel/restaurant was built. A store and butcher shop started around 1929. First blacksmith shop came to Oungre in 1931 and left in 1932. Co-op came to town in 1932. In 1940 Kuntz Garage and Implement Agency started. In 1950 Chapmans General Store opened. In 1968 the South East Regional Library at Oungre was opened.
Ratcliffe The CPR steel was laid for the railway about mid summer of 1926. Even before that, someone started a grocery store. Federal Grain Co build a grain elevator, a cafe was also built to feed the builders and grain haulers. A post office was built, an office and lumber yard soon followed along with a bigger store, another McIlrath lumber yard, a bigger store was built, an Esso garage and machine shop, a 2nd garage, a hall, a hotel, a school. By 2005 the grain elevators were gone and the curling rink was gone, all that was left was a hall, two street lights and one residence.
Tribune was incorporated in 1914. In 1913 the CPR built a branch line west of Estevan to Neptune. The first elevator was built by Imperial Elevator and Lumber Company. The Long Creek Grain Company also built an elevator. Ogilivie Milling Company also built a few years later. McIlrath Lumber Company built a lumber yard and coal shed. There were 5 stores, 2 lumber yards, 3 garages a machine business and coal agency, blacksmith and woodworking shop, pool/bowling alley with an upstairs hall and barbershop, billiard hall, a liquor store, a bank, a hotel, hardware store, oil dealer, school, butcher and cattle shipping, a band, 2 cafes, a weekly newspaper, 2 churches, telephone office, RCMP barracks, 2 large livery and feed barn as well as many residences. The decade 1916-1926 saw Tribune reached its peak.
If you are interested in more information on these little towns and the residents of the RM, be sure to purchase a History Book from the RM Office.
737 Volunteer Fire Department.
In late 2016 the 737 Fire Board was established. This led to the formation of the 737 Volunteer Fire Department in late 2017, which set to provide wildland fire fighting services to the residents and ratepayers of the RM of Souris Valley, RM of Lomond and a portion of the RM of Lake Alma. Since the establishment of the 737 Volunteer Fire Department the Councils of the RM of Souris Valley and the RM of Lomond have worked together to establish a fleet of equipment consisting of 4 fully equipped wildland fire fighting trucks and 2 water tenders.
Together we built and outfitted a brand-new fire hall in a central location and have recruited and continue to train around 30 active volunteer fire fighters. The fire department consists of a local fire chief as well as deputy fire chiefs from each municipality, working along side the volunteers that spread from the south end of the RM of Souris Valley to the north end of the RM of Lomond. The formation of the fire department has also prompted numerous discussions and meetings for multiple mutual aid agreements with all surrounding municipalities, United States counties and other fire/rescue departments. Through these actions the 737 Fire Department is able to provide emergency fire and specific rescue services to ratepayers and residents of both municipalities in addition to mutual aid to the neighboring municipalities and counties should the need arise.
Fire Chief – Glenn Walkeden
RM #7 Deputy Fire Chief – Kyle Ashworth
RM#37 Deputy Fire Chief – Brian Woodard
Oungre Regional Libary
Be sure to check out their Facebook page for all the latest updates and upcoming events.
Oungre Public Library Branch | Southeast Regional Library (southeastlibrary.ca)
Saskatchewan Municipal Awards
View the video here: Award Winners « Saskatchewan Municipal Awards
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE
2020 SASKATCHEWAN MUNICIPAL AWARDS!
First Place: Request for Service App (City of Moose Jaw)
Winning Practice: Developed an app that records and tracks requests for service submitted by residents and provides valuable two-way communication between the city and its residents.
Second Place: 737 Volunteer Fire Department (RMs of Souris Valley No. 7 and Lomond No. 37)
Winning Practice: Established a volunteer fire department to provide wildland fire fighting services to residents and ratepayers of both municipalities in addition to mutual aid to neighbouring municipalities and counties.
Regional Cooperation: Regional Rideshare Initiative (Towns of Balgonie, Grand Coulee, Pilot Butte, Pense, and Lumsden, Villages of Buena Vista and Belle Plaine, RMs of Edenwold No. 158, Pense No. 160, Lumsden No. 189, Lajord No. 128, and Bratt’s Lake No. 129)
Winning Practice: Developed a regional rideshare framework where member municipalities adopt complimentary bylaws allowing rideshare companies to operate within their municipality once the companies have obtained a regional rideshare license.
2021 Assessment Revaluation
https://www.sama.sk.ca/property-owner-services/understanding-assessment/revaluations
2021 Assessment Information Sheet
The Assessment Notice is NOT a tax notice, and does not equal property tax. Assessment notices are sent annually to those property owners whose properties have changed in value. In a revaluation year, assessment notices are sent to every property owner on the municipal tax roll. At this time, the Council for the RM of Lake Lenore No. 399 has not established its tax policy for 2021, and property taxes are an unknown value for 2021.
Provincial legislation requires all properties in Saskatchewan be revalued once every four years. For the 2021 revaluation, the base date used for assessment values is January 01, 2019. This means that 2021 values reflect a property’s value as of January 01, 2019 not January 01, 2021. Revaluations update the market value of a property to a new base date; they are not a physical re-inspection of a property. To arrive at these values, SAMA conducts market research and uses industry standard valuation approaches.
Please note that in a revaluation year, Section 293 farm dwelling exemptions may not carry forward from land owned and/or leased or rented in adjoining municipalities. It is the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that all information is provided to our office regarding the assessment and ownership share of any lands in adjoining municipalities. The deadline to notify the Administration Office of these lands is March 31 annually.
New for the 2021 assessment year is the removal of Section 293 farm dwelling exemptions in unorganized hamlets. This is a legislated change, and is not under the control of council or administration. If you have any concerns about this change, please contact your MLA.
The 2021 assessment appeal period is open for 60 days, and closes at 4:00 on May 25, 2021. You may not appeal based on what your property taxes may calculate at; you may only appeal the valuation of your property. Appeals must be in the hands of the Administrator at the close of the appeal period; late arriving appeals will not proceed. If you are mailing your appeal to the Administrator, please allow sufficient time for Canada Post to deliver.
Understanding Your Assessment Notice
If you have any questions about your assessment notice, excluding questions about what your 2021 taxes will be, please call or stop by the Administration Office. Covid safety measures must be followed by anyone entering the Administration Office.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is assessment?
Property assessment is the process of determining an assessed value for taxation purposes. Assessed value is not necessarily the selling price of your property or even what your insurance company or bank would consider the value of your property. Generally, the assessed value is now close to average market values for most types of property in the municipality. The calculations used to determine assessed value are based on the formulas, rules, and regulations set out by provincial legislation and the Saskatchewan Assessment Manual.
For more information on the calculation of assessed value, please visit the SAMA website (www.sama.sk.ca).
Additional information regarding Property Assessment and Taxation can be found on the Government of Saskatchewan website at www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/taxes-and-investments/property-taxes
Why would my property’s value change?
In addition to it being a revaluation year, fair values change for various reasons, such as:
- additions, upgrades, or other building changes have been recorded;
- buildings have been removed or replaced
- land subdivision has occurred.
Where do assessment appraisers get the information to calculate the fair value of my property?
The RM of Souris Valley No. 7 contracts SAMA to set values to properties within the municipality. Assessment appraisers review information about your property obtained from recorded property characteristics, building permits, site visits, land title information, maps, photos, and sales data. Using this information, they calculate your fair value assessment using a variety of appraisal techniques similar to what a realtor or appraiser would do. It must be remembered, however, that assessors must use mass appraisal and that all values must be fair and equitable with similar properties.
For more information and to view your property reports, please visit SAMAView at www.samaview.ca/sama/
If I am not satisfied with my assessment, what can I do?
Contact SAMA at 1-800-216-4427 and ask to speak to an assessment appraiser in respect to your property. They will explain how your assessment was determined and can once again confirm the accuracy of the records and explain the steps that need to be taken should changes be required. The assessment appraiser may also be able to provide you with other information that may assist you with your inquiry.
If I am still not satisfied after speaking with an assessor, what is my next step?
You can appeal your assessment to the Board of Revision. Appeals against an assessed value are only accepted for 60 days after the mailing of the assessment notice. The Board of Revision ensures that your assessment is fair and equitable. If you appeal your assessment and the Board makes a change, the decision changes the property assessment value in the year of assessment only and cannot be made retroactive to previous years.
When can I appeal my assessment?
Within 60 days of the assessment roll being advertised, you must give your completed notice of appeal to the Administrator. This can be done personally, by ordinary or registered mail, or by email. You must ensure that the appeal notice is in the hands of the Administrator before the close of the 60-day period.
Can I appeal my taxes?
- Provincial legislation outlines what are considered valid grounds of appeal. Property taxes or the mill rate are not valid reasons for appeal.
Retiring members of Council
On behalf of the Council and the ratepayers of the RM of Souris Valley No. 7 I would like to congratulate and thank the following members of Council who have retired:
Larry Skjerdal was the Division 3 Councillor from 1981-2020
Robert Forrester was the Division 4 Councillor from 2003-2016 and was Reeve from 2016-2020.
Thank you both for your many years of service to the Council, the Community and the Ratepayers.
2020 Council
Congratulations to the acclaimed members of Council
Glenn Walkeden – Reeve
James Joice – Division 1 Councillor
Kevin Skjerdal – Division 3 Councillor
and the newly elected member of Council
Garry Kuntz – Division 5 Councillor
These members along with:
Rick Chapman – Division 2 Councillor
Curtis Forrester – Division 4 Councillor
Mervin Hutt – Division 6 Councillor
make up the 2020-2022 RM of Souris Valley No. 7 Council.
2024 Voters Information
VOTERS- A person is qualified to be registered as a voter in an R.M. if he or she on the day of the election is 18 years old and is a Canadian citizen. Immediately before the day of the election the voter must also meet at least one of the following criteria:
*A resident in the R.M. for at least 3 consecutive months immediately preceding the day of the election;
*Is the registered owner (or purchaser under a bona fide agreement for sale) of taxable land in the R.M;
*Assessed with respect to land in the RM under a lease. License, permit, or contract in agreement with the registered owner;
*Is assessed with respect to improvement in the R.M;
*Holds a permit in the R.M. with respect to a trailer or mobile home;
*Is the spouse of a person mentioned in the above criteria and resides with that person in SK (not in the R.M.); or
*The chief executive officer of a duly incorporated co-operative, corporation or religious association that is assessed on the last revised assessment roll with respect to property in the R.M. that is not exempt from taxation.