Pipeline dollars pumped back into communities
By Joan Janzen
The Kindersley & District Co-op, along with Enbridge, conducted a cheque presentation Friday morning, May 27 at the Kindersley Co-op Grocery Store for three local organizations. The West Central Crisis Centre, West Central Abilities, and the Kindersley & District Food Bank were the three organizations that benefited from the Line3/Co-op rebate program.
Michelle Weber, representing West Central Crisis Centre, received $6,269.00. Leslie Omness, representing the Kindersley & District Food Bank, receved $5,000. Kim Edmunds, representing West Central Abilities, received $15,000. The equity check to Enbridge was in the amount of $26,269.00, which was then distributed locally to the three local organizations. Allen Sawatzky, Construction Manager, was in attendance from Enbridge.
One of the many economic benefits of pipeline construction is the spending of workers in local communities for the purchase of gasoline and groceries, among other necessities. And one of the most popular and prevalent places to make those purchases on the Canadian prairies is at the neighbourhood Co-Op store.
With that in mind, Enbridge established a program with nine Co-op retail outlets in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which ran from the spring of 2017 until completion of the Canadian portion of the Line 3 replacement project in 2019. Funds were disbursed to communities in 2020, however formal cheque presentations were postponed due to COVID-19 health restrictions.
Ultimately, more than $90,000 was raised through Co-op stores in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, including a $26,269 rebate from the Kindersley and District Co-op. Funds will go toward the West Central Crisis Centre ($15,000), West Central Abilities ($6,269) and the local food bank ($5,000).
“We know that large construction projects like this have an impact on smaller communities, so we’re always looking at ways to make that experience and the legacy we leave behind a positive one,” explains Guy Krepps, Project Director. “This was another way for Enbridge to support that objective and a nice top-up to the $3 million in project-related community investment across the Canadian Prairies during pipeline construction.”
Enbridge and contractor personnel – OJ Pipelines, Banister Pipelines, SA Energy and subcontractors – were encouraged to use an Enbridge Line 3 Co-op number when purchasing gasoline, groceries or hardware items for personal and business use. Just as individual earns equity through their annual purchases at Co-op, so too did Enbridge, re-investing those funds invested back into the community at the end of the project.
Back Row (L-R): Al Sawatzsky - construction manager Enbridge - Line 3 project, Trevor Bond - General Manager, Kindersley & District Co-op, Ken Massey - Kindersley & District Co-op (Director), and Tom Watt - Kindersley & District Co-op (Board President). Front Row (L-R) Michelle Weber - Executive Director West Central Crisis Centre, Leslie Omness - Kindersley & District Food Bank, Caroline San Andres - Kindersley & District Co-op (Director), Kim Edmunds - Executive Director West Central Abilities, Brooke Nargang - West Central Abilities, Donna McBride - Kindersley & District Co-op (Director).
