Secretary of State for Rural Development Buckley Belanger visited Lloydminster on Sept. 9 to meet with local leaders and discuss economic priorities, interprovincial trade and affordability.
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Belanger met with the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Gerald Albers during his visit, which he described as an opportunity to listen to local concerns and bring the community’s priorities back to Ottawa.
“Lloydminster’s an important place for Saskatchewan and Alberta,” Belanger said. “It’s a community where two provinces and our country come together.”
Among the issues discussed was the need to reduce interprovincial trade barriers, an issue raised by both the mayor and Chamber of Commerce.
Belanger said Lloydminster and surrounding communities have an important role to play in strengthening the Canadian economy, particularly as Alberta and Saskatchewan continue to experience economic growth.
City Hall on Sept. 9. Submitted
He said discussions with Albers also focused on the city’s ambitions as a growing community and potential projects that could require federal support. Belanger did not provide details on those projects, saying they were confidential.
“As he does come to Ottawa, we want to do all we can to help him,” Belanger said, adding that his rural development responsibilities align with many of the priorities discussed during the meeting.
Affordability was also a focus of Belanger’s visit, with the secretary of state highlighting the federal government’s extension of the fuel excise tax suspension.
The extension is expected to continue saving Canadians 10 cents per litre on gasoline and four cents per litre on diesel until Jan. 31, 2027, according to Belanger.
He said the measure is particularly important in Lloydminster and other rural communities where residents and businesses often travel long distances, while agriculture, energy and trucking industries rely heavily on fuel.
Belanger said the visit provided an opportunity to discuss common challenges facing Canadians and promote what he called “co-operative federalism” between the federal government and provinces.
“Canada needs Alberta and Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan and Alberta and Canada,” he said. “That’s a really important message to share as well.”
Belanger said his meetings with local leaders were productive and reinforced the importance of working together across provincial and federal governments.
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