The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy is doing a series of discussions on Governing Sustainable Municipalities, and 'A Sustainable Future' will be the topic during Thursday's presentation at the Credit Union Sparks Centre in Weyburn.

The school's executive-in-residence, Dan Florizone, said municipalities are essential in working toward a sustainable future.

"When we think about that, we think about a municipality that's a great place to live and work. A strong economy, strong environment, having a quality of life that really is attractive to citizens. So I can think of no better place to talk about this than the city of Weyburn."

The discussion will hit on the strong history of labour in Weyburn, but have more of a focus on what lies ahead.

Florizone said some of the community's strengths are often taken for granted.

"I'm just really looking forward to chatting a bit about the strengths and how we build on those strengths," he said. "So everything from the back-end oilfield to some of the really interesting work that's being done on deep drilling for geothermal, we've got some really interesting reflections on the education system, which, by the way, is in the top five on the world in the world."

Florizone said this is a great opportunity to talk about how to take advantage of those strengths.

The former deputy minister of health in Saskatchewan acknowledged there are challenges to sustainable development, citing a shift from small, close-knit communities to more of a cultural mosaic.

"We are also being asked to move beyond agriculture, or at least farming, ranching and thinking about what we can do in in terms of the more-global supply chain. There's also that tension between economic development, environmental considerations, and the future of oil and gas. So these aren't without tension points, but the wonderful part of all of this is the ability for a community like labour to find that right balance among all of those interests."

The presentation will be in the Credit Union Sparks Centre mini gym, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. You can register or join remotely by following this link.

Here is the full series of presentations:

  • March 27 - Swift Current - Innovation Plex Auditorium - 'Resilience: Innovation in a Changing Municipal Landscape' with Margot Hurlbert
  • March 30 - Weyburn - Credit Union Sparks Centre mini gym - 'A Sustainable Future' with Dan Florizone
  • April 4 - North Battleford - Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts theatre - 'Community Foundations for Sustainable Sustainability' with Ken Coates
  • April 13 - Yorkton - National Bank Convention Place at Gallagher Centre - 'The Social Side of Sustainability' with Akram Mahani