Ratepayer BBQ

Posted on4 June 2026AuthorRM Office

Shoulder Cutting

Posted on14 May 202614 May 2026AuthorRM Office

Our maintenance department will be working on shoulder cutting roads throughout the RM until the grass grows too long to continue. This process does cause some short term inconvenience, but is an important part of our road maintenance program.

What is Shoulder Cutting?

Over time, traffic and weather push gravel off the road surface onto the shoulders and into the ditches. This causes roads to flatten, lose proper drainage, and become more difficult to maintain. Shoulder cutting restores the road by bringing this material back onto the driving surface and reshaping the road.

What Does the Process Include?

Pulling material from the road shoulders and ditch areas back onto the road.
Reshaping side slopes and improving ditch drainage.

Why Shoulder Pulling is Important

Proper drainage is one of the most important parts of maintaining a good gravel road. Shoulder cutting helps water run off the road surface, reducing potholes, soft spots, and long-term damage.

The process also:

Reuses gravel that has been pushed off the road by traffic.
Extends the life of the road at a fraction of the cost of full reconstruction.
Reduces future maintenance requirements and gravel usage.

2026 Census

Posted on6 May 20266 May 2026AuthorRM Office

The RM of Great Bend is asking all residents to be diligent in completing their 2026 census, as municipalities in Canada receive funding based on census data. This census determines the funding we receive for everything from policing to the Municipal Revenue Sharing Grant.

Accurate census data benefits our municipality in several ways:

Better Resource Allocation: Ensures appropriate funding for schools, healthcare, and transportation.

Representation: Data influences political representation, giving rural communities a stronger voice in government.

Community Support: Per capita grants help fund recreation services such as library and senior programming, swimming pools, and more.

Without accurate data, these decisions are based on incomplete information, and we may miss out on valuable funding.

SARM Gopher Control Program

Posted on5 May 2026AuthorRM Office

The Gopher Control Program (GCP) is designed to encourage pest management practices that incorporate a variety of strategies such as rodenticides along with the inclusion of raptor platforms and nest boxes used near gopher colonies.

SARM is administering a 50:50 cost-share rebate program to rural municipalities and First Nations, south of the Northern Administrative District, and through RMs and FNs, other stakeholders with costs to control Ground squirrels ((Richardson’s, Franklin’s, and thirteen-lined) and Northern pocket gopher) populations. Funding for rebates under the GCP is $656,450.

For registered gopher control product options, please visit Health Canada. Note that strychnine is not included for rebate under the Gopher Control Program.

The deadline to claim under the 2026-27 GCP is July 31, 2026.