By Stephen Lylyk, March 14, 2022

In 2021 Saskatchewan experienced a drought as a result of climate change-influenced events.

“The 2021 heatwave that originated in BC was definitely exacerbated by climate change,” said Peter Prebble of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society.”

“Saskatoon had 29 days during June, July, and August, in which the local temperature exceeded 30 degrees celsius… These high temperatures were a major factor in creating exceptionally dry conditions in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.”

The climate-induced drought was especially alarming to the farming community.

“Farmers are very concerned and increasingly paying attention,” said Darrin Qualman, Director of Climate Crisis Policy with the Nationals Farmers Union.

Climate change is defined by the United Nations as “long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.”

“People don’t realize how much our winter has warmed,” said Professor David Sauchyn of the University of Regina. “The downside for Saskatchewan is as our climate warms, we can expect some fairly intense rainfalls. But when the rain does not occur we can also expect conditions that are drier than the past.”

Sauchyn goes into further detail about the effects of climate change in a 2020 report titled “Prairie provinces regional perspectives report.”

Dean Kreutzer of Over the Hill Orchards near Lumsden noticed the effects of drought on his farm.

“Drought has caused significant effects to the trees by not having enough moisture in the soil for proper growth during the summer,” said Kreutzer. “The lack of winter hardiness is also exacerbated by very cold temperatures, and lack of snow on the ground.”

There have been people critical of Saskatchewan’s actions in dealing with climate change, including Rob Deglau of EnviroCollective Network.

“They’re just not going far enough,” said Deglau. “We know that they’re basing their decisions on a fossil fuel industry. And all we’re getting is lip service. We’re not going hard at the new changes that we need.”

In response to questions about the provincial governments’ policies regarding climate change, Val Nicholson, a media consultant in the Ministry of Environment, sent a statement.

“The government’s goal,” said Nicholson, “in addressing climate change is to balance practical and effective greenhouse gas reduction policy with continuing economic growth as set out in ‘Prairie resilience.’ ”

Prairie resilience, Nicholson said, “includes more than 40 commitments to make Saskatchewan more resilient to the effects of a changing climate.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep0sEaOO_w0

John Porter of JCP Farms near Weyburn expressed support for the provincial government’s environmental policies.

“I am impressed,” said Porter, “with what the government has done in so far as the clean coal power project, and carbon sequestering out of Estevan.”

Prebble doesn’t believe the government policy has done enough to deal with the issue.

“I would say that the government has not been ambitious in its greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy,” said Prebble, “Saskatchewan at this point in time is not doing its fair share in terms of helping Canada meet its obligations to the United Nations.”

Attached is a letter Prebble helped create, expressing climate-change concerns.

SES Letter to Government of SK on GHG reduction recommendations – Nov 2021

Qualman said the long-term effects of climate change could lead to a devastating drought.

“Because Saskatchewan is in a northly location,” said Qualman, “and in a continental interior, it is warming at about twice the average rate. We expect to see about 5.4 degrees Celsius of warming which could prove devastating to many areas of crop and production.”

Sauchyn, through his research, notes how the province has had periods of history dealing with droughts in which the prairies, “dry out, and stay dry for decades.”

Kreutzer’s orchards could also be affected.

“To grow fruit in this part of the world is difficult,” said Kreutzer. “The thought of it getting more difficult is very troubling.”