Entrepreneurial Spirit of Saskatchewan Alive and Well in Ogema

July 11, 2009 | in

In the end, it will be the communities with the best entrepreneurs that thrive, and there are few better examples of this than Ogema. Several years ago, south Saskatchewan town had a population of less than 300 and was facing the loss of its railway, school, elevator and health care facilities. Today, it’s a different story.

The resolve of its residents has changed the community significantly. The town now owns the railway and the elevator, has a personal care home and has also saved the school, which is seeing increasing numbers of students. In addition to that (or because of it), Ogema has experienced other achievements, including the establishment of a day care, a new grocery store, and expanding businesses. Immigration is even helping to bring new people to town, with people from the Philippines moving there to work at local businesses.
 
We had the pleasure of visiting Ogema while on the southern stretch of our “Round Our Way” 2009 Summer Tour. We arrived in the late evening to camp at the Regional Park where the Annual Summer Fair would be held the next morning. After a short sleep we awoke to join everyone in town for a pancake breakfast, followed by driving the RV through the Ogema Parade. After the parade we joined the Fair festivities in the arena. Our day concluded with a ceremony celebrating of the 10 year anniversary of Red Coat Road and Rail.
 
Red Coat Rail is a 114-km rail line running from Pangman to Assiniboia, through five rural municipalities, bought from CP Rail by four original shareholders for $1 million. The community-owned company saves money for the farmers who use it and has contributed to local municipal education and property taxes. It also provides other spin-off benefits each time the farmers come to town for grain business and stop to buy groceries or some other goods in their local communities.
 
There is also an environmental benefit gained from moving grain by rail rather than on the province's highways. About 170 shareholders use the line regularly and another 140 farmers use it periodically. Farmers don't necessarily make more money using the rail, but they save money and reduce their operating costs.
 
What makes a project like Red Coat Rail successful is not only the opportunity- it’s the drive and ambition of local people who go after that opportunity. I commend the men and women who have spent ten years of their time and energy to make this project successful. The entrepreneurial spirit is what turns possibility into actuality, and that spirit is alive and well in Ogema.
»