The Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation will be asking the Environment Minister about whether counter service can be re-instated at the Ministry of Environment offices where it was discontinued two years ago.

It was March of 2019 when the provincial government announced closing 19 offices to the public.

Darrell Crabbe understands that there is a 1-800 number and an online forum for conservation officer support, but he says what has been happening instead is a number of people are calling the non-government organizations with their queries instead, putting the onus on them to answer or direct their calls.

He says some of the questions are time sensitive, so asking them online doesn’t have a quick enough turnaround.

He gives the example of people looking for answers around handling a situation with a wild animal.

The SWF also takes a lot of calls from outside of Saskatchewan inquiring about hunting and angling opportunities.

Crabbe says at the SWF’s regional meetings in mid-April he intends to ask the Environment Minister if the service can be brought back.

(CJWW)