RR cattle inspection station without purpose since BSE crisis

Ken Johnston
Editor

The plight of the Rainy River Cattle Inspection station still remains to be seen as it continues to struggle for survival year after year.
The station, located at the border just east of Canada Customs, saw very little usage last year due to the discovery of Mad Cow Disease last May in western Canada and again in December in Washington State.
The closure of the border saw everything grind to a halt at the station that has been struggling to be self sustaining for a number of years now.
Prior to the spring discovery of Mad Cow Disease the station had been used to export 23 animals to the United States and import 3 to Canada. That brought in $169 in revenue.
At last year’s Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association (RRCA) annual meeting members suggested that they hold back their check off fees to the province in order to try and garner government funding to operate the station. Later in the year RRCA received $5,000 in funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to operate the station.
After expenses RRCA was left with $2,631.96 to operate the station this year. However the NOHFC money was a one time grant.
RRCA member Archie Wiersema said that the station had been virtually scaled back to absolute closure. “We had the water turned off in December to save money on utilities.” They also opted not to put new saw dust and shavings on the station floor after the border closed.
RRCA president Peter Spuzak said that Kenora-Rainy River M.P. Bob Nault promised them $50,000 in operating dollars for the station before the last election. “Since then we have heard nothing,” said Spuzak.
RRCA past president Tom Morrish said that the land the station is located on is owned by the Ministry of Transportation and has been declared surplus by the province. RRCA is hoping to acquire it for as little as possible cost to them. They are currently dealing with the Ontario Realty Corporation on that matter.
With the border closed and no commitment from the government for operating dollars, RRCA members have begun to look at other alternatives to keep it in the black. RRCA member Jim McDermid said that there have been discussions with the new vet at Northwest Animal Clinic about setting up a regularly visited satellite office in Rainy River to deal with small animals like cats and dogs. It was suggested that the inspection station’s office could serve those needs.
Nothing concrete has been etched in stone, but RRCA will continue to work on that angle.