Northern Settlement of Descharme Lake
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Public Notices
The Northern Settlement of Descharme Lake is located on the northwest shore of Descharme Lake and the eastern bank of the Descharme River. Descharme Lake is 95 km north of La Loche, SK and is accessible from a provincial highway east of Highway 955 which goes through Clearwater River Provincial Park. District facilities include a playground, water well, community hall and municipal garage. Community wifi is provided for emergency communications for residents. The population is 26 people (2021 Census) SaskPower is building its first solar-battery-diesel combination microgrid in Saskatchewan. The microgrid will power the Northern Settlement of Descharme Lake and area. To learn more about SaskPower microgrid project and provide feedback, click on this link:
Descharme Lake Microgrid (saskpower.com) March 7, 2025 Progress Update |
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The Role of the Local Advisory Committee (LAC)
Click here to learn about the important roles that District municipal administration and the LAC play in responsibly managing the affairs and the wellbeing of Descharme Lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Descharme have a micro grid?
SaskPower used to provide the community of Descharme Lake with power using a 96-km single-phase power line from La Loche. This aging power line was subject to risks related to forest fires and lightning strikes, required significant maintenance, and was scheduled for replacement within the next 10 years. Due to these risks as well as the age of the power line, it was difficult to maintain a high degree of reliability for Descharme Lake, resulting in several power outages in the community.
SaskPower considered options to provide cleaner, local, reliable power for Descharme Lake and developed a reliable power system to support the community. SaskPower approved proceeding with a microgrid power system which incorporates a large solar array, lithium-ion batteries and diesel generators to provide reliable, clean power to Descharme Lake.
If you have questions about your power bill call 1-888-757-6937.
What is the garage in Descharme?
The Descharme garage is a municipally owned building. Its primary function is to house, protect, and maintain municipal equipment. Its use is intended solely for municipal employees. The municipal garage is not a community centre, public venue, or general-use space.
The garage is not designed for public access. Members of the public do not have access to the premises, and it is not intended for gatherings, services, or activities unrelated to municipal operations, for several reasons including public safety risks, protection and security of assets, and managing liability.
Why isn’t the garage heated?
The decision not to heat the Descharme garage over the winter was made by the municipality as part of its operational and budget management responsibilities.
Because the garage is used to store municipal equipment, continuous heating is not required because the tractor can withstand cold conditions. Heating the garage space through winter cost thousands of dollars, and municipalities are responsible for using public funds carefully.
In this case, it was determined that the cost of heating the building outweighed the operational need and chose to shut off power rather than incur unnecessary expense. This kind of decision falls within the municipality’s authority to manage its assets, control spending, and prioritize essential services.
Importantly, because the garage is not a public-use building, there is no requirement to maintain indoor comfort levels for occupants in the way there would be for a community centre or other public facility.
What is the tractor used for?
The municipality had purchased a tractor to help with its regular work. This tractor is municipal equipment, which means it belongs to the municipality and is meant to be used only for municipal duties.
The public does not have access to this tractor. Only municipal employees are allowed to operate municipal equipment. This year, road clearing was already handled by the highways department, so there was no need for an employee to use the tractor.
The public cannot use the municipality’s tractor for several important reasons, including safety risks to the public, risk of damage to the tractor (and who pays for it), and municipal risk (if the public injures someone or causes damage to something).
What revenues come into the community?
Services in the community are paid by the municipality using tax revenues and grants. Municipal tax revenues in 2026 are anticipated to collect less than $1,000. Some of the expenses will include cost share of the regional landfill, garbage bins, cost share of administration, Starlink, cost share of a public works manager, well power and maintenance. These expenses are expected to exceed $21,000.
SaskPower used to provide the community of Descharme Lake with power using a 96-km single-phase power line from La Loche. This aging power line was subject to risks related to forest fires and lightning strikes, required significant maintenance, and was scheduled for replacement within the next 10 years. Due to these risks as well as the age of the power line, it was difficult to maintain a high degree of reliability for Descharme Lake, resulting in several power outages in the community.
SaskPower considered options to provide cleaner, local, reliable power for Descharme Lake and developed a reliable power system to support the community. SaskPower approved proceeding with a microgrid power system which incorporates a large solar array, lithium-ion batteries and diesel generators to provide reliable, clean power to Descharme Lake.
If you have questions about your power bill call 1-888-757-6937.
What is the garage in Descharme?
The Descharme garage is a municipally owned building. Its primary function is to house, protect, and maintain municipal equipment. Its use is intended solely for municipal employees. The municipal garage is not a community centre, public venue, or general-use space.
The garage is not designed for public access. Members of the public do not have access to the premises, and it is not intended for gatherings, services, or activities unrelated to municipal operations, for several reasons including public safety risks, protection and security of assets, and managing liability.
Why isn’t the garage heated?
The decision not to heat the Descharme garage over the winter was made by the municipality as part of its operational and budget management responsibilities.
Because the garage is used to store municipal equipment, continuous heating is not required because the tractor can withstand cold conditions. Heating the garage space through winter cost thousands of dollars, and municipalities are responsible for using public funds carefully.
In this case, it was determined that the cost of heating the building outweighed the operational need and chose to shut off power rather than incur unnecessary expense. This kind of decision falls within the municipality’s authority to manage its assets, control spending, and prioritize essential services.
Importantly, because the garage is not a public-use building, there is no requirement to maintain indoor comfort levels for occupants in the way there would be for a community centre or other public facility.
What is the tractor used for?
The municipality had purchased a tractor to help with its regular work. This tractor is municipal equipment, which means it belongs to the municipality and is meant to be used only for municipal duties.
The public does not have access to this tractor. Only municipal employees are allowed to operate municipal equipment. This year, road clearing was already handled by the highways department, so there was no need for an employee to use the tractor.
The public cannot use the municipality’s tractor for several important reasons, including safety risks to the public, risk of damage to the tractor (and who pays for it), and municipal risk (if the public injures someone or causes damage to something).
What revenues come into the community?
Services in the community are paid by the municipality using tax revenues and grants. Municipal tax revenues in 2026 are anticipated to collect less than $1,000. Some of the expenses will include cost share of the regional landfill, garbage bins, cost share of administration, Starlink, cost share of a public works manager, well power and maintenance. These expenses are expected to exceed $21,000.