The Mayor of Steinbach says the city enjoys providing fire protection to parts of the Rural Municipality of Hanover.

Chris Goertzen made that comment in response to Hanover's announced plans for a fire hall to be built in the community of Blumenort. The hall, along with equipment and training is expected to cost about $2.6 million. But Reeve Stan Toews says it could be mid-2019 before everything is up and running.

This year, Hanover is paying $252,000 for Steinbach fire protection. In recent years, Steinbach has responded to about sixty calls in Hanover. Approximately fifty of those calls are for the Blumenort and Mitchell area. The other ten would then be south of Steinbach in the Friedensfeld area.

Goertzen says Steinbach charges Hanover roughly what it costs to provide the service.

"The cost for Hanover is directly correlated with the cost of running the department and the amount of assessment and residents that they have in that area," explains Goertzen.

Furthermore, he says once they discontinue serving Blumenort and Mitchell, it will result in reduced wear on their equipment. But, he stresses, if Hanover wants to continue to share services, Steinbach will certainly be a willing partner.

"In the end, it's really about deciding what's best for the residents of those areas," he says. "If it's best for residents of Hanover to have a department that's closer, a smaller department that's closer that should be the direction they go."

Hanover has already indicated they will continue to call upon Steinbach to service the Friedensfeld area, even once the Blumenort hall opens. Goertzen says details have yet to be worked out.

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