Swift Current Ag & Ex makes a profit during a challenging pandemic year

He also presented the 2022 budget during the annual meeting. There will be an increase in both expenses and income comparable to pre-pandemic levels due to an expectation that activities and events will be similar to a regular year.

However, the Ag & Ex will be cautiously optimistic for 2022 due to uncertainty over how the public will respond to the lifting of pandemic restrictions in the province.

“I’m hopeful that the bulk, 75 per cent of the people at least, will come back and maybe we can draw some other people that normally aren’t here just because they want to get out,” he said. “So our numbers hopefully will be reasonably close to what we normally get. That’s what I’m hoping anyway.”

The budgeted expenses of $847,080 and income of $843,605 for 2022 will result in a small loss of $3,475 that the organization will be able to cope with. However, he felt the actual result might be more positive.

“I think based on our past record, that’s something that we can absorb if we have to,” he said. “We do have the financial resources to absorb a small loss. There are some areas here that we probably aren’t going to spend as much as we have. So I believe we’ll still come out with a positive at the end of the year.”