The governments of Canada and Saskatchewan continue to invest in infrastructure. On July 13, Jim Carr, Minister and Special Representative for the Prairies and Saskatchewan’s Minister of Government Relations, Don McMorris announced more than $6.8 million in joint funding for 12 infrastructure projects across the province including three local Rural Municipalities.
This funding will go toward replacing culverts and bridges across Saskatchewan that have reached the end of their service life. Rural bridges are key to the ability to efficiently move goods and services on the local transportation network. Replacing culverts reduces the risk of flooding, improves road conditions, and results in a more reliable rural road network.
“This federal investment of more than $1.8 million will help replace bridges and culverts across Saskatchewan and allow our communities to build back better, while creating jobs and building stronger, more inclusive communities,” Carr said in a release.
“By working with our provincial partners, we’re delivering for rural communities in Saskatchewan, and across Canada.”
“The Government of Saskatchewan’s $2.2 million investment toward these transportation projects will support a more robust rural road network,” McMorris added.
“Once completed, these bridges and culverts will allow for the efficient movement of goods, services and agricultural products in rural Saskatchewan, which will protect local economies recovering from the pandemic.”
The Government of Canada is investing more than $1.1 million in these projects under the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream (RNIS) of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, as well as a further $716,974 to four of the projects under the Gas Tax Fund, for a combined federal investment of over $1.8 million.
For projects requiring consultations with Indigenous groups, funding is conditional on all consultation requirements being met.
The Government of Saskatchewan is also contributing over $2.2 million toward these projects.
Contributions by recipients toward their respective projects are $2.7 million. Funding recipients are responsible for any additional project costs.
Investments in the area include the replacement of the Buckland Bridge existing timber bridge with a new precast concrete and steel bridge in the RM of Buckland. The federal contribution under RNIS (+ Federal Contribution under Gas Tax Fund) is $166,670 (+ $433,300), the provincial investment is $333,330 and the contribution from the RM is $66,700.
Also receiving bridge funding is the RM of Canwood where Hilldrop Bridge will also replace the existing treated timber bridge with three new culverts.The federal contribution under RNIS (+ federal contribution under Gas Tax Fund) is $66,660 (+ $173,340), the provincial contribution is $133,340 and the RM contribution is $26,660.
The RM of Bjorkdale is also receiving bridge replacement funding to replace the Hamel Bridge and replace the existing timber bridge with a new precast concrete and steel bridge. The federal contribution is $166,700, the provincial contribution is $333,300 and the RM contribution is $500,000.
The RM of Torch River is receiving funding for a pair of culvert projects. This includes the C & D culverts on Snowden Grid replacement for this the federal contribution is $54,995, the provincial contribution is $110,005 and the RM contribution is $165,000. The other project sees a culvert replacement on the White Fox grid, the federal contribution is $36,663, the provincial contribution is $66,670 and the RM contribution is $100,000.
Total federal contributions on all projects add up to $1,857,864, total provincial investments are $2,281,860 and total municipal investments are $2,705,776.
Providing communities with reliable and sustainable infrastructure is a shared priority for both governments.
In Saskatchewan, the Government of Canada has invested more than $776 million in over 1,900 infrastructure projects in communities under 100,000 since 2015 under the Investing in Canada Plan.
