Saskatchewan’s budget includes highway upgrades in its southwest

By Medicine Hat News on April 8, 2021.

Three new sets of passing lanes between Kindersley and the Alberta boundary leading to Oyen are included in the new Saskatchewan Highways budget announced this week.

The measures on Saskatchewan Highway 7 east of Alsask were highlighted on a list of projects in the $520-million annual capital plan from the Ministry of Highways.

More localized improvements and repaving projects, including those in the southwest quadrant of the province were not detailed.

The province says it will improve a total of 1,350 kilometres of provincial highways in the second year of a 10-year plan to build or upgrade 10,000 kms of roadway.

It will dedicate $4.5 million to improving bridges and culverts, $22 million on general safety improvements and will boost spending on mowing by 22 per cent to include a second cut on the shoulders of some secondary highways.

Relief for rinks

SaskPower will not charge community hockey and curling rinks for power this summer in a program potentially worth a total of $700,000 between March 1 and the end of August, the Crown power provider announced April 1.

Administrators say the one-time Community Rink Relief Program will save the average facility about $1,300 while operating and $330 per month when ice plants are shut down. They will still be required to pay other charges.

Eligible facilities must be community-owned, non-profit in nature, operated by a municipality and apply for the program.