ROADS TO PROSPERITY – SASKATCHEWAN'S NORTHERN ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY DETAILS RELEASED

Four new roads were among further details of the province's plan for improved transportation in northern Saskatchewan announced in Prince Albert today.

Roads to Prosperity – Saskatchewan's Northern Economic Infrastructure Strategy provides $65.5 million for an improved transportation network by building new roads, upgrading existing roads and creating employment opportunities.

"The investment in Roads to Prosperity is designed to demonstrate our government's commitment to addressing economic infrastructure and community access in our northern region and will challenge the federal government to demonstrate their commitment to northern prosperity by partnering with us to create a lasting legacy of economic development in the North," Premier Lorne Calvert said. "Never before have we seen this level of funding, nor this ambitious a plan, to connect northern communities to each other, and northern citizens to opportunities through transportation."

Of the total $65.5 million, $30.5 million will be invested to build four new highways in the north including:

• upgrading the Athabasca Seasonal Road to an all-weather surface;

• community access roads to Wollaston Lake and the south shore of Lake Athabasca (which will improve the link to Fond du Lac); and

• the previously announced La Loche – Fort McMurray highway.

"Upgraded community access will provide enhanced employment, health care and education, and reduced transportation costs for goods and services," Calvert said. "Improvements to economic corridors will also enhance access for forestry and mineral development and improve tourism potential."

A further $35 million has been committed to upgrade existing economic corridors and community access roads throughout the North.

Provincial funding will result in a substantive contribution to the vision of northern economic infrastructure. The province and northern leaders will negotiate with the federal government to cost-share these projects.

In addition to funding, details of consultations confirming the prioritization of construction projects as identified by local Area Transportation Planning Committees, and the capacity building components of the strategy were also released.

Capacity building will be a key component in most aspects of planning and implementation of the new northern transportation network. Capacity building involves strengthening or teaching specific job skills that support business development, support the management and construction of complex projects and are transferable to other opportunities and projects. Consultations on the implementation of capacity building opportunities will involve key northern stakeholders such as the Northern Development Board, New North, the Northern Labour Market Committee, the Prince Albert Grand Council and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council.

"We will work with northern leaders, communities, local businesses, training institutions and industry partners to ensure all opportunities are identified and capitalized on to the fullest extent possible," Highways and Transportation Minister Eldon Lautermilch said. "We will also work with Area Transportation Planning Committees to ensure our infrastructure investments respond to regional priorities."

The Athabasca Basin, North West and North-North East Area Transportation Planning Committees in northern Saskatchewan – made up of representatives from northern communities and First Nations – have completed comprehensive transportation planning studies to identify priority projects, which will be used as the basis for upgrading projects.

-30-

For More Information, Contact:

Doug Wakabayashi Highways and Transportation Regina Phone: (306) 787-4804 Cell: (306) 536-0049