The provincial government has teamed up with Ottawa to invest more than $236.6 million into Saskatchewan infrastructure.
The two governments signed a bilateral agreement at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building on Friday morning.
“It’s focused on two things: On transit systems and on water and wastewater projects,” said Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale.
The federal government is providing 50 per cent of the project’s funding, leaving the remainder for the province and municipalities.
Part of that funding will invest $59 million into upgrading wastewater systems in Regina and Saskatoon.
The joint investment under the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund includes funding of $15.8 million from the federal government and $7.9 million from the province in Saskatoon. Regina will receive $13.7 million from the federal government and $6.85 million from the provincial government. The funding also includes $6.6 million in federal funding and $3.3 million in provincial funding for northern Saskatchewan.
“We have significant needs with wastewater and transit,” Regina Mayor Michael Fougere said Friday. “This agreement will help us meet our goals and objectives.”
The provincial government is not involved with the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. Municipalities will have access to federal funding, but will need to make up the other 50 per cent on their own.
“We know it’s a partnership,” Fougere added. “The city will have to put forward money and we will do that.”
There are 12 transit projects to purchase buses and make other improvements to public transit systems in Regina and Saskatoon. Additional funding needs will be identified over the next six months.
“We know what we need,” Fougere said. “What’s significant here is that the federal government and the province has said local authorities know best what to do, let them make those decisions first and move forward from there.”
Both governments are confident this will be a beneficial investment in the future.
“This will create jobs and generate some growth,” Saskatchewan Government Relations Minister Donna Harpauer said. “We feel that this is a very positive and contributing investment that we’ll be making.”
