'Recklessly spending tax dollars': Questions arise over cost of government infrastructure projects
Questions are being asked in the legislature about the significant cost of two major government infrastructure projects.
An expansion of 69 beds to the Prince Albert Hospital will cost three times the original estimate, while Lake Diefenbaker irrigation is proceeding without government dollars.
The government has awarded a construction contract for nearly $900 million. A local area MLA is questioning the expenditure.
“In Prince Albert, they’re spending $13 million for every new hospital bed,” said Saskatchewan United Party Leader Nadine Wilson.
The government said non-residential construction costs are up over 40 per cent, steel itself is up 80 per cent.
“Costs have escalated in that project as they have in other projects in Saskatchewan, not just hospitals or long term care homes, schools as well,” Minister of Health Everett Hindley said.
Wilson is also questioning the province’s decision to go it alone on the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project after the federal government failed to come through as a financial partner.
“Yet they have a government that is recklessly spending tax dollars on nearly every project. Take for example the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Project where this government is planning to spend $44,000 per acre,” she said.
The government says Wilson’s estimate is high.
“It’s not the number. I mean, you look at the first phase, we’re going to turn on 90,000 acres when it’s completed in the first phase at about $1.2 billion which works out to about $12,000 an acre,” Minister of Agriculture David Marit said.
The provincial government remains committed to both projects while remaining hopeful that Ottawa will still come through as a partner on the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6977053.1721909931!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Sick to my stomach': People grieve Jasper National Park by sharing favourite photos
As an out-of-control wildfire roared through Alberta’s famed Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday, many are fearing the worst as officials warned of 'significant loss' within the area.
LIVE UPDATES 'Hopefully it's better than what we're thinking': Jasper wildfire damage details anxiously awaited
Officials are waiting to learn Thursday morning the extent of wildfire damage in the Jasper townsite of Jasper National Park, which flames began to eat away at the night before.
Canadian women's soccer team staffer given suspended prison sentence over drone incident, prosecutor says
A Canada women's soccer team staffer has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after flying a drone to film the closed-door training session of the New Zealand team on Monday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Sale of envoy's NYC condo 'expected to exceed' $9M: government
The current official residence for Canada's representative in New York City is 'being readied for sale,' according to a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada.
Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
'I'm so broke': Two Toronto women speak out after losing $76,000 in romance scam
Two women from the Toronto area are speaking out after losing thousands of dollars to a romance scam, including a single mother who lost $62,000.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Loblaw to settle class action over bread price-fixing for $500 million
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500 million to settle a pair of class-action lawsuits regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
EXCLUSIVE One address, 76 foreign currency dealers: Inside Canada's money service business 'clusters'
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'