Province disputes NDP claims that Sask. companies not used for highway construction

The NDP say Saskatchewan tax dollars are flowing out of province when it comes to road building and infrastructure projects.

“Saskatchewan infrastructure projects being built with plates from Alberta, from Ontario, out of province workers,” Opposition Leader Carla Beck told reporters on Tuesday.

The opposition is proposing a Saskatchewan First policy for hiring contractors, employing workers and buying materials for infrastructure projects.

“I’m not here to support jobs in Ontario or Alberta or the States. We do have so much potential here in this province but it should be benefiting Saskatchewan people,” she explained.

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A group representing unionized connection construction workers says it sees Saskatchewan work going out of province.

“Show me a windmill project in this province that has had Saskatchewan workers on it. Please do. I’ll wait,” said Dion Malakoff, executive director of Saskatchewan Building Trades.

The province says the situation is not as the NDP describes.

A large paving project south of Regina is an example of work done by a Saskatchewan company.

“I mean in response to there being no highway construction jobs given to Saskatchewan companies. In the [20]22-23 year which is the one that we’re in, 94 per cent of our construction and engineering contracts have gone to Saskatchewan companies,” Lori Carr, Minister of SaskBuilds told CTV News.

“So that’s a far cry from zero.”

The government says interprovincial agreements allow Saskatchewan firms to work in other provinces.

It believes it’s a system that still sees the majority of Saskatchewan contracts going to firms from this province.