Seasonal roads in Saskatchewan's Far North are commonly in rough shape. (Submitted photo/Jake Mercredi)

By Derek Cornet

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NDP calls on province to invest more in northern highways

Jan 7, 2022 | 12:00 PM

The NDP is calling for the province to fix Highways 155 and 905, both of which are major arteries essential to safety and economic growth in northern Saskatchewan.

NDP Leader Ryan Meili joined NDP Athabasca candidate Georgina Jolibois for a Zoom meeting Friday to pressure the provincial government to immediately commit additional funding for urgent and sustained improvements to vital highway infrastructure in Saskatchewan’s North.

“Northerners shouldn’t have to fight tooth and nail to ensure their roads are safe and driveable,” said Jolibois in a media release.

“The Sask. Party government has benefited from the strength of the North and the resources so vital to our provincial economy. But, we have not seen an investment back into the roads and highways that connect our communities and make this resource development possible. It needs to go both ways.”

For instance, Highway 155 which connects Île-à-la-Crosse, Buffalo Narrows and La Loche has been on CAA’s worst roads list for five of the last eight years. Also, it took until 2020 for progress to begin on an all-season road to Wollaston Lake in spite of deadly conditions on the ice road.

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Highway 905 connecting Stony Rapids to the rest of the province has been the site of fatal accidents and is in desperate need of repair and improvement to become an all-weather working road. Concerns have also been raised by municipal leaders regarding ongoing damage from logging trucks on Highway 9.

“When communities are connected with crumbling and pothole-ridden highways, it’s unsafe, and it’s bad for our economy,” Meili said.

“Saskatchewan is stronger because of our North. We need immediate investment to fix the highways in disrepair and create a strategy that prioritizes upkeep and ongoing maintenance to these vital arteries into the North.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno