Mark your calendars! Here are the full list of 2024 events.
SASKATOON: May 30, 2024
Golf Tournament
Where: Dakota Dunes Resort
LUMSDEN: September 12, 2024
Golf Tournament
Where: Deer Valley
niroworld | 123rf
$26 Million Paving Project Underway in Southeast Saskatchewan
The Government of Saskatchewan is ramping up repaving work this year with 230 kilometres (km) of improvements at key corridors around the province, including a segment of Highway 33. It is part of a plan to improve another 1,000 km of highway this season.
“Our government is in year four of the Growth Plan and we made some commitments to Saskatchewan people, including a pledge to improve 10,000 km in a decade,” Highways Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “Our construction crews are working all over the province making improvements to our transportation network which will improve safety and enhance key transportation corridors.”
The 38-kilometre repaving project between Fillmore and Stoughton will also include four intersection improvements on Highway 33. Construction began earlier this month and is expected to continue through most of the summer.
“Maintaining and improving rural highway infrastructure is important for the people who work, live and visit our communities,” Fillmore Reeve Russell Leguee said. “The upgrades to Highway 33 will positively contribute to the safe and reliable movement of agricultural commodities to markets domestically and globally. Ensuring connectivity between communities and providing safe and reliable roads ensures a better quality of life for people living in rural areas.”
The general contractor is Langenburg Redi-Mix of Regina.
Drivers can expect delays with multiple work zones in the area at times. Traffic will be guided by a pilot vehicle. Remember to slow to at least 60 km/hr through the work zone, be extra cautious and obey all signs.
A weekly highway construction update is published on Saskatchewan.ca to provide drivers with the latest details on projects underway to help plan safe and efficient travel.
$50 Million Passing Lanes Project Complete on Highway 16
Major safety improvements on Highway 16 have been completed. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to commemorate completion of the final set of passing lanes which have opened near Saltcoats.
“The Yellowhead Highway is a major transportation corridor that is used to move people and goods across the province,” Highways Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “With the expanding canola crushing facilities in the area, there are a lot of large trucks traveling through the area and we’re taking steps to move that traffic safely and efficiently. These passing lanes allow drivers to pass slower moving vehicles safely.”
The multi-year passing lanes project extends from Clavet, east of Saskatoon, to the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border, east of Yorkton. This highway safety project was a key investment in Saskatchewan’s $2 billion stimulus program during the global pandemic to help drive economic recovery. In all, 26 passing lanes and multiple intersection upgrades were constructed.
“As representatives of Saskatchewan truck transport, we are pleased to see investments in the highway network that assist the movement of trucks and most importantly ones designed to improve the safety for our professional drivers,” Saskatchewan Trucking Association president Susan Ewart said. “The passing lanes and intersection enhancements will be welcome by our members.”
Passing lanes are typically a minimum of two kilometres and allow drivers to pass slower moving vehicles safely.
First-of-Its-Kind Industry Summit Coming Soon
Summer has so many of us spending time outdoors. As we do, we can see other people all around us, which is a big change after years of living through a pandemic, isolating ourselves from one another.
Everywhere we look, there are simply more people living – and enjoying life – in this province. And that is not just a perception. Statistics Canada recently stated that Saskatchewan’s population increased by 33,101 over the past year, which is a growth of almost three per cent. We now have 1,221,439 people living in our province. We know the provincial government’s Growth Plan from 2020 to 2030 is aiming for our population to grow to 1.4 million people, so we are on our way.
But growing the population of our province is not the only goal of the Saskatchewan government. The Growth Plan has numerous economic goals, and our industry has a role in ensuring a number of them are achieved.
Saskatchewan is embracing its role of providing the world with the food, fertilizer and fuel it needs. We know that roads and highways connect our landlocked province to the world. The construction our industry undertakes helps other industries achieve the goals set by the province. For example, there was the earthwork necessary ahead of the development of canola crush facilities that will increase Saskatchewan-based processing of canola grown in this province. There is also our industry’s work to improve roads in northern Saskatchewan which supports doubling the size of Saskatchewan’s forestry sector.
In my role, I am advocating for deeper and more widespread recognition of how our industry contributes to the growth of the province’s economy. That recognition is coming from leaders in other sectors, and I am working with them to broadly deliver their important perspectives on the value of investing in trade and transportation infrastructure to the people and politicians of this province.
While those other industries, such as agriculture and forestry, grow stronger, our industry is also advancing. SHCA is pleased to play a role in that advancement. While I work with leaders those in other sectors, I never lose sight of the relationships I have with members. SHCA is dedicated to representing, advocating and supporting its members and, in that spirit, I am very much looking forward to a first-of-its-kind event SHCA is developing for our industry.
You might have seen posts on social media recently about the first-ever industry summit for Saskatchewan. SHCA is excited to spearhead this event, which will bring together contractors, suppliers, engineers and other professionals to focus on infrastructure and transportation. There will be great industry education sessions, an innovative trade show and awesome networking opportunities spread over two days on Nov. 29 and 30, 2023, at the Delta Hotel & Convention Centre in Regina.
The complete agenda for this key event is still coming together, but I am looking forward to highlighting technological advancements within the industry through these education sessions. You will have opportunities to learn more about the production and processing of materials as well as troubleshooting asphalt plants and more sustainable ways of paving. You can expect to see virtual reality being used to attract young people to our sector and conduct safety training.
The summit will offer personal and professional development opportunities. I’m excited to learn from Pamela Barnum, who will be one of our keynote speakers. She is a trust strategist and body language expert who developed her skills and insights during her years as an undercover police officer and federal prosecuting attorney. In her presentations, she teaches others how to detect deception and interpret nonverbals in their personal and professional lives.
As with all our events, please visit saskheavy.ca and check under the Events section of the website, where we will add details about this event in the months to come, including how to register. Right now, if you are interested in participating, I would be happy to hear from you. One of the ways you might participate is by showcasing new technology that can benefit the heavy construction industry, but I am open to hearing about other types of contributions that can be made to this event. You can email me, and I’ll respond to you.
For now, soak in this summer and all this season has to offer because before you know it, November will be here. Until then, I look forward to developing a fantastic event to bring us together once again!