by SHCA SHCA

Province announces agricultural water management demonstrations

Farmers and ranchers in Saskatchewan are working together to find new and effective ways to manage water on their land that will strengthen their operations and protect communities, infrastructure and the environment.

Today, Minister Responsible for Water Security Agency Greg Ottenbreit announced Water Security Agency (WSA) is investing $1 million to partner with 10 stakeholder organizations on 11 agricultural water management demonstration projects. This will allow the agricultural and environmental communities to test innovative solutions and inform best practices to help farmers and ranchers manage water on their land and mitigate water quality and quantity impacts downstream.

Each organization brings a different perspective on water management and will help contribute agronomic, environmental, infrastructure and economic expertise.

“Agricultural water management is extremely important to our economy and the environment, but every region of our province is different,” Ottenbreit said. “We need to listen and learn from, and work with farmers and ranchers on the landscape. These projects will allow stakeholders, WSA and local leaders to better understand how we can solve complex water management issues.”

“Water management is important to all of rural Saskatchewan as our economy and viability of rural communities depend on it,” Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president Ray Orb said. “We are pleased to see this investment as Water Security Agency works with local leaders on options and examples of how projects can be supported by all stakeholders.”

The participating organizations receiving funding include:

  • Saskatchewan Conservation and Development Association;
  • Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm (Langham);
  • Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds;
  • Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association;
  • Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation;
  • Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association;
  • Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association;
  • Saskatchewan Research Council;
  • Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute; and
  • Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association.

“We have been working to advance agricultural water management projects for a number of years and it is great to see the government will be working with local leaders to find solutions to many of our members issues,” Saskatchewan Conservation and Development Association chair Miles Wendell said. “A lot of these projects take time and are very complex, so it’s good to see Water Security Agency taking this approach to demonstrate what works and what might need a different approach.”

“The majority of our members are from rural Saskatchewan and water management is important to wildlife across the province,” Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation executive director Darryl Crabbe said. “We are excited to partner with the Water Security Agency and other stakeholders to find solutions that work for wildlife and Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers.”

Some of the demonstration projects will test how farmers and ranchers can irrigate with water drained from agricultural fields. Other projects will strategically retain wetlands to reduce the downstream impacts of flooding on infrastructure, water quality and habitat. Others will look at applying fertilizer in different ways in order to minimize nutrient runoff.

The Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm (Langham), northwest of Saskatoon, will host one of the projects. It will be the site of a multi-year study that will involve design, regulatory approval, and construction of a drainage system on approximately 40 acres of land. After construction, a field study will evaluate several management practices meant to reduce nutrient runoff.

“The goal is to design a drainage plan that meets regulatory requirements and optimizes land productivity while preserving the environment,” Applied Research Lead at Discovery Farm Blake Weiseth said. “This demonstration will help producers reclaim marginally productive low-lying areas while incorporating key nutrient management features associated with wetlands.”

An extension event will be planned during construction for interested farmers and ranchers to observe the process. Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm is an innovative agricultural event and demonstration site, home to Ag in Motion and Field of Excellence, located on 640 acres at Langham, Sask.

For more information on the Agricultural Water Management Strategy visit www.wsask.ca.

by SHCA SHCA

Upgrades to 445 km of rural highways underway

Work is underway to upgrade 445 km of Thin Membrane Surface (TMS) and rural highways in Saskatchewan.

“This investment will go a long way toward our government’s goal of improving 1,000 km of highways this year, and 10,000 km in 10 years as laid out by our growth plan,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Greg Ottenbreit said. “Strong investments like this will assure our transportation infrastructure can support our industry and exporters for generations to come.”

Construction is underway to upgrade 100 km of TMS and rural highways with innovative surface treatments on low volume highways, including:

  • Highway 219 south of Highway 15;
  • Highway 255 south of Tobin Lake; and
  • Highway 355 west of Spruce Home.

Crushing is also underway for future upgrades on Highway 4 from the U.S. border to Grasslands National Park and Highway 36, north of Coronach to the U.S. border.  In addition, work has begun on design and crushing for an additional 325 km of TMS through stimulus funding.

The ministry is also formulating partnerships with RMs to improve infrastructure such as the RM of Frenchman Butte, where work is underway on a $5.2 million improvement project. The subgrade and surfacing of the access, from the junction of Highway 3, is scheduled to be completed this fall.

The Government of Saskatchewan operates and maintains approximately 26,000 km of provincial highway, of which 4,650 km are TMS roads. TMS highways were created in the 1950s to provide residents with a dust-free, mud-free driving surface. The light traffic on this system at that time made these relatively inexpensive roads very functional with regular annual maintenance.

A weekly highway construction update is also published here to provide the travelling public with the latest details on projects underway to help plan safe and efficient travel. You can also report a highway work zone signing problem by calling 306-244-5535.

The Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $9.8 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 15,800 km of Saskatchewan highways. Another $300 million in highways stimulus funds will be invested over the next two years to stimulate Saskatchewan’s economic recovery.

Shantel Lipp - SHCA President
by SHCA SHCA

Saskatchewan, our home

Yes, we specialize in road building. It’s an area that has been a primary focus of our association for decades. But road building is just one aspect of what we do to help make Saskatchewan a great place to call home.

Farming and agriculture have long been the identity of this province and farmers and ranchers here are working to find efficiencies to better manage water on their land that will strengthen their operations and protect communities, infrastructure and the environment.

Our members will play a role in developing this unique infrastructure. 

The Water Security Agency is investing $1 million on 11 agricultural water management demonstration projects. The Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association is one of 10 stakeholder organizations partnering with the Water Security Agency on this initiative that will allow the agricultural and environmental communities to find best practices to help farmers and ranchers manage water on their land.

We will be front and centre on the construction of a large drainage system on a farm northwest of Saskatoon.

This is just one of many infrastructure projects our members will be a part of where water is concerned. Last month, the provincial government unveiled its plan to embark on a $4-billion irrigation infrastructure project at Lake Diefenbaker.

It’ll be the government’s biggest ever infrastructure project to date and SHCA will be major players over the next 10 years of construction in three main phases.

The government said it will create more than 2,500 construction jobs per year over the next 10 years, which is welcomed news to our industry.

Looking bigger picture, this massive project is expected to be extremely beneficial to Saskatchewan’s agriculture community. Three key irrigation canal systems will be enhanced, which will create hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigable land across the province. 

Our contribution to this project is just one example of how our industry plays an integral role in the growth and economic prosperity in Saskatchewan.

by SHCA SHCA

244 more MEEP projects approved

Earlier this summer, Government Relations Minister Lori Carr announced that another 244 projects, representing more than $88.9 million of provincial funding through the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP) 2020 has now been approved.  This brings the current number of approved projects to 741 and an investment to date of $127 million.

“MEEP is a key component of our government’s economic ‘booster shot,’ in light of these recent unparalleled times due to the pandemic,” Carr said. “These provincial dollars will kick start ‘shovel-ready’ local projects and initiatives to support job creation and help keep Saskatchewan strong.”

Some of the recently approved projects include:

  • City of Regina, $30.9 million for: Roof replacement, residential road renewal, energy monitoring and optimization infrastructure, outdoor rink, Wascana pool, municipal justice building, new sidewalks, sidewalk conversion to multi-use pathway and pavement markings
  • City of Saskatoon, $35.5 million for: City-wide paved roadways preservation, downtown festival site, roadside safety improvements, neighbourhood traffic safety upgrades and city-wide sidewalk rehabilitation
  • City of Swift Current, $2.3 million for: Fairview arena floor and header replacement and Friesen Street storm line rehabilitation
  • City of Yorkton, $2.3 million for: Roadway rehabilitation, water main replacement program, and Broadway St. East revitalization

Announced in May, the $150 million MEEP is a key component of the Government of Saskatchewan’s $7.5 billion, two-year capital plan to build a strong province and stimulate its economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MEEP 2020 funding must be used by municipalities by March 31, 2022.

Learn more about MEEP 2020.

Shantel Lipp - SHCA President
by SHCA SHCA

The Impact of Infrastructure: Leaders are Listening

Earlier this week, I was invited on behalf of the Conservative Party of Canada’s Saskatchewan caucus to meet with representatives from the Saskatchewan team and various Members of Parliament and Senators during their stakeholder meetings. 

The purpose of these meetings is to hear directly from stakeholders that are spread across our province and to discuss issues that are relevant to both Saskatchewan and our country.

This is an opportunity for me, on behalf of all Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association members, to share our concerns and issues with yet another level of government.

The simple fact that SHCA was invited to partake in these meetings tells me that it’s apparent to leaders at the federal level that infrastructure is important.  

It’s extremely beneficial to bend the ears of officials at the federal level on how our industry is facing challenges right now and how it has a ripple effect on other vital sectors like agriculture, mining and long-haul trucking. All of these sectors contribute mightily to our country’s revenue streams and all are major chips in international trade.

Right now, we’re struggling with the federal stimulus packages issued for COVID-19 relief. Unfortunately, a lot of our members don’t qualify for this relief package because their season had yet to officially start when COVID-19 hit.

I feel this also would be an ideal opportunity to remind those at the federal level how the carbon tax handcuffs our industry. More innovation is needed to help slow emissions, not a penalizing and short-sighted tax. 

However, we should be thankful the federal government has partnered with provincial and local governments to see more than 100 bridges in rural locations be replaced over the next four years. Replacing these bridges will help address the infrastructure gap in the transportation chain.

Having the opportunity to speak at meetings of this magnitude is critical for our industry. I’m thankful they included us. Now, we can only hope they hear our voice and action is taken.

by SHCA SHCA

Employer Relief Measures Extended Until July 31, 2020

The Saskatchewan WCB has provided an extension to employer relief measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relief measures have been extended until July 31, 2020 and will be monitored monthly. The extensions and additions to the pandemic relief measures are:

  • Penalties applied in 2020 will be removed. This includes late filing, under estimate and late registration penalties. This will be automatically applied, and employers do not need to call to initiate this process.
  • Waiving of interest has been extended until July 31, 2020. If no additional extensions occur, interest will be applied on Aug. 8, 2020.
  • Payroll audits have been suspended, except in situations where an employer may be eligible for a refund.
  • Clearance letters will continue to be available to employers that meet certain criteria, even in cases where the contractor’s WCB account has not been paid.
  • The WCB will prioritize payroll revisions to assist employers in reducing their premiums based on the impact of work slowdowns.

Employers are encouraged to continue to make payments as they become due. However, we do recognize that some may not be able to make current or future payments in full at this time. To provide support to those customers, our collections team is available to design a payment option to meet those needs:

Email: collections@wcbsask.com

Phone: 306-787-0474

Toll free: 1-800-667-7590 option 2

The WCB would also like to extend thanks to all employers who have continued to work with the WCB through the COVID-19 pandemic.

by SHCA SHCA

Help Canada Get Back to Work. SHCA Members, Post Your Available Jobs!

Job Bank’s new COVID-19 page allows job seekers to browse more job opportunities, including those specifically in essential sectors. In June, an email was sent to thousands of Saskatchewan EI/CERB recipients advising them of this new service.

Given that construction has been identified as a featured essential job sector, SHCA encourages all members to post their available jobs on Job Bank and/or SaskJobs.ca so that you can take advantage of this opportunity.

Post your jobs today!

by SHCA SHCA

#SlowDown to Keep Workers Safe This Construction Season!

In these uncertain times, there are few guarantees. One thing we can count on here in Saskatchewan: when summer hits, so does construction season. That’s why July’s Traffic Safety Spotlight focuses on work zones.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and law enforcement are reminding drivers to be mindful of workers while travelling through construction areas this summer. Always obey traffic signs and directions from any flag person you see. And above all else, be patient, slow down and stay alert.

“You won’t gain any extra time by speeding through that construction zone, especially if you end up getting pulled over by law enforcement,” said Penny McCune, chief operating officer of the Auto Fund. “What you will do is endanger the lives of those working to improve our province’s roads.”

“Transportation professionals working within the construction zone do a dangerous job and deserve respect; that construction zone is their workplace and they have a right to the same protection as professionals in any office or other workplace in the province,” said Shantel Lipp, president of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association. “Major infrastructure investments have been made this year to kick-start our economy. Construction zones are not there to inconvenience you but are necessary to improve road safety for everyone.” 

Drivers are required to slow to 60 km/h or the speed that’s posted when passing a highway worker, flag person or highway equipment with warning lights flashing.

Reduced speed limits in construction zones are there to keep both construction workers and other drivers safe, and fines are significant for a reason. If you continue at the 100 km/h speed limit through a 60 km/h construction zone, that is going to cost you $1,008. Plus, you’ll lose at least three Safe Driver Recognition points on your licence, which can lead to further financial penalties.

Reducing your speed gives you more time to react to a potential collision. Plus, even if workers aren’t present, hazards in work areas could include lane reductions, sharp pavement drops, loose stones or completed road work that needs time to dry and could be slippery at high speeds. And, cameras may be in work zones whether workers are present or not. A ticket in the mail could be an unwelcome surprise.

Here are some other tips to follow when hitting the road:

  • Plan ahead. Check the Highway Hotline for potential delays, and allot more time to reach your destination, or use an alternate route.
  • Always give the road your full attention – avoiding distractions is especially important in work zones, where it’s important to expect the unexpected.
  • Obey posted signs and flag persons.
  • Keep a safe following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
  • When two lanes become one, #EmbraceTheZipperMerge. It makes traffic flow more quickly and efficiently.