Fields with bales off the roadway
by Martin Charlton Communications Martin Charlton Communications

Highway 956: A Path to Prosperity

Fields with bales off the roadway

Two Canadian economic powerhouses can be found beside each other in Western Canada: Saskatchewan and Alberta. Last year, Saskatchewan’s GDP reached an all-time high of $80.5 billion, while Alberta’s was $353 billion. That put Alberta’s growth among the highest in Canada, with only Saskatchewan exceeding Alberta’s 2.7 per cent growth rate with 3.4 per cent.

Saskatchewan and Alberta have been tied together economically for decades. Both provinces share several similarities when it comes to the products they produce. Mining, oil and gas, forestry and agriculture are common industries that help each province thrive.Therefore, it is common sense for Saskatchewan and Alberta to establish avenues of transportation and trade that benefit both.

In 2005, both provinces celebrated their respective centennial. In the spirit of partnership, then Saskatchewan Premier Lorne and then Alberta Premier Ralph Klein signed an agreement to build an all-season road connecting the northern parts of the two provinces.

Highway 956, also known as the La Loche connector, is a 65-kilometre road connecting the northern Saskatchewan community of La Loche to Alberta’s Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region. Movement of goods between provinces usually takes a north-to-south route before continuing east to west or vice versa. Having a northern link like Highway 956 opens up a new world of opportunities for each province to move goods back and forth. It will provide resource-based industries with a better path to move goods, as well as bring new economic opportunities to local economies.

Although La Loche is landlocked, it is, in many ways, an island. Access for La Loche residents is not easy, and the isolation has had a significant toll on the community’s economic and social conditions. The connector would serve as a means to bring new opportunities to a community in need of change.

Construction site
Garson Lake Rd. during construction in September 2023

As it stands today, Saskatchewan has completed work on its side of Highway 956, but Alberta has yet to commence any construction on a permanent road. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways completed Saskatchewan’s portion of the La Loche to Fort McMurray all-weather road during the 2024 construction season, after investing about $13.7 million. Construction on the final segment began in August 2023, with a cost of roughly $9 million and was completed in the fall of 2024.

In a recent interview with Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen, he stated the La Loche route is “a priority project for the province.” His hope is that construction on the Alberta side will begin in 2026.

Since the United States began discussing tariffs that would impact Canada, first ministers started to explore ways to reduce their reliance on trade with the U.S. One of the proposed solutions was to develop economic corridors spanning the country. The completion of Highway 956 would help accelerate this proposal by opening up a new corridor, allowing resources to flow between Alberta and Saskatchewan more efficiently. Completion of the highway would foster growth for that area of the province by creating more opportunities through mining, forestry and tourism.

Fort McMurray sits within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB). According to the 2021 census, Fort McMurray has a population of just over 76,000 residents, and when considering the surrounding RMWB area, it is home to over 106,000 residents. In comparison, La Loche has a current population of just over 2,600 residents. La Loche, with the completion of the road, would have access to a market that is 40 times its size.

Growth within industries and trade between the two communities will also have a multiplier effect, with increased demand for local services such as accommodations, retail stores, restaurants and professional services. La Loche has the potential to experience a building boom once the connector is finally completed.

Northern Saskatchewan is the gateway to many of the world’s sought-after products. While it has the means to produce those products, Saskatchewan is still hampered in getting its goods to market due to a lack of critical infrastructure. Roads connect people to opportunities, and the opportunities presented in the completion of Highway 956 are vast: greater trade, growth of industries and building up a community in need of change.

Sometimes, the road to success is simply a road. 

People, hands and outdoor stacked for support
by Rodrigue Gilbert Rodrigue Gilbert

Power in Unity

People, hands and outdoor stacked for support

In a year marked by political change and economic uncertainty, Canada’s construction industry is not standing still – we’re shaping the future, and at the core of that momentum is partnership. Thanks to the unwavering support and collaboration of partner association members, such as SHCA, CCA is not only elevating our industry’s national voice. We are turning that voice into action, influence and results.

Advocacy that delivers

When economic uncertainty hit and Canada-U.S. trade tensions escalated, CCA quickly recalibrated. We identified key issues affecting your business, including trade-enabling infrastructure, fair and transparent procurement and strengthening Canada-U.S. relations. We took those priorities straight to Finance Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Canada’s U.S. ambassador and national business leaders. We joined the Canada-U.S. Trade Council to ensure construction has a seat at the table and a say in shaping continental trade. We also strengthened ties with groups like the Canadian American Business Council, forging alliances to tackle common challenges.

Thanks to the unwavering support and collaboration of partner association members like SHCA, CCA is not only elevating our industry’s national voice. We are turning that voice into action, influence and results.

Our national election campaign, Construction for Canadians, brought the industry’s voice to the national stage, with 74 candidate testimonials, 84 pledges of support, four billion media impressions and 165 national media hits. We put construction at the centre of critical policy debates around economic resilience, infrastructure investment and workforce development – exactly what Canada needs in this next chapter of nation-building.

These efforts are already making waves. Our priorities were reflected in the federal mandate letters, the speech from the throne and plans for a new Major Federal Project Office – a sign that the federal government is hearing our message loud and clear. CCA is already building relationships with newly elected MPs and ministers, laying the foundation for a powerful Hill Day and Meech Lake meeting in the fall. Together, we’ll advocate for the investments, policies and tools that Canada’s construction industry needs to drive our economic prosperity.

The road ahead

CCA is moving full speed ahead to ensure the momentum it built is not lost. The construction sector, backed by partners like SHCA, will continue pushing for the policies and investments that will move the industry forward. With strong partnerships, a united voice and a clear vision, we can build a more resilient supply chain, a stronger workforce and the modern infrastructure Canadians need. CCA is committed to advocating for the tools, policies and investments that will allow our industry to thrive – not just for today, but for generations to come. 

Stock and bond market graph and world map with trading desk bank office interior on background. Multi exposure. Concept of international finance
by SHCA SHCA

SRC Delivers $887 Million in Value Impacts to the Provincial Economy in 2023-2024

Stock and bond market graph and world map with trading desk bank office interior on background. Multi exposure. Concept of international finance

The Saskatchewan Research Council‘s (SRC) latest economic impact assessment shows it has contributed more than $15.5 billion in combined economic and employment impacts in Saskatchewan since it began assessing such in 2003 – including a combined impact of $887 million in this latest fiscal year.

SRC’s 2023-2024 economic impact assessment shows SRC’s impact on the provincial economy in the fiscal year was $785 million. SRC also assisted in creating or maintaining more than 1,682 jobs in Saskatchewan in 2023-2024, a contribution valued at an additional $102 million. These impact numbers were also accompanied by annual revenue of $83 million generated by SRC in 2023-2024. In 2023-2024, SRC had a mandate effectiveness of 38, which means that for every dollar the province invested in SRC, SRC’s work contributed at least a 38-times return to the growth of the Saskatchewan economy. 

“The Saskatchewan Research Council is dedicated to growing and strengthening Saskatchewan’s economy through research, development and demonstration through the transfer of innovative technical solutions, applications and services,” Minister Responsible for SRC Warren Kaeding said. “SRC’s work is making an incredible impact on the province’s economic growth and is creating thousands of jobs for people across Saskatchewan.” 

“At SRC, we are dedicated to strengthening Saskatchewan’s economy with quality private sector jobs and a secure environment,” SRC president and CEO Mike Crabtree said. “This is why our economic impact assessment is so important, as it truly demonstrates the value we can generate from the province’s investment in us.”

With 77 years of research, development and demonstration experience, SRC is Canada’s second largest research and technology organization with 1,400 clients in 22 countries around the world.