A goal in life for many people is to become a homeowner. People save for years to achieve homeownership and once there, it is a great feeling. Not only did you buy something to keep you secure, but you also made an investment in your future.
Unfortunately, homeownership today has become a difficult goal to reach as demand far outpaces supply, and those fortunate enough to be a homeowner know that in order to preserve what they own they have to maintain it or they lose their investment to decay and disrepair.
The same can be said about our infrastructure. Without meeting the demand of new infrastructure from a growing population and economy, investment in the province starts to falter. Without proper upkeep, the roads and bridges that help move our province forward will become broken and nonfunctional.
This past month, our friends at the Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA) raised the alarm that there is a financial disaster looming for road infrastructure. In their estimation, provincial funding cuts to highways and municipalities, and the impact from inflation, has resulted in a 50 per cent decrease to infrastructure budgets in Alberta.
This is something that is happening across all jurisdictions in Canada, and Saskatchewan in not immune.
The current level of funding for road infrastructure projects versus the level required to meet the demands of growth needs to be properly addressed. Saskatchewan’s population has been growing steadily since 2021, with the most recent estimates showing a population of 1,253,569 as of April 1, 2025. That number reflects an increase of 121,064 people added to the province since 2021.
That number also showcases an increased demand on our highway infrastructure as there are more drivers using our roads and highways year over year. If our roads are not properly maintained from increased usage, then the cost shifts from road rehabilitation to road reconstruction, which is significantly greater. This also puts additional pressure on government to ensure that road-building and maintenance budgets remain consistent with the demand.
The ARHCA also pointed out that cuts to the highway budget have a profound impact on the industry as a whole. By not reaching proper levels of funding, construction projects are deferred, which causes the industry to shed workers. Once projects pick up, those workers are no longer available as they have moved on to other jobs and industries.
This also adds additional pressure to our industry, as companies have to invest in the training of employees who are new to heavy construction. Maintaining an experienced workforce is a challenge for many SHCA members. Keeping a road-building budget in line with the pace of growth will go a long way toward worker retention.
Whether you are a new homeowner, business owner or a province keeping up to growth, the fact remains that investing in the future requires commitment.
