All Roads Lead to Growth

Not long ago, Saskatchewan was always the place people were from – not the place they stayed. It became a rite of passage for the province’s youth to pack up and head to where the jobs were after graduation. Alberta became the biggest beneficiary of the Saskatchewan exodus seeking opportunity.

During the 1990s, Saskatchewan was seen as the “can’t-do” province. The premier at the time called it the “wee province,” reinforcing the mindset that the province could not grow. Managing decline became the norm for Saskatchewan. Rural communities in particular experienced population decline, and service erosion was widespread. For too long, the provincial cabinet did not discuss large-scale investment in the province.

From decline to growth

After the 2007 provincial election, a change in vision saw the engines of opportunity start to align. Growth suddenly became the good problem the province had to deal with. Expansion across the resource sector led to economic growth in all other areas of the economy and the province. “This was the time when we started to see significant growth in our industry that we had not experienced for decades,” said Shantel Lipp, SHCA president. “Saskatchewan suddenly became the ‘it’ province, and keeping up with its growth became the challenge.”

Growth puts pressure on aging infrastructure

Today, the biggest challenge is complacency. The Saskatchewan economy is built on movement. It depends on getting its products to the world market. Its vast landscapes produce grains, oil, potash, uranium and other critical minerals that power global supply chains. Yet thousands of aging bridges and roads now threaten this foundation. Saskatchewan faces a dual challenge: an infrastructure deficit accumulated over decades and the urgent need to renew infrastructure to sustain growth in its resource-driven economy. Addressing this is not merely maintenance; it is an investment in future prosperity.

“Now, our industry is facing a critical decision point where members belonging to our association are questioning whether or not to continue operating in Saskatchewan,” said Lipp. “Many factors are impacting the industry in a negative way that will result in seeing a lot of homegrown Saskatchewan businesses disappear over the next while.”

“Investment in infrastructure brings investment to the province, which leads to investment in our communities.”

Shantel Lipp, SHCA president

Industry calls for long-term plan

The Saskatchewan heavy construction industry has strongly advocated for a long-term, sustainable plan for infrastructure planning and execution. Funding for projects, while a key component, is not the only ask from industry to help address the infrastructure deficit.

“When the world was hit with the [COVID-19] pandemic, governments had to create an environment to sustain their economies,” said Lipp. “Here in Saskatchewan, the government pivoted to get things moving by getting our industry to drive program delivery when additional infrastructure funding was announced. This gave us the ability to strategically plan infrastructure projects and showed how effective and efficient program delivery can be when industry is behind the wheel.”

The heavy construction industry has discussed with the government for years how best to position the future of infrastructure in Saskatchewan. Multi-year budget commitments, along with proper project scheduling, will go a long way toward sustaining Saskatchewan’s local industry and meeting the province’s growth goals. “The way we look at it, it is not an either-or proposition for getting infrastructure built in the province,” said Lipp. “Investment in infrastructure brings investment to the province, which leads to investment in our communities. That investment is what fuels funding for health, education, security and everything that builds a prosperous province.”

Keeping Saskatchewan competitive

Investing in a jurisdiction that cannot get your product to market means the investment goes elsewhere. The days of losing investment should not be repeated. Giving Saskatchewan industry the ability to respond to investment demands will help the government meet its goals. It is the old adage: if we build it, they will come. By failing to properly address the infrastructure deficit, Saskatchewan risks falling back into the “wee” position among provinces. The heavy construction industry has reached a crossroads with government, and to move forward, action must be taken.

A working group looks ahead

Over the summer, SHCA and the Saskatchewan Consulting Engineers Association met with the Saskatchewan Minister of Highways and the Minister Responsible for SaskBuilds and Procurement to address this moment of urgency. Following the meeting, a commitment was made to create a working group composed of industry and senior leadership within government to address the barriers affecting industry.

“It is critical that we get this right,” said Lipp. “We all remember what Saskatchewan was like when we saw the future generation leave because they believed that there was no opportunity for them to stay. We have to ensure that we all work toward the goal of building the province to keep the opportunities here. We need to build the capacity now.”