As inflation continues to affect the cost of maintaining infrastructure, the need to address the condition of rural roads in Saskatchewan has become increasingly pressing.
These roads form the backbone of the province’s vast agricultural and industrial economy, enabling the movement of goods, services and people across rural areas. Deterioration of rural transportation infrastructure not only impacts local travel, but has far-reaching and devastating implications for Saskatchewan’s economy.
In response to these challenges, the Rural Integrated Roads for Growth (RIRG) Program Management Board, which is made up of members from both the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) and the Ministry of Highways, has taken significant steps to support rural municipalities (RMs) by increasing funding for rural road maintenance during the 2024-2025 fiscal year, and have introduced several updates to enhance the RIRG program. Municipalities can apply to access RIRG funding through three distinct sub-programs: The Road Construction Program, Bridge and Large Diameter Culvert Construction Program, and the Clearing the Path (CTP) Program. Each of these programs is tailored to address specific infrastructure needs.
The Road Construction Program along with the Bridge and Large Diameter Culvert Program are ways that RMs can access funding to upgrade or replace their current infrastructure. These programs not only improve safety and efficiency for rural residents, but support local industries by facilitating the movement of agricultural and industrial products.
When a road project qualifies and is accepted into the Road Construction Program, the RM can receive up to $500,000 for eligible costs with a 50 per cent assistance rate from RIRG. RMs can choose from several road project types including, earthworks and grading, clay capping, base and subbase, and surface strengthening on any road that is a CTP corridor or has a rural road class of 3, 4,or 5. The Bridge and Large Diameter Culvert Program has undergone some significant and exciting changes. After hearing feedback from members on the significant increases to the cost of building rural bridges, the funding cap for bridge projects has doubled; RMs can now receive up to $1 million with a 50 per cent assistance rate. The next intake for these programs will take place this fall, with approvals scheduled for January 2026.
These programs not only improve safety and efficiency for rural residents, but also support local industries by facilitating the movement of agricultural and industrial products.
The CTP Program provides incremental maintenance funding to assist with the cost of maintaining roads to carry primary weights. The purpose of the program is to connect and move Saskatchewan’s commodities and industry at primary weights, creating a seamless network throughout the province.
The network aims to be dynamic and not permanent so that if economic activity is slowing down in one area and increasing in another, funding may be moved to an area with more economic activity. To be eligible, roads must meet criteria such as, minimum truck traffic counts, proximity to economic generators and a minimum proximity of the roadway to other primary weight roads. If an RM applies for an eligible CTP corridor and agrees to maintain the road to carry primary weights, they can receive funding each year to assist with maintenance costs.
After hearing from SARM members and studying the impact of inflation on maintaining these roads, RIRG has also increased the funding for CTP corridors by $300 per kilometre. RMs can now receive $1,300 per kilometre for a standard corridor and $1,500 per kilometre for a premium CTP corridor annually. Standard corridors have an average daily truck traffic greater than 10 trucks per day, while premium corridors have an average daily truck traffic greater than 35 trucks per day. An RM can apply for a new CTP corridor at any time on SARM’s website, with formal application reviews occurring annually at the start of each calendar year.
In other exciting news, the RIRG program, which is governed by an agreement between SARM and the Ministry of Highways, was recently extended for five years, until March 31, 2029. This extension signals a strong commitment from both the provincial government and SARM to long-term investment in rural infrastructure, and can provide municipalities with the confidence and stability they need to plan and execute infrastructure projects with greater certainty.
We strongly encourage all RMs to take full advantage of these renewed opportunities. The tools are in place, the funding is available and the support is ongoing. For detailed information on program eligibility, application processes and program timelines, municipalities are encouraged to review the RIRG Policy Manual available on SARM’s website (sarm.ca).
Transportation Infrastructure Program Administrator at Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities.