The Saskatchewan portion of the Trans-Canada Highway could become a divided four-lane route from border to border if the province matched federal highways funding, opposition party members claimed last week.
Saskatchewan Party leader Elwin Hermanson said that money from Ottawa should be provided in the upcoming budget, not next year.
Responding to media reports that Ottawa may launch another infrastructure program, but not until the 2000 budget, Hermanson said he wants to see funds now.
“I’m always leery of governments talking about doing things two or three years down the road,” he said. “I would like to see funds committed in the current budget under consideration, both federally and provincially, to increase funding for highways including the twinning of the Trans-Canada and the Yellowhead (Highway 16).”
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He said it is difficult to do business in the province because these two heavily traveled highways are dangerous in places where they are not two lanes in both directions.
Federal transport minister David Collenette is reportedly contemplating an $8 billion to $12 billion 10-year infrastructure program. Hermanson said Saskatchewan’s share should be about $50 million a year and the province should be able to match that in order to complete the twinning projects, which means making both highways four lanes wide.
The NDP government plans to twin the Trans-Canada within 15 years.
