MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Irrigation might be a priority for the Saskatchewan government, but no decision has yet been made on whether two major projects will go ahead.
The Westside and Qu’Appelle South projects, which would cost $2 billion each, have both been discussed for years.
Bill Greuel, executive director of Saskatchewan Agriculture’s crops and irrigation branch, said preliminary studies are complete for Westside.
The project would add 375,000 irrigated acres along the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River from the Gardiner Dam to Asquith.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
Qu’Appelle South, which could include 110,000 irrigated acres, is a supply project designed to take water from Lake Diefenbaker through the Qu’Appelle Dam to the Regina-Moose Jaw corridor for expanded industrial and municipal use. Irrigation would be an added benefit.
Greuel told an annual irrigation conference that the government hasn’t forgot about the projects.
“This is a lot bigger than the ministry of agriculture,” he said.
The project involves the environment, finance and economy ministers, the Water Security Agency and cabinet ministers, he added.
“It’s really a question of competing priorities and how we pay for large infrastructure projects in Saskatchewan,” Greuel said. “We have a government that is committed to agriculture. I also know that irrigation is a priority. I think we also have a climate now in government that’s not afraid to find creative ways to support major infrastructure projects.”
However, the price tags are daunting. The Qu’Appelle project has already increased from an initial estimate of $1.2 billion.
“I doubt we’re going to see an announcement of an investment any time soon,” Greuel said.
However, Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association chair Roger Pederson said a decision has to be made at some point before the projects are priced out of possibility and opportunities pass the province by.
For example, the Emsland Group from Germany has been looking for a North American location to establish a field pea fractionation plant.
“Obviously, the Qu’Appelle South irrigation district, if that was ongoing, would be an excellent location,” Pederson said. “One, because it’s irrigated, one because it’s close to the industrial corridor and the transportation hub.”
He said many companies are looking at the province’s potential, but they want to know what the plan is for the future and when it will be realized.
Meanwhile, Pederson said Saskatchewan and Alberta could see increased potential for irrigated crops because of the California drought.
Nearly 500,000 acres in that state’s Central Valley have been taken out of irrigation because of the drought. Pederson said Canada obviously can’t produce the nuts and fruits grown in California, but other states will fill that void, which will force crops such as vegetables to look for production acres.
