Resolutions

Be it resolved that SUMA urge the Provincial Government to enter into discussions with the Federal Government for a National Highway Maintenance Program for the Trans-Canada #1, the Yellowhead #16, #39 and #2.

Reponse: As part of the 2007-08 federal budgets, the Building Canada Fund was announced. The Government of Canada is currently developing the program criteria. It is expected pavement rehabilitations on the NHS will be eligible projects. Since 2004, Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation has participated in a federal-provincial-territorial task force to review the NHS. In their final report, the task force recommended additions to the NHS network and also recommended that pavement and bridge rehabilitation become an eligible expense under federal cost-share programs. Routine highway maintenance activities such as crack-filling and pothole repair remain ineligible for funding assistance. The federal government agreed in 2004 that pavement rehabilitations could be included in the Border Infrastructure Fund (BIF) program. Two pavement rehabilitation projects on Highway 39 were cost-shared. Previous federal-provincial programs focused on major capital improvements, such as accelerating the twinning of Highways 1 and 16.