Resolutions

Whereas the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC), was a Crown Corporation of the Government of Saskatchewan that provided passenger transportation and parcel delivery throughout Saskatchewan since 1946; and

Whereas the Government of Saskatchewan decided to cease these services as of May 31, 2017 due to a decrease in ridership and citing inability to turn a profit; and

Whereas this decision has caused hardships on our small-urban residents, particularly seniors and other vulnerable sectors, who relied on the STC for transportation for essential reasons, such as medical appointments in larger centers; and

Whereas municipalities and the private sector have been pressured to take on the responsibility for transportation services, knowing that operating deficits are inevitable in order to provide this service at a reasonable and affordable rate for riders; and 

Whereas small-urban communities with EMS services are sometimes left without local emergency coverage during EMS transfers to outlying facilities. A portion of such transports are of non-urgent nature covered by EMS units due to lack of alternate transportation options available to community residents;

Therefore be it resolved that the SUMA work with the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities to advocate the Government of Saskatchewan to take back the responsibility to provide transportation in Saskatchewan, for all-urban residents, and particularly vulnerable residents who have been impacted by the discontinuation of STC, and/or subsidize the services as necessary to make it affordable for an outside company to successfully fulfill ridership needs.

ACTS AFFECTED: TBD      REGION/SECTOR AFFECTED: Towns, Villages, Northern      2020-017