2010-11 Annual Report

The Annual Report of the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011.  This report details the Ministry's alignment with Government's vision for a secure and prosperous Saskatchewan, leading the country in economic and population growth, while providing opportunity for a high quality of life for all. 

The Ministry's appropriated budget for 2010-11 was $551 million, including a $250 million capital program.  The expenditures dedicated to highways, roads and transportation infrastructure were 35 per cent greater than the provincial on-road fuel tax revenues.  In 2010-11, the Ministry accomplished the Government's four year commitment of investing $1.8 billion in highways and transportation in only three years.  The Ministry's expenditures over the three years were: $623.7 million in 2008-09, $599.8 million in 2009-10, and $628.3 million in 2010-11.  Through these investments, the Ministry has made significant progress in the delivery of its Transportation for Growth Strategy.  This strategy's goals are to grow industry, improve local communities and provide safe highways for travellers and shippers.  The investments were in response to the direction set by Government, and also in alignment with the mission of the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure: to optimize the role of transportation as it relates to the economic and social development of Saskatchewan.

Throughout this past year the Ministry focused on economic growth by not only improving highways and building new infrastructure, but by improving the regulatory framework for the trucking industry.  Working through the New West Partnership, the Ministry was able to harmonize rules for commercial carriers across the three Western provinces by amending The Vehicle Weight and Dimension Regulations, 1999.  This change improves the productivity of carriers operating B-train truck tractor and semi-trailer combinations, and assists in creating a barrier-free trade zone and investment climate.  The Ministry also invested in creating a high clearance corridor across the province from Saskatoon to the Alberta border on Highway 7, and Melville to Rosetown via Highways 15 and 4.  Beyond simply improving the route, the Ministry also simplified the process for shippers by instituting a permit structure rather than having shippers arrange for utilities to be raised or cut with each move.   In fulfilling Government's direction, the Ministry is taking a multimodal approach to enhancing the transportation network, and looking forward with a customer focus to improve the services that the Ministry is delivering.

Based on these successes and Government's commitments, the Ministry will continue to work strategically to improve the provincial transportation system with a focus on sustaining economic growth, enhancing motorist safety and achieving organizational excellence.

Honourable Jim Reiter

Minister of Highways and Infrastructure