Spring is upon us here in southwest Saskatchewan, but we had a not so gentle reminder about just how fast the weather can change. At the start of April, a winter storm dropped a substantial amount of snow on many areas. High winds and icy conditions caused a lot of problems.
Thankfully, our dedicated and hardworking SaskPower crews were up to the task of restoring service to the more than 6,0000 customers left without electricity. It took SaskPower and other contractors five and a half days to address all of the damage. The 22 crews consisting of over 100 workers replaced over 600 power poles and repaired nearly 50 kilometres of power lines.
Thank you to everyone who provided the extra effort in a time of need. Weather aside, the last few weeks have been very busy as the Government of Saskatchewan presented the 2022/23 Budget. I’m happy to say that access to medical care outside of major centres received a lot of attention. Improving access is a commitment that we have made, and this year we will see significant investment and expansion. A nearly $11 million funding increase will support emergency medical services with more paramedics, more ambulances and
more training. An additional 70.7 full-time equivalent positions will address critical priority areas in 27 communities.
For the Cypress constituency, that will mean increased funding for the community of Frontier. The increase will allow continued service for the community and immediate area. In Maple Creek, the commitment will see more staff hired by the Saskatchewan Health Authority to expand emergency services.
The budget also commits funding for highway improvements. Three years ago, our
government made it clear that we are committed to improving our highways with a goal to improve 10,000 kilometers of highways by 2030. The 2022/23 budget not only works to achieve that goal but puts us ahead of schedule.
As soon as the weather allows, work will begin on 170 km of repaving, 550 km of pavement sealing, 100 km of medium treatments and 200 km of Thin Membrane Surface and rural highway upgrades across the province. Locally, Highway 37 is part of that plan with medium and heavy preservation work happening in multiple locations from Gull Lake through Shaunavon and further to the south.
Our provincial economy is back on track, allowing for increased investment in provincial services, leading to stronger communities. More jobs, more investment and more success stories are on the way as we showcase Saskatchewan to the world.
Best regards,
Doug Steele
Cypress Hills MLA
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