City of Yorkton accepts transportation study

As the centre of a large economic region, Yorkton needs to have a consolidated approach to transportation issues.

At least the is the thrust of a new strategic sector study currently being finalized.

Last Wednesday the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce was given a brief presentation on the ‘Transportation and Growth Opportunities for the Yorkton Region’ by John Law.

Law said the idea of the study was initially “an initiative of a group of business people in our community,” he said, adding it was get a better understanding of transportation issues was “an opportunity to improve the future for the community.”

From there the City’s Economic Development Committee came on board, and the work of creating a strategy kicked off a couple of months ago, offered Law.

Law said transportation is critical for development as it is required to move anything made locally to markets “outside Saskatchewan and other places around the country, and literally the world.” He noted in Saskatchewan where 70 per cent of what is produced is exported, that need is critical.

Law said a first step in the process was to get a better understanding of “what was happening in the business community.”

Law said what was found was that the local economy is robust.

“Yorkton and the region are growing, and it’s growing faster than we had believed,” he said.  “… There’s a lot happening here.”

Law said while Yorkton might only be 20,000 people, the catchment area in terms of business is estimated at 230,000.

Law said with the existing economic activity, and the expectations for growth there are “new opportunities where businesses had common interests.”

That does not mean businesses dovetailing on production, but it could open the doors for a more consolidated effort in terms of dealing with transportation solutions.

The existing activities, and any future growth also has “implications for infrastructure,” said Law.

As an example, he cited “some significant increases in truck volumes.”

At the same time existing growth is creating possible expansion of business moving forward.

As examples, Law said they have found interest in a local source for containers for transport of products, the need for a spur line to better facilitate rail usage, trucking services and other businesses which could develop to meet both existing needs, and potential business growth.

The efforts of the study will include a list of some 26 recommendations which will soon be presented to Yorkton Council, said Law.

While not revealing all of the recommendations at the Chamber luncheon, Law said they include the need for addition water and sewer capacity, better access from Highway #16, truck turn lanes on #16 and Grain Millers Road, and redoing York Road.

Law said while a report will emerge from the current work, he said he hoped dialogue will continue toward creating and ongoing source of intelligence for business.