The Editor:
Saskatchewan has had a decade of record resource revenue come
in, but we don’t have a lot to show for it.
The Sask. Party blew through billions of dollars. Yet, so many of our highways are looking and feeling like gravel goat paths again. People ask me: where did all the money go?
When it comes to highway, they certainly are spending more. But, they’re doing less.
In 2008-09 the Sask. Party spent $225.7 million on highways and repaired or upgraded about another 600 kilometres.
But last year, they spent $405.2 million and only fixed or upgraded 470 kilometres of highway.
They’re paying more and paving less.
At the heart of this problem is an increase in spending on private consultants using Highways and Infrastructure money — in fact, a whopping 400 per cent increase. When that much of the highways budget goes to consultants, and even more to foreign contracts, no wonder we pay more but get fewer kilometres done.
And our mini-vans, school buses, heavy-haul trucks and ambulances are paying the price.
Buckley Belanger
NDP critic for Highways and Infrastructure.
