Released on March 29, 1999
Northern Affairs Minister Keith Goulet says Friday's budgetsuccessfully addresses both the short and long-term development needs
of northern Saskatchewan.
"Health care and housing are immediate northern priorities that are
strongly reflected in the new budget," Goulet said.
"Provincial funding for health authorities serving the Northern
Administration District has been increased to over $21 million. As
well, additional funding is being provided for road and air ambulance
services, construction starts for new health centres at Stony Rapids
and La Loche, and northern physician services.
"Provincial housing programs will enable more than 100 off-reserve
housing units to be built in northern Saskatchewan communities in
1999. This represents a commitment of more than $8 million for new
construction through the government's social housing, home-ownership
and rental-market assistance programs in the North. A further
$5 million will be provided for repairs and renovations to social
housing units."
In addition to on-going northern municipal grant programs for
operations and capital projects, $1.5 million has been provided in the
budget for critical water and sewer needs. The allocation is an
interim measure pending completion this year of a comprehensive
assessment and prioritization of overall northern water and sewer
development requirements.
Another major northern expenditure area for the provincial
government is highways and transportation, totalling almost
$29 million. Preservation and maintenance of 4,620 kilometres
of highways within the Northern Administration District will be
undertaken at an estimated cost of $14.6 million.
Northern construction projects include:
completion of the Turnor Lake access road (15.6 km);
further construction including two new bridges on highway
965 towards Jans Bay and Canoe Narrows (13 km);
further construction of highway 903 south of Cole Bay
(15.7 km);
new construction of highway 951 west of highway 903 (25 km);
gravelling of highway 956 - Garson Lake Road (30 km);
completion of the Athabasca Road (15 km);
improvements and bridge replacements, highway 102 north of
La Ronge;
Cumberland House main street; and
airport improvements at Uranium City, Fond-du-Lac, Stony
Rapids (undertaken under the federal government Airport
Capital Assistance Program).
Goulet said the budget bodes well for future development of the
northern economy.
"The budget's royalty restructuring and capital recovery
provisions, affecting gold and base metals, are expected to spark
new investment in northern mineral exploration and development in
the North. These measures, together with anticipated new
forestry developments, will be key in developing and diversifying
the northern economy the number one priority of the Northern
Strategy adopted by the province and northern leaders last year.
"As part of the Northern Strategy, Saskatchewan Northern Affairs
is providing funding for the Northern Development Board to
complete a Strategic Opportunities Assessment' during 1999. The
comprehensive assessment is documenting the full range of
northern economic opportunities and associated infrastructure
requirements, intended to attract private and public investment
in business development and job creation within the Northern
Administration District," said Goulet.
Business development grants available through the Northern
Development Fund will be increased over 1998-99 and a new
position in support of co-operative development is being
established for the North. Both programs are administered by
Saskatchewan Northern Affairs.
Goulet said that new investments in northern education and
training are also being planned by the government to ensure
northerners fully participate in anticipated expansion of the
northern economy.
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For more information, contact:
Brian Cousins
Saskatchewan Northern Affairs
La Ronge
Phone: (306) 425-4216