Government of Saskatchewan ministries, Crown corporations and organizations are working to minimize the impacts of the postal service disruption.
Les ministères, les sociétés d’État et les organismes du gouvernement de la Saskatchewan travaillent à réduire au minimum les répercussions de l’interruption des services postaux.
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Released on September 20, 2007
Work is now underway on the Saskatchewan side of the La Loche to Fort McMurray connector, also known as the Garson Lake Road. The $4.2 million project helps the Government of Saskatchewan fulfil a two-year-old commitment between the Province and the Government of Alberta to construct a permanent all-weather connection between La Loche and Fort McMurray.
"I believe we are going to see a transformation in Saskatchewan's northwest over the next decade or two that we have never witnessed in the past," Premier Lorne Calvert said. "This road, and its eventual connection right through to northern Alberta, will play a vital role in our future economic prosperity by allowing Saskatchewan workers easier access to the Athabasca oil sands, plus creating greater opportunities for our own oil sands development, as well as our tourism potential."
While a structured gravel road currently exists from south of La Loche (at the junction of Highway 956) to 16.5 kilometres (km) due west, there is only a narrow utility road leading up to the Alberta border at Garson Lake, where the road stops completely. The new all-weather road, once completed on both sides of the border, will shorten the commute between Fort McMurray and La Loche from 10 hours to just under two hours. This will improve the quality of life for northern residents and will greatly improve economic development opportunities in the North.
The economic advantages north of La Loche are significant and include the Axe Lake oil sands development, untapped uranium deposits at Shay Lake and the thousands of freshwater lakes that attract tourists annually.
The work is part of the Roads to Prosperity program - the Northern Economic Infrastructure Strategy (NEIS), which is one of six pillars under the government's 10-year, $5-billion transportation strategy, Transportation for Economic Advantage.
"With NEIS, we're creating unique partnerships with more experienced road building companies to help boost the skills and abilities of northern workers," Highways and Transportation Minister Buckley Belanger said. "This helps build capacity in the North beyond one-time construction projects."
Up to 25 workers are currently employed on the Garson Lake Road project, which is a partnership between La Loche's Methy Construction and Maintenance, and Tisdale-area road builder Silvertown Contracting.
"Companies that may not have had a chance to bid on projects like this in the past are now able to do so under NEIS, and gain valuable work experience," Northern Affairs Minister Joan Beatty said. "This is creating a lasting benefit of business success in the North."
Minister Belanger is in the process of establishing an inter-provincial working committee to help move the La Loche to Fort McMurray Connector along.
"I am very excited to announce that Fort McMurray Mayor Melissa Blake has agreed to participate," Belanger said. "Other senior officials from both sides of the border are also being considered."
An informational video on the Garson Lake Road project was produced for local stakeholders. It can be viewed on the government website at http://www.gov.sk.ca/premier/video-gallery/garson-lake-road-project/.
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For more information, contact:
Lynette Piper
Highways and Transportation
Regina
Phone: 306-536-0049
Email: lpiper@highways.gov.sk.ca
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