Prairie Provinces Working Together on Transportation Corridors

Released on April 11, 2023

Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba sign Memorandum of Understanding

Saskatchewan is working with its prairie neighbours to enable the safe, reliable and sustainable movement of our products to markets around the world.

Ministers for highways and transportation in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba are signing a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen economic corridors that support our supply chains.

"The world needs what Saskatchewan has to offer," Saskatchewan Highways Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. "We rely on dependable, robust, road, rail, air and port networks to ship our food, fuel and fertilizer across North America and around the globe."

"Manitoba's unique gateway and hub initiatives cannot develop in isolation, that is why external cooperative partnerships will leverage our initiatives for success," Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk said. "With similar trade and transport access such as distance to markets, reliance on international ports and railway services, and similar commodity basis, Saskatchewan and Alberta are natural key partners to work with on improving trade-enablement through transportation."

"Alberta is proud to partner with Saskatchewan and Manitoba, taking a leadership role in building new trade corridors that will help our provinces and our country,” Alberta's Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen said. 

Saskatchewan's Growth Plan includes a pledge to increase exports by 50 per cent and expand Saskatchewan's export infrastructure to increase the mobility of Saskatchewan's products to international markets over the next decade. Exports support a vibrant business community and ensure an improving quality of life for Saskatchewan people. 

The memorandum commits the three provinces to jointly working to improving our transportation system, to ensure the strength and competitiveness of Saskatchewan's economy. 

The three provinces will cooperate to:

• Improve efficiency of inter-provincial highway and rail networks.
• Encourage the federal government for infrastructure funding and national supply chain solutions.
• Keep their economies competitive and grow capital investment.
• Harmonize regulations to support businesses, industries and shippers.

Seventy per cent of Saskatchewan's economy is dependent on exports. In 2021, Saskatchewan exported a record $37 billion in goods, an increase of approximately 24 per cent from the previous year.

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