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Grain Transportation

Res #: 7-17M
Number: 7
Year: 2017
Midterm: Yes
Expired: No
Responses Received: No
Departments: Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

WHEREAS the grain movement occurs annually during the spring road bans. This causes undue hardship to agriculture producers and municipal infrastructure;

WHEREAS each municipality takes its own approach on the authorization of overweight permits during spring road bans and some individuals continue to haul regardless;

WHEREAS municipal roads are not patrolled by the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure as its mandate is to focus on provincial highway infrastructure;

WHEREAS many rural municipalities cannot afford to employ a bylaw or community safety officer; 

WHEREAS the provincial and federal government should require grain companies and rail companies to call for the filling of contracts and the movement of grain to be completed during the winter weight seasons and before the spring weight restrictions are implemented (usually before March 15 of each year);

WHEREAS the rail and grain companies should face penalties for the failure to facilitate the movement during the times of the signed contracts;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial and federal governments to communicate with the rail and grain companies to facilitate the movement of the grain in the winter months to facilitate the least amount of damage to both the provincial highway network and the municipal road network.