Municipal Roads for the Economy Program Funding
Res #: 19-19M
Number: 19
Year: 2019
Midterm: Yes
Expired: No
Responses Received: Yes
Departments: Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure
WHEREAS when the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program (MREP) was established in the 2009-10 provincial budget and SARM agreed to administer this program on behalf of the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, the funding commitment from the provincial government to MREP was $23.5 million dollars;
WHEREAS the provincial government’s funding commitment to MREP reached a high of $25.5 million dollars in the 2014-15 provincial budget, but was cut in the 2015-16 provincial budget to $14.15 million dollars and was only $14 million dollars in the 2018-19 provincial budget;
WHEREAS the costs to rural municipalities for the maintenance and construction of the grid road system in this province has increased substantially from 2009 to 2019;
BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government be requested to, at the very least, re-instate its original funding commitment to the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program of $23.5 million dollars.
Responses From: The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure
January 6, 2020
The Government of Saskatchewan has undertaken a comprehensive review of MREP and has made changes that will improve its effectiveness. The new program, called Rural Integrated Roads for Growth (RIRG), will be funded at levels we hope you will find fair. While the government has achieved its 3 year balanced budget goal, we must remain cautious with the taxpayers’ dollar as we face headwinds to our economy.
Greg Ottenbreit – Minister of Highways and Infrastructure
