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Provincial Government Notification for Doing Development Work

Res #: 10-19M
Number: 10
Year: 2019
Midterm: Yes
Expired: No
Responses Received: Yes
Departments: Crown Investments Corporation

WHEREAS some provincial and crown utilities and service providers such as SaskPower, SaskTel, SaskEnergy and the Ministry of Health do not notify rural municipalities prior to undertaking certain developments;

WHEREAS rural municipalities are accountable to the public and therefore should be made aware when public work-related developments are taking place within their jurisdiction;

BE IT RESOLVED that there be a mandatory requirement for provincial and crown utilities and service providers to provide notification to the affected RM when any form of development work is to be carried out within their respective jurisdiction.  

Responses From: The Ministry Responsible for Crown Investments Corporation

December 27, 2019

The following input was received from SaskPower, SaskTel and SaskEnergy:

  • SaskEnergy works closely with RMs when major transmission gas line projects must cross a road within a municipality. SaskEnergy must obtain consent from the RM for this crossing, so notice of this work is a key part of the project approval process.
  • SaskTel believes itself to already be in compliance with SARM Resolution 10-19M requiring notifications for development work done in rural parts of the province on both its wireline and wireless networks. The company currently issues an application for RM approval prior to the erection of any new wireless tower in an RM. Similarly, RM offices are provided information packages and are given the opportunity to provide comment back to SaskTel prior to any major development work on SaskTel’s wireline network in their jurisdiction. Through these established notification mechanisms, SaskTel finds itself to be in compliance with Resolution 10-19M.
  • SaskPower is required, pursuant to sections 31 and 32 of The Power Corporation Act, to notify a municipality when exercising its statutory power to carry out work in roads, road allowances, and other public places vested in the Crown in right of Saskatchewan. In addition to providing such notice, SaskPower also makes an effort to consult with rural municipalities on construction projects involving SaskPower facilities located on RM property or in RM road allowances. As for development undertaken on private lands or for third parties, privacy laws would prevent SaskPower from sharing details of such work without the consent of the customer in question.

Joe Hargrave – Minister of Crown Investments