Legislative Report, 18 May, 2005

Why is the gas tax going to fix holes in the budget and not our roads? That is the question the Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association of Saskatchewan are asking the Calvert government. They want a greater percentage of the gas tax to go into fixing Saskatchewan’s roads – many of which are the lifeline to our communities and the infrastructure our economy relies upon.

The Saskatchewan Party couldn’t agree more. Our roads are deteriorating and need to be fixed. It is no longer simply an issue of a smooth ride, but an issue of safety. Saskatchewan’s highways have become so bad that drivers have to swerve to avoid potholes. In some of our constituencies, the poor quality of roads is deterring tourists. In others, even the STC bus won’t go down provincial highways. We should not be exposing Saskatchewan families to this type of danger.

As the Official Opposition, our policy states that a Saskatchewan Party government would commit, as a minimum, all provincial fuel taxes to fund provincial and municipal transportation infrastructure construction and renewal in the province.

It is time the Calvert government outlined a strategy and plan to fix our roads. There are many of reasons to provide better infrastructure – improve the flow of goods on our highways, ensure those who visit our province will come back, and most importantly, to ensure the safety of Saskatchewan people as they travel our roads on a daily basis.

Past Legislative Reports