Saskatoon, SK–Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan Leader Rose Buscholl is calling for the Moe Government to make pubic more information about the ongoing planning of the Saskatoon Freeway Project.
“Sure, there were a few small public consultations during COVID, but that is less than satisfactory for a project costing hundreds of millions of dollars…. perhaps over $1 Billion,” stated Buscholl. “The more we look into this, the worse it seems to get.”
To date there does not seem to have been any Environmental Impact study nor Heritage Study made public. Further, with limited public consultations done during the height of the pandemic, low turnout was almost ensured. PC Leader Buscholl does not want the Saskatoon Freeway Project to be that city’s version of the Regina bypass (GTH) fiasco of controversy and massive cost overruns.
And to make matters worse, some parts of the plan do not seem to make much sense. Saskatchewan Highways’ plan calls for a river crossing less than a kilometre north of the existing Chief Mistawasis Bridge. To even get there, the freeway must cut through both the Northeast Swale and the Small Swale, two of the highest quality corridors of natural grasslands and wetlands remaining in the region. There are over dozen species of conservation concern. Further, the city itself has not endorsed this project.
“There seems to be more than a few problems with the planning and execution of the project,” Buscholl asserts. “Folks would like to know their money is being well cared for. Was there an environmental impact/assessment study? heritage study? Where are they? Why was the planned route chosen? Show us the goods!”
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