Opposition demands action after historical flooding washes out roads across the province

She argued the province has failed to adequately prepare for severe weather and long-standing infrastructure vulnerabilities in rural Saskatchewan.

“This government has known for years that Saskatchewan’s rural infrastructure is aging and vulnerable, yet they have failed to properly plan, invest and prepare,” Ritchie said. “Now roads are washing away, communities are being cut off, and local governments are being left to deal with the consequences.”

Ritchie also pointed to recent provincial budget reductions, saying highway capital spending was reduced by $20.5 million, while spending on dams and water supply channels dropped 16 per cent, from $73.9 million to $61.9 million.

She accused the government of ignoring repeated warnings from municipalities about deteriorating infrastructure.

“Rural municipalities can’t keep carrying this burden alone,” Ritchie said. “Instead of proactive planning and infrastructure upgrades, this government has relied on short-term fixes, while Saskatchewan people pay the price every time severe weather hits.”

The opposition is calling on the province to immediately provide emergency assistance to affected municipalities, cover infrastructure repair costs and develop a long-term resiliency strategy focused on flood mitigation, road stability and rural emergency preparedness.

Ritchie said local farmers have also raised concerns about inadequate drainage maintenance contributing to flooding problems.

“One of the things they’ve mentioned to me is the fact that a lot of the ditches and drainage areas haven’t been maintained because municipalities haven’t been able to keep up,” she said. “Seeing those drainage channels cleared would address the flooding issue to a large degree.”

She added that concerns over water retention across the landscape have been raised repeatedly in discussions with rural residents.

“There are landscape fixes that could act as a protective force to avoid these sorts of flooding situations from happening in the first place,” Ritchie said.

In response, the Saskatchewan government said Ministry of Highways crews have been working before and during the flooding to protect infrastructure and keep motorists safe.

The province said crews have been carrying out culvert repairs and replacements, deploying pumps in areas where water flows exceed culvert capacity and stationing flag persons on highways to help protect drivers.

“Our government remains committed to investing in our highways and thanks everyone on the frontlines during this flooding to protect the citizens we all serve,” the government said in a statement.

The province also defended its infrastructure spending record, saying more than $14.6 billion has been invested in transportation infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 22,700 kilometres of highways.

The government said this year’s budget includes more than $86.3 million for northern transportation infrastructure, which it said is in line with the province’s five-year annual average.

The Saskatchewan government also rejected claims that funding for dams and water supply channels had been cut.

“Since 2010, WSA has invested over $360 million in water management infrastructure across the province,” the statement said. “There have been no budget cuts for dam or water supply channels. Infrastructure investments change each year based on where projects are in their development.”

The province noted disaster assistance is available through the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP), which supports residents, agricultural operations, Indigenous communities, businesses and municipalities recovering from natural disasters.

Under the program, local governments can request a disaster designation from the province within one month of a weather event. Once approved, municipalities can apply for assistance and receive advance payments for eligible repair costs following damage assessments.

The government said PDAP issued payments for private property claims in an average of 72 days during the 2024-25 fiscal year, with displacement assistance requests handled on an expedited basis.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

Opposition demands action after historical flooding washes out roads across the province

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