When you cast your ballot in the provincial election on
April 4, think about your candidate’s infrastructure priorities
GOOD ROADS BUILD
THE ECONOMY:
• $6.9 billion in investment
• $5.1 billion in provincial gross domestic product
• $2.3 billion in wages and salaries in Saskatchewan
• 46,300 jobs within the province, 22,900
of which are direct industry jobs
• $1.3 billion in federal and provincial
government revenues
Government investment in roads and transport is
far more than grading a gravel road, building or twinning
a highway or bypass or resurfacing a municipal
street. Our core infrastructure is the economic artery
of the province. Growth is pursued so that investments
made in people and in buildling the province
make living in Saskatchewan steadily better, year after
year.
A strong economy allows government to deliver important
services such as health care, education and social
services.
GOOD ROADS SAVE MONEY:
Dollars spent fixing/building a highway, upgrading a
sewer line, or building better flood protection creates
jobs for engineers, planners, contractors, labourers
and truck drivers who in turn buy local goods and services,
invest in homes and pay provincial taxes. It’s
those tax dollars, paid by employers and the workers
they hire, that pay for hospitals, schools, universities
and form the foundation for our quality of life.
The goals of government need to be:
• Sustain growth
• Create opportunity
• Secure enhanced social wellbeing
• Deliver a responsive and
responsible govemment
Infrastructure consistently remains
within the top three priorities defined
by the Saskatchewan taxpayer
PROVINCIAL ELECTION
GOOD ROADS SAVE LIVES:
Transportation costs continue to be the second largest
item for most Saskatchewan households, even
larger than food. Over one fifth of household spending
in Saskatchewan is on transportation costs in the
form of car payments, fuel costs, maintenance and repairs.
Poor roads quickly translate into increased family
expenses.
While the investment by government has grown
substantially, far more will be required in the years
ahead to ensure we don’t leave the next generation
with a legacy of gridlock and congestion.
GOOD ROADS CREATE JOBS:
Saskatchewan is a trade-reliant, land-locked province.
We need the infrastructure to support the efficient and
timely movement of goods and services to market in
order for us to remain globally competitive. Without
efficient infrastructure, business costs increase and
productivity decreases, causing industrial and commercial
facilities and jobs to re-locate out of province.
The heavy construction industry
supports our provincial supply chain:
• Provincial services: $352 million
in services from the construction
sector equal to 3,031 jobs
• Finance and insurance: Supplied
$272 million in services to heavy
construction supporting 1,034 jobs
• Mining and quarrying: Energy sells
$993 million to heavy construction
annually, the bulk of which was gravel
and aggregate. This supported 851 jobs.
The Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association
believes that good governments invest in good roads.
We urge you to ask the candidates in your area
about their infrastructure priorities for our industry
and our province. Have questions? Email us at
slipp@saskheavy.ca.
saskheavy.ca | Quarter 1 2016 | Think BIG 27
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